The deep, dulcet tones of Derek Serpell-Morris introducing an example of his extensive record collection was a familiar sound for decades at the Star and Garter pub.
And now, almost four years after his death, the reborn pub contains an ingenious tribute to the unlikely and famous DJ - and one which will ensure he will forever be heard lining up the next record.
DJ Derek’s record collection was second to none - and contained decades of Caribbean music that, alongside the former accountant’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the artists, albums and tunes from half a world away.
He was a fixture at the Star and Garter, the legendary Montpelier pub ran for years by Dutty Ken, and came to national attention after he was the subject of Helena Appio’s cult BBC2 documentary back in 1994.
But then, tragedy struck. With a DJ slot at 2015’s main Bristol event - the Arcadia spider in Queen Square - just a few weeks away, Derek disappeared.
The appeal to find him went international, but ended in , when his body was found in undergrowth near The Mall in March 2016.
A year later, with his great friend Dutty Ken also passing away, the Star and Garter closed amid fears it would end up being redeveloped as housing and lost to the community.
But then, Glastonbury Festival organiser Malcolm Haynes and his team took on the Star, and reopened the pub with that involved .
But while that was going on outside, inside the , a permanent tribute to DJ Derek was also unveiled.
For, over the years since his death, his great friend and fellow DJ and sound system don Count Skylarkin had beavered away to take Derek’s mammoth record collection and turn it into something special.
He had inherited Derek’s records, and over many long nights for years, the Count created mini-discs that were 20-minute mixes of Derek’s records, interspersed with audio, recorded in a variety of places, of the man himself introducing records and giving his familiar patter.
“It’s taken men the past couple of months and I can honestly say that it’s been the most emotional and rewarding work I’ve ever done, not to mention the greatest honour I could have ever imagined,” said Count Skylarkin.
“I have a great many people to thank for their help, support and encouragement. Today, Derek’s music is back where it belongs - Derek’s Island Discs have finally come home,” he added.
Star and Garter landlord Malcolm Haynes said he was honoured to have DJ Derek back in the pub.
His famous waistcoat is on display, along with a huge selection of those mini-discs, with many of them in an adapted vintage juke box, which means people can put in £1 and get 20 minutes of Derek DJing there once again.
“Derek was obviously a regular here but it was also about having this pub as a celebration of Bristol’s music and Bristol’s black culture, and making this pub a home for that once again,” said Mr Haynes.
“I’ve been coming to this pub myself since the 1970s, and many many people will know and love this pub, so what we’ve tried to do is create a new version of that.
“Having DJ Derek still here and still heard is like a cherry on top. To get his analogue collection into a digital world is wonderful, and it has been together with a lot of style and love,” he added.
