The electronic music community pays tribute to Andrew Weatherall

One of the UK’s most respected electronic artists, Andrew Weatherall passed away yesterday aged 56 after suffering a pulmonary embolism.

Born in 1963, the DJ/producer/remixer rose to fame during the acid house era of the late ’80s, most notably working on Primal Scream’s ‘Screamadelica’, turning it into an era-defining album, while also remixing tracks by artists from Björk to Manic Street Preachers.

An anti-establishment icon, Weatherall was uncompromising in his outlook, as well as being an engaging raconteur, a revered selector and mind-bending producer.

His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from the dance music community, paying their respects to an artist who was overwhelmingly loved by many.

Read a selection of the messages from people whose lives he touched below.

I can’t believe I am writing this.#RIP Andrew Weatherall

(6 April 1963 – 17 February 2020)

One of the greatest, sweetest, funniest guys I’ve ever met. pic.twitter.com/hXKR02k850

— Dave Haslam (@Mr_Dave_Haslam) February 17, 2020

First time I saw Weatherall play was in the bottom floor of Back To Basics at the Music Factory in Leeds when I was 17. It was absolute carnage & he was playing Phuture’s Phuture Will Survive. The memory is burned into my synapses. It changed me.

— Paul Woolford (@PaulWoolford) February 17, 2020

Weatherall was a font of all things amazing when it came to music. I’ll miss his enthusiasm and his ace recommendations. A good friend and inspiration to so many x x pic.twitter.com/0OEVdoaets

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) February 17, 2020

RIP Andrew Weatherall. The king of cool. Very, very sad news. Thoughts are with his family and friends. ❤️

— Sleaford Mods (@sleafordmods) February 17, 2020

rest in peace to a true OG, andrew weatherall. the epitome of a fearless selector <3

— josey rebelle (@JoseyRebelle) February 17, 2020

RIP Andrew Weatherall
i am so deeply saddened by this news..
sending the best of my love to Andrew’s family, friends and collaborators the world over..
🌹
m/a..x

— maryanne hobbs (@maryannehobbs) February 17, 2020

 

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#andrewweatherall

A post shared by 2manydjs (@2manydjs) on Feb 17, 2020 at 10:39am PST

I honestly wouldn’t be where I am today without Weatherall’s involvement in my music. His constant support and honesty, the time we spent together making ‘Tarot Sport’, everything. I don’t want this to be real

— Blanck Mass (@BlanckMass) February 17, 2020

The absolute architect of acid house and beyond. Without him the cultire would not have been. He never compromised. He was an idol to me, completely reshaped my life. #andrewweatherall you will be so deeply missed

— annie nightingale (@aanightingale) February 17, 2020

When i first met Andrew Weatherall in the early 90’s he just starting praising me on the spot in the middle of Fat Cat records in London , which was unsettling because it was my intention to shower him with well intended praise … I managed to turn that around later on .RIP AW

— Luke Slater (@reallukeslater) February 17, 2020

So sad about Andrew Weatherall, he was a true pioneer and a constant inspiration xx

— The Chemical Brothers (@ChemBros) February 17, 2020

Back before “minimal” became a dirty word, there was a story that in the mid-90s Weatherall played an entire set at Glastonbury of just Studio 1 and Concept 1 records. It stuck out in my mind as the most renegade thing a DJ could do – play without concern for expectations.

— panic in the discogs.com (@ambivalent) February 17, 2020

RIP Weatherall. I’m devastated. A childhood hero, my mum and dad loved you and I felt blessed to have my NTS show on after yours, it meant I got to catch up of my favourite djs once a month. What a legacy. Thanks for the music Andy 🙁 💔💔💔💔

— Eclair Fifi MP (@eclairfifi) February 17, 2020

 

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There were two sides to Andrew Weatherall. Over in one murky corner was the Lord Sabre of ill-repute, whose music often expressed a darkness that must have been otherwise well hidden. The other side was the quietly reflective, frequently hilarious, deadpan polymath whose character seemed deeply at odds with his piratic look. I guess he was a bit of both. Although our paths often came close in the 1990s, it was only over the past 20 years that I really got to know Andrew. I interviewed him a couple of times, but we also DJed together at a bunch of parties and hung out at festivals, usually with his girlfriend Lizzie. In person he couldn’t have been further from his slightly foreboding reputation. He was an extremely likeable person, always with an interesting angle on a well-worn story, he was someone you’d be guaranteed to end of talking about something typically off the wall; I’m remembering conversations over the years that covered New Orleans voodoo, David Essex in That’ll Be The Day, Billy Childish or any one of countless diversions that always seemed to be part of a few hours spent with Mr Weatherall. He was also kind and thoughtful man. One summer, we spent a week together in a villa in Croatia, and he helped teach my then very young daughter how to swim (in between speculation about whether Dr John had filched lyrics from a book he’d just read). I’d doubt whether anyone from the acid house generation has forged such a singular career as Andrew. Many have gone on to become much more successful and considerably more wealthy than him, but none of them have managed to plough a furrow so unique and utterly without ‘career planning’ in mind. Careers were for other people, but not him (during one of our interviews, he told me, “It was only about five or six years ago I realised I was a DJ.”) Full tribute in link in my bio ——> #andrewweatherall #lordsabre

A post shared by 🄱🄸🄻🄻 🄱🅁🄴🅆🅂🅃🄴🅁 (@bill_brewster) on Feb 17, 2020 at 10:14am PST

Absolutely stunned. RIP to a great of greats. Andrew Weatherall. Your electricfying music scared the shit out of me as a very young raver at cream in 1993 and many times since. Condolences to family & friends. ♥️

— Yousef (@yousefcircus) February 17, 2020

i can’t even..
Andrew was one of the first people I met when i moved to london 10 years ago – the godfather of music & one of the nicest people in music
( which you realise is so so rare )
i can’t believe this has happened.
he will be so sorely missed.
thank you, A

— Kelly Lee Owens (@kellyleeowens) February 17, 2020

 

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A shining example of truth, a man of considerable kindness, razor sharp humour and a genuine interest in others. An absolute inspiration, you’ll be missed dearly. Rest in peace Andrew. #andrewweatherall

A post shared by Erol Alkan (@erolalkan) on Feb 17, 2020 at 8:36am PST

 

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I can’t believe we’ve lost another legend… Andrew was truly one of the most important & influential artists in the DJ world and beyond. I always had goosebumps every time he played. I remember when I met him for the first time in Australia I was nervous and he was such a gentleman too, I was dancing to his music until a minute before I had to go on stage in another room! He also complimented on one of my mixes that was only few years ago but it meant so much to me and couraged me to an extent I will never forget that…. I really can’t believe this and devastated. RIP Sir Weatherall.

A post shared by Peggy Gou 페기 구 (@peggygou_) on Feb 17, 2020 at 7:31am PST

We are all very saddened to hear about the passing of our friend, and collaborator, Andrew Weatherall. pic.twitter.com/vZ3ckl7lw0

— New Order (@neworder) February 17, 2020

I’ve never seen anyone do this but when Andrew Weatherall played for us he told me he was running out of records. He just allowed one record to play out, left a 20 second gap of silence and started on some acid mind benders. pic.twitter.com/CzIJMYPS1O

— TheBlackDog (@TheBlackDog) February 18, 2020

hard to put into words the influence and impact Andrew Weatherall has had on UK culture…
so sad to hear of his passing
RIP

— Gilles Peterson (@gillespeterson) February 17, 2020

OK my favourite weatherall story told to me by sean johnston… someone was giving him grief across the decks all night and eventually weatherall asks the griefer “how much did u pay to get in tonite?” and the griefer says “a fiver” and weatherall says “here’s a tenner. fuck off”

— Ruf Dug (@RufDug) February 17, 2020

So sad to read of the death of legendary DJ and musician Andrew Weatherall in the early hours of this morning. He played out my music when no-one else even took notice in the 1990s. Such a fine man indeed. Farewell you Sabre of Paradise!

— Robin Rimbaud – Scanner (@robinrimbaud) February 17, 2020

Weatherall in 2011 – “which is a very flowery way of saying I like playing old disco records” 🌹 pic.twitter.com/whU83SM1Mz

— Real Lies (@_real_lies) February 17, 2020

 

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Fail we may, sail we must 🖤 ⠀ “This young lad picked me up for the gig and he was 21 and was a trawlerman. He wanted to know about the glamourous world of DJing, to which I said, It’s bollocks, it’s disco’s, tell me about tales of the sea. He told me about being 18 in a force nine gale, his father, the captain, broke his leg so he had to captain the ship. I was thinking, I couldn’t even look after myself at that age let alone a trawler boat in a force 9 gale. I asked him, Are there times when you get up in the morning and you can’t be arsed? And he said, fail we may, sail we must. Which led to me spending hundreds of pounds and a lot of pain having it tattooed up the sides of my arms. I’ve got a pretty good work ethic and sometimes you have a heavy night and want to phone in poorly but if this guy can captain a ship in a force 9 gale I’m sure I can get up and spend two hours in a disco.” ⠀ @dummymag, 2010.

A post shared by hyponik (@hyponik) on Feb 18, 2020 at 3:51am PST

(Read the full interview from which the above quote is taken).

Listen to Andrew Weatherall’s Dummy Mix.