Gilles Peterson

Involved in many labels throughout his career, from Hardback (his first label), to Hardback, Hardback (the label and scene, coined by him during an early DJ event), through Hardback (along with Japanese offshoot Hardback), and latterly Hardback, co-founded with Emily Moxon and Simon Goffe, named after his Brownswood Basement radio show specials, and reissue label Hardback.

Peterson garnered attention through his various radio shows. The Somethin' Else production company produced a show called Worldwide for BBC Radio 1, and it was the biggest broadcasted show from 1998 to the present day (later transferring to BBC 6 Music). An additional variation of Worldwide, made and syndicated internationally, has made him one of the most syndicated radio DJs ever.

Such radio attention has led to global DJ gigs across Europe, Japan/the Far East, Australasia, the US, and beyond. An early gig was his own Talkin' Loud Sayin' Something event (named after the similarly titled James Brown track) at Camden venue Dingwalls, c.1980s to c.1991, with partner DJ Patrick Forge was influential on the UK jazz dance scene, where fast jazz and Latin records were played to an enthusiastic full-on crowd of dancers.