British DJ and record producer, Andrew Weatherall, has died aged 56.
Weatherall worked with the likes of New Order, Primal Scream, and the Happy Mondays, having an especially influential impact on the acid house era.
It has been confirmed that Andrew Weatherall died on the morning of Monday 17th February due to a pulmonary embolism.
From his beginnings as a vocalist in a number of local post-punk bands, Weatherall began collecting records. As his musical style developed in line with an exploding acid house scene, Weatherall was suddenly performing as a DJ in some of London’s most renowned clubs. His DJ career led Weatherall to a plethora of incredible opportunities including remixing New Order’s Worlds in Motion and the Happy Mondays’ Hallelujah.
In one statement about the 56-year-old artist’s death, a spokesperson said:
“He was being treated in hospital but unfortunately the blood clot reached his heart. His death was swift and peaceful. His family and friends are profoundly saddened by his death and are taking time to gather their thoughts.”
Tributes have flooded in, with other industry leaders remembering his legacy and contributions to the UK music scene. His vision shines through in a 2017 interview, where Weatherall explained the lure of the dancefloor:
“It’s the enduring appeal of transcendent experience, which has been with us for 200,000 years. A room, coloured lights, smoke and music? Over to you, Roman Catholics. There are ancient Greek rituals involving herbal drugs to achieve transcendence.”
“People were having transcendent experiences in 1940s dancehalls, dancing to a big band; now we do it with drum machines and electronic technology – it’s the same concept. Humanity hasn’t changed for 100,000 years, but our technology has.”
Andrew Weatherall will long be remembered for his unconventional and even radical approach to sound for many years to come.
