A young DJ in Casablanca transfixed by African drums, a dapper regular at the first nightclubs in post-war Paris, a disco mogul who slipped supergay caricatures into middle America. You probably know Henri Belolo (shown here, centre) as co-creator, with Jaques Morali, of The Ritchie Family and The Village People, and producer of a raft of French disco artists including Dennis Parker and Patrick Juvet. 

Mark Moore was one of the first DJs to play house music in the UK. He was also the band leader of S-Express and is also an all-round fabuloso and modern dandy of the highest order. We salute him, verily.

When were you born?

I was born in University College Hospital in London, in 1965. Perhaps! No one knows for sure and I’ve lied about my age since I was 12.

Where did you grow up?

Ian Levine was resident DJ at Blackpool Mecca, a key club in the development of northern soul. Levine was primarily responsible – along with Colin Curtis for guiding the scene away from its oldies-only policy and towards modern soul and disco. Later, as resident at Heaven and producer of hits for Miquel Brown, Divine and many others, he went on to forge the sound known as hi-NRG. He also produced Take That.

Where were you born?

Terry Noel was the first superstar DJ (though his superstardom didn't stretch beyond the Brooklyn Bridge). He was also the first person to mix records, albeit in a primitive fashion, in the mid-sixties. We caught up with him several years ago, in his Tribeca apartment, where he gave us a bravura re-enactment of his own life.