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London DJ Paul 'Trouble' Anderson dies, aged 59

The legendary UK DJ and radio host passed away on Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer...

Carl Loben
Monday, December 3, 2018 - 11:34

Stalwarts of the UK dance scene have been paying tribute to Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, who has passed away after a long battle with cancer.

He is credited with helping to break numerous styles via his DJ sets including electro, boogie, hip-hop, jazz-funk and latterly house music from the mid-80s onwards.

Born in east London, Paul grew up in various children’s homes and was a keen sportsman and dancer in the clubs before becoming a DJ. He first got involved with reggae sound systems, running with one that became called Troublefunk when it moved more into playing soul sounds - this is where he got the middle part of his name from.

At a time when there was still quite a lot of discrimination in London’s West End club scene, Paul was one of the first black DJs to regularly get booked at places like Crackers, Spats, The Embassy, Global Village and the Electric Ballroom.

In 1985 he was a founding DJ at pirate station Kiss FM, and so was ideally placed to pioneer house music in London - on the airwaves and in the clubs. His seamless mixing style influenced many other emerging spinners from the era, and soon he was playing the big raves such as Sunrise and Biology as the acid house revolution swept the UK.

He stayed on Kiss FM for many years — ruling the Saturday night 9-11pm slot throughout the 1990s — before moving to Mi-Soul Radio at the start of this decade. Not long after, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and although he went into remission after a long-fought battle the condition returned again recently and he has now sadly passed.

A statement on Paul’s Facebook page said the following: ““It’s with a really heavy heart that we have to post the news of our dear Brother, Father and Grandfather passing. He died peacefully this morning and not before he played every track on the Album of his Life. Each of you will have your own favourite track that evokes its own special memory of Paul. As do we as a family. One thing for sure there is now no longer anymore trouble for Paul to live through, but Paul Trouble Anderson will always live in us. Thank you for your Love, Prayers and Support. Every time you filled the dancefloors to his Boogie you filled his heart with Joy.With our Love The Family.”

Tributes have come in from many UK foundation DJs...

Doc Scott, Stanton Warriors, Nick Holder, Joey Negro, Benji B, Ashley Beedle free among others who also paid tribute. DJ Mag send best wishes to all of Paul’s friends and family at this sad time.