'Probably the most over-looked person in the story of house music in the UK': How DJ Stu Allan helped Manchester become the rave capital of the world

His Sunday night shows on Piccadilly Radio introduced a generation of Mancs to house music, hip hop and rave. He was one of the first DJs to play the likes of A Guy Called Gerald, 808 State and Sub Sub.

And he was a pop star in his own right, clocking up 13 top 40 hits as part of 90s eurodance act Clock. Without the visionary influence of Stu Allan, who died this week aged 60 after receiving treatment for cancer, it's fair to say the feted Manchester music scene of the late 80s and 90s would have looked a lot different.

Allan grew up on Anglesey in North Wales but moved to Manchester in March 1982 after being made redundant from his job as an engineering apprentice. He started DJing that same year after being inspired by hearing DJ Grandmaster Flash on John Peel's Radio 1 show.

Read more: Manchester music legend Stu Allan dies after heartbreaking cancer battle

He initially lived in West Didsbury, where he worked as a barman in the Midland pub, later DJing in a small club in the back room. He also became a regular at Greg Wilson's pioneering jazz-funk nights at Legend nightclub on Princess Street, later playing his own regular Saturday night set there.

By 1984 Allan's mix tapes were starting to be played by Piccadilly Radio DJs such as Timmy Mallet and Chris Evans. Two years later he was offered a six week slot on the station, and its popularity helped him bag his own Sunday night show, where he became one of the first radio DJs in the UK to promote the emerging electro, hip hop and house music scenes.

He also presented a soul show called 'Souled Out' and a hip hop show called 'Buss This' while regularly featuring a 'House Hour', where he would play the latest house tracks coming out of Manchester and Chicago. Allan