FROM warehouse raves and pirate radio stations to nights in Las Vegas with more than 300,000 revellers, Andy C has helped nurture a worldwide drum and bass culture.

This weekend, the RAM Records founder, legendary DJ and producer is looking forward to kicking off his festival season with an appearance at Parklife, Heaton Park, in Prestwich.

He said: "It's one of the early festivals of the year but one of the highlights of the year.

"The vibe from the Manchester crowd, they make their mark on you for the summer.

"I remember when Parklife first started (at Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, in 2010) — the first one and just to see how that's grown."

After Parklife, he will jet off to America for the first of many summer gigs, including the mammoth Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas.

In recent years, dance music — or EDM as it is known across the pond — has exploded in America with the likes of Tiesto and Calvin Harris signing lucrative, long-term residency deals in Sin City.

Andy, real name Andrew Clarke, said: "I've been going to America for many, many moons.

"With the explosion of the culture over there, over the past few years I have noticed a definite upsurge in DnB.

"They go nuts.

"The size and the scale of it, 300,000 people.

"It's not going anywhere, it's not a fad. It's a beautiful thing to see."

He tells of playing stages complete with waterfalls but, grandeur aside, music remains at the core for the 39-year-old who was just 16 when he co-founded his independent record label with friend Ant Miles in 1992.

He said: "I'm really lucky. I've got a fantastic crew that manage the label.

"Everyone does different things.

"It's a really cool thing.

"My involvement with it isn't on a day-to-day basis."

He has helped nurture and develop huge headline artists such as Chase & Status and says a proud moment was watching the DnB stars headlining the O2 in London.

He said: "I think that a lot of acts in drum and bass have that potential. It's just a case for the label to believe in them and give them a platform.

"When we signed them, it was a decision to sign an act that we felt had album potential.

"We met up with them and everything they said came true."

Parklife is on Saturday and Sunday at Heaton Park, Prestwich, with 70,000 revellers expected each day.

Acts joining Andy C on the line-up include Disclosure, Rudimental, Ben Howard, George Ezra, Nas, Mark Ronson, Fatboy Slim, Grace Jones and Wu Tang Clan.

Visit parklife.uk.com for tickets.