HE'S from Manchester but isn't part of the flares and smock tops set.

He's become one of the heroes of warehouse raves with his club hit Voodoo Ray.

He's touring with the Ruthless Rap Assassins, Kiss AMC (of decorated Dr Martens fame) and a couple of guest DJs.

He finishes his first tour on Tyneside a week today.

The man in question is A Guy Called Gerald, alias Gerald Simpson, 22, who's at the forefront of techno wizardry on the British house scene.

Next Tuesday he plays at Newcastle Riverside.

"We're trying to create a club-night feel, with house and soul DJs putting on tracks in between artists."

Influenced

Gerald will take the stage with singer Viv Dixon and keyboards player Rohan Heath, who together will perform tracks from the forthcoming LP, Automanik, as well as older tracks like Voodoo Ray.

It took Gerald about five years to break into the limelight.

Influenced by Chicago-based electro sounds, he dabbled with a keyboard and drum machine in his bedroom, made tapes and got them played on local radio.

After a spell at college, he worked at McDonalds in Manchester to get money for new equipment, then whoosh - things really took off.

"I was really surprised at the way house music developed.

"It was an underground thing and I thought it would stay like that.

"But the simplicity of the beat and melodies, together with the fact that it was new, helped it grow.

"Even with all the off-shoots there are plenty of areas for it to progress in.

"But eventually people will tire of it, and I'll do more producing, though always have the satisfaction of knowing I was there at the start.

"I reckon house will go back to how it used to be, not as diverse but much richer in content."

Gerald has already produced 808 State and plans to work with new techno acts from Detroit like Damen Booker.

He's keeping well clear of the mainstream Manchester scene

"The city's buzzing with acts like the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays.

"But I'm staying away from that. It's like standing in the middle of the road. You get knocked down.

"If you're in the middle of things, you'll burn yourself out and people will get bored of you."

Gerald tips two bands to succeed the thrones occupied by current Kings of Manchester like himself, the Mondays and the Roses.

Watch out for Social Kaos, a duo who perform dance music, and Northside, a Mondays type band.

[Author: Peter Kinghorn]