After Hours: Gerald

I'm very lucky because my studio is above Manchester's best club at the moment. It's called Home, Ducie St (061-237 3495) and it really is my home because I almost live in the studio. They are open almost all week. Certainly Thursday, Friday, Saturday. It's all white and steel inside. We're in this weird part of Manchester, the back of Piccadilly, where all the old cotton mills are. They're all listed buildings and make great bars and clubs. The newest is called Sanky Soap, Beehive Mill, Jersey St (061-237 5606). It's really a live venue, has this lovely subdued lighting, but doubles as a club as well. I think a lot of us are a bit bored of the standard house thing - Sanky has funk and soul nights, with a bit of jungle, my favourite, thrown in too.

I've got a mate called Gerry and he's an expert at getting into clubs for free. We're regularly in the Hacienda, 13 Whitworth St West (061-236 5051), then there's this new place called the Paradise Factory, 116 Princess St (061-273 5422). It's the old Factory Records building that's been converted.

Bars are pretty big now in Manchester. There are two we go to, the Isobar, Church St is beautifully decorated and dead trendy. Then there's the Dry Bar, Oldham St (061-236 5920). It's designed by the same person, Ben Kelly, who did Isobar and the Hacienda. It has this incredible slate bar.

When we're in the studio we tend to eat from burger bars and I wouldn't recommend them, but for a change we go to Woo Sang, George St (061-236 4170). They do the best 'Duck in Orange Sauce' in the whole of Chinatown.

Gerald is a musician and record producer. His new single 'Finley's Rainbow' is out now

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