Guest DJs betwen 2003 and 2012 at Pin Up Nights parties included Malcolm Middleton (Arab Strap), Editors, Stephen Street (producer of The Smiths and “Fifth Blur”), Tony Wilson (legendary founder of Factory Records), Super Furry Animals (twice!), Alex James (Blur), Brett Anderson (Suede), The Automatic, Ian Parton (The Go! Team), Mystery Jets, Terry Hall (The Specials), The Futureheads, The National (twice!), Art Brut, Sons & Daughters, Manda Rin (Bis), The Pipettes, Patrick Wolf, Mogwai, Errors, The Twilight Sad, Florence & the Machine, Friendly Fires, Camera Obscura, Victoria Bergsman (the Concretes), Queens of Noize, Mike Fielding (Naboo of The Mighty Boosh), Late of the Pier, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink, Emma Pollock (the Delgados), Marie du Santiago and Emmy-Kate (Kenickie), Thomas Hein (These New Puritans), Angelos Epithemiou (Shooting Stars), Paul Thomson (Franz Ferdinand), Carl Barat (The Libertines/Dirty Pretty Things), Aidan Moffat (Arab Strap), Frank McAvennie (top goalscorer in the English Premiership Season 1986/87), Andy Monaghan (Frightened Rabbit), Wild Beasts, and Everything Everything.
Well-known live bands who played at Pin Up Nights included The Twilight Sad, Wild Beasts, MGMT, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (Greco Roman), French Horn Rebellion (Kitsune), The Brunettes (Sub Pop), Den Haan (Optimo Music), Micachu and the Shapes, The LaFontaines, Mercury Music Prize nominees The Invisible, Rod Jones (Idlewild) and Hannah Peel, in addition to local bands who have went on to become international stars, such as the Fratellis and Glasvegas.
JOHN D – John D is Mr Pin Up Nights and has been running the night in one form or another since 1902. Prone to talking gibberish, he is sometimes kept awake at night by the sordid truth that his facial hair is a bit ginger. Despite his lithe frame John D has been known to eat over a million potatoes in one sitting. He has watched Talking Heads documentary ‘Stop Making Sense’ over 10,000 times. His favourite song to play at the end of an evening is “Long After Tonight Is All Over” by Jimmy Radcliffe.
PAUL SMITH – A wonder of science, Paul Smith can consume 42 cans of strong lager in one night and have no ill effect. A fan of glowsticks and the finer detail of goody bags Paul can name all 11,234 products currently stocked in Poundland. He is also rumoured to be lined up as the next James Bond, provided he can break his chronic addiction to caffeinated energy drinks. His favourite song to play at the end of an evening is “Button Up Your Overcoat” by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.
JAMES ‘BUTCHER’ CASSIDY – The Butcher is a real dreamboat and irresistible to any lady who is alive. Never ever look The Butcher directly in the eye or you’ll fall immediately under his wicked spell. A natural sportsman, he plays off of scratch and will take you to the cleaners in pretty much any contest involving a racquet or paddle. Armed with a bottle of whiskey in his bag, and an expert with his hands, The Butcher can make any lady dance. Beware! His favourite song to play at the end of an evening is “Losing My Edge” by LCD Soundsystem.
IAIN O’C – Despite being the tallest man in the world, Iain O’C is the suavest of the Pin Ups chaps and is rarely seen with a hair out of place, and not just because of the amount of gel and wax he religiously lavishes upon it. His glasses are actually alive and continue to grow year by year. Soon they will engulf Iains head and eat him alive without remorse. His favourite song to play at the end of an evening is “Common People” by Pulp.
YOUNG NIALL – Aged something like 19, young Niall is the skinniest man in the world and has the arm circumference of a twig. Amazingly Niall has a stripy top tattooed onto his body in order to avoid ever having to wear clothes. A keen traveller, he can order dinner and cigarettes in over 12 dialects of Spanish. Allergic to nothing except dark rum and calories, his infectious laugh will make any lady swoon. His favourite song to play at the end of an evening is “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac.