Wigan Pier DJ and REM Bar resident Simon Parker has died

Legendary Wigan Pier DJ Simon Parker has died following a battle with cancer, his wife has confirmed.

In a statement shared on Facebook last week, Simon’s wife Jo wrote: “It is with unimaginable heartbreak that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Simon Parker, who left us peacefully at 01:42AM on January 2, 2026.”

Simon had been facing a battle with lung cancer before his passing, which Jo said he fought “with courage, grace and a quiet strength that never wavered.”

“He was taken from us far too soon, but he lived a life full of friendship, laughter, and deep connection,” she wrote. “Each of you will have your own memories of Simon and the reasons he became such an important part of your lives.”

Hailed as a “nightlife legend” by former NME editor Conor McNicholas, Simon Parker was a prominent figure in Manchester’s club scene, notably as a resident of Wigan Pier, Deansgate hotspot The Venue, and gay village club Bar Pop.

During his career, Simon supported artists including New Order, Bloc Party, Soft Cell, and The Smiths’ Andy Rourke, and founded several of his own club nights – Shoot Your Shot at REM Bar, and Klub Komotion at Mutz Nutz (later Night People).

Speaking to The Manchester Evening News in 2023, Simon spoke about re-popularising the sound of hi-NRG, explaining: "Old skool hi-NRG is never heard nowadays and could sound fresh to a crowd that hadn't grown up on it."

In a tribute, Conor McNicholas wrote: “Sometime in 1991, when at uni, I went to The Venue nightclub, just next door to the Haç on Whitworth Street. Obsessed with music, this was the best indie night I’d ever heard - the track choice, the mixing, the narrative.”

“With a bloodstream full of confidence I went up to the DJ and asked a question I’d never asked – do you want an assistant? DJ Si said if I was there next week he’d consider it. I was there, and I worked alongside him for three years. It was the best music education anyone could ask for.”

Read some more tributes below.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter