Voodoo Ray
A Guy Called Gerald · 1989Gerald Simpson wrote and home-programmed the track in Manchester, then took it into Moonraker Studios in summer 1988 to finish it with assistance from Chapter, the duo of Aniff Akinola and Colin Thorpe. The session used a Fostex 16-track setup and Lee Monteverde is credited as engineer. Released on the eve of the UK acid house explosion, it became one of the scene’s defining records and a signature anthem for Manchester’s Haçienda club. It entered the UK Singles Chart and peaked at No. 12, marking a rare mainstream breakthrough for a DIY independent dance single. It is now treated as a foundational British acid house record and a touchstone for later UK dance music. Its reach extended well beyond clubs through reissues, remix culture, and appearances in film and games.