‘Manchester has lost a hero’
17:53, 05 Jan 2026Updated 17:53, 05 Jan 2026
Manchester DJ and ‘club legend’ Simon Parker has died(Image: Instagram: @soundofManchestermusic)
Members of Manchester’s music and nightlife scene have been shattered by the news that a monumental DJ and figurehead has passed away.
Hailed as a ‘prominent figure during the Haçienda era with residencies across Manchester and Wigan Pier’, Simon Parker – often performing in the early days under the name of DJ Si or DJ Si Parker – has been described as a ‘mentor and educator’ to many DJs and performers in the city. Having begun DJing in 1990, Simon was a staple figure of The Venue nightclub, on Whitworth Street West, in the 90s where he supported big names like Tony Wilson and The Smiths star Andy Rourke.
In a post on social media, it was confirmed that Simon had passed away at 1.42am on Friday (January 2). Last year, Simon shared with his followers that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. “Don’t worry about me,” he said at the time. “But I would like it if you could all look out for each other please.”
For many revellers in the noughties, Simon was the man behind the decks of the Alternative Room of Poptastic, on Bloom Street. In recent years, he was also a popular DJ in Manchester’s Gay Village regularly performing at venues including The REM Bar – where he sound-tracked the Shoot Your Shot club night – and Bar Pop. Throughout his career, he also supported the likes of Franz Ferdinand, New Order, Stereophonics, and Bloc Party on tour, and also performed at V Festival and Manchester Pride as a main stage DJ.
Simon Parker was a resident DJ at The Venue nightclub in the 90s(Image: The Venue)
Simon’s wife Jo, who he married at a ceremony attended by friends and family at The Christie hospital on December 23, posted a touching tribute on social media, writing: “Simon faced his battle with cancer with courage, grace and a quiet strength that never wavered. He was taken from us far too soon, but he lived a life full of friendship, laughter, and deep connection.”
John Hamilton, the owner of Bar Pop, wrote on Facebook: “Si played a great part in my history and the history of @Poptastic, who on Saturdays took the Alternative room on a journey that kept the room packed. Going from one genre to the next. You have touched so many people with music you played and your frankness of words. I am proud to have you in my life and you will be greatly missed.”
DJ Simon Parker was described as being exactly what a ‘kind and genuine human being looks like’ by Leo Stanley, of the Identity shop in Afflecks in the 90s(Image: Identity Manchester)
Christopher Jackie-Kibbler, who is the Operations Manager at Bar Pop and also performs as drag performer Jackie Love, also wrote: “The DJ World is a lot smaller and delicate due to the passing of Simon Parker; a mentor and educator to so many DJ’s on the circuit; both in the LGBTQUA+ circuit and in the national UK circuit. Someone who read a crowd without a flinch!!! Tonight we morn a legend of the club scene.”
In a tribute, Damian Morgan, Artist Development Specialist at the Royal Northern College of Music, said: “For over 40 years of knowing Si, he was always consistently decent and just a bloody lovely person. From the Venue/Identity days onwards. Rest in Peace mate.” Steve Murray, the lead singer of Fast Cars and co-organiser of the G-Festival, also wrote: “A truly special and unique guy, a huge talent and great friend… and a massive part of G-Fest events… Sadly missed already my man.”
DJ Simon Parker(Image: The REM Bar)
In 2013, Simon spoke to the M.E.N about music as he launched a club night, called Klub Komotion, at Mutz Nutz, which later became Alter Ego, Night People and also the home of Poptastic. Urging DJs to think outside the box, he said: “DJs shouldn’t always play Step On by The Happy Mondays when they’re out. You should experiment more and check what’s coming through because there’s a lot of great music about.”
Ten years later, he co-launched the Shoot Your Shot club night at The REM bar, on Sackville Street, celebrating the sound of Hi NRG, which had been prominent in gay venues in the 1980s. Speaking about setting up the night, Simon recalled in 2023: “We got to noting how old skool Hi NRG is never heard nowadays and could sound fresh to a crowd that hadn’t grown up on it. My mate talked me into teaming up if we could find a venue. He approached one and they wanted to try us. We agreed to do a couple of nights for free to see if we liked it, they liked us and the crowd took to it.”
In a tribute on Monday (January 5), The REM Bar posted: “Sad news of the passing of Simon Parker, if you’ve been to “Shoot your Shot” at the REM on Saturday nights you’ll be familiar with Simon. He was enthusiastic about his music and loved his DJ work, he could “Read the room” and always knew exactly what to play to keep our regulars enjoying the atmosphere.
Manchester DJ and ‘club legend’ Simon Parker has died(Image: Instagram: @soundofManchestermusic)
“He had been ill for a while but would still do a set when he felt well enough as it was his passion. Such a lovely guy who will be sadly missed. Rest in peace Simon and thank you for the joy you brought to so many people.”
Five years ago, Simon was invited to support English synth-pop duo Soft Cell on two shows on their 40th anniversary tour of their Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret album in 2021. A big fan of the group, he later described the opportunity as ‘up there with my happiest and most exciting things I’ve done’.
Former NME editor Conor McNicholas described Simon as a ‘legend’ and a ‘hero’ in a poignant tribute post shared online. Conor wrote: “Si was a Manchester nightlife legend. He DJ-ed everywhere from indie clubs to high-energy nights in the gay village. Sometime in 1991, when at uni, I went to The Venue nightclub, just next door to the Haç on Whitworth Street. Obsessed with music, this was the best indie night I’d ever heard – the track choice, the mixing, the narrative. With a bloodstream full of confidence I went up to the DJ and asked a question I’d never asked — do you want an assistant? DJ Si said if I was there next week he’d consider it. I was there, and I worked alongside him for three years. It was the best music education anyone could ask for.
Simon Parker spent time at the Identity store in Afflecks in the 80s before his DJ career took off(Image: Identity Manchester)
“Si loved people, loved music and loved dancefloors. He read the space, read the mood, made euphoria work wherever he was. It was an awesome skill. I adored him. Si had been tour DJ for the Happy Mondays back in the day, in recent years Soft Cell, and everything inbetween. If you loved music, you loved Si.
“He was fierce, hard as ****ing nails, funny, joyful. When I edited NME I applied everything I was taught by him about people and mood and groove. Every success I had was because of what he had shown me. I ran the scene like a great big Venue dancefloor.” He added: “Si said I was the little brother he never had. He was the big brother I never had. Mentor doesn’t cover it. He was a legend. I’m destroyed. Manchester has lost a hero.”