
Norman Jay MBE
Exeter Phoenix are pleased to welcome a truly legendary man, one of the finest and most respected DJs in the land, co-founder KISS FM and a personal friend of the Queen, yes it’s the mighty Norman Jay MBE.
Growing up in sixties Notting Hill, Norman was surrounded by music and encouraged by his parents played his first gig at the tender age of eight, albeit a ten year old cousin’s birthday party, but the seeds were sown for what would become one of our greatest DJing talents.
A trip to New York with his Uncle in 1979 exposed Norman to the city’s infamous block parties and on his return Norman became determined to transfer the vibe to London and more importantly play the Notting Hill Carnival. A short conversation with his brother Joey later and the now legendary Good Times Sound System was born, first stop Carnival where Norman realised his ambition and became an underground sensation, later playing to thousands every week at his (ever so slightly illegal) warehouse parties, he was also instrumental in the set up of a little pirate radio station called Kiss FM, eventually going on to become the first DJ to broadcast on the newly legal Kiss 100FM.
Throughout the acid house explosion of the early nineties Norman stayed true to his roots, pushing forward little known names from the US like Tony Humphries, Marshall Jefferson and Masters at Work who would all go on to become superstars in their own right, always making sure that the soul was retained in everything that he did, from deep house to disco revival, rare groove to acid jazz, Norman’s main aim was to make people dance, make people smile.
That aim remains today as Norman Jay MBE continues to be one of the most respected and influential DJs in the world, transcending trends and next big things, keeping it simple, soulful and above all superb. Let the Good Times roll!