Few tracks immediately evoke the magic of early aughts club culture like British DJ Michael Gray’s iconic house anthem, “The Weekend.” Celebrating its 20th anniversary in November of this year, “The Weekend” is an instantly recognizable, groove-inspiring club hit that quickly found its way back into some of the industry’s biggest DJs in the last few years.
Join us as we examine the story behind “The Weekend” and reflect on its remarkable, decades-long legacy.
The Story
Born in Scotland and the youngest of five, Michael Gray started spinning at the age of nine after one of his sisters started dating a DJ. His first foray into live performances was as a DJ for under-16 parties in his hometown. Once of age, Michael began playing various clubs and creating his first megamixes for Disco Mix Club, a London-based DJ remix service founded by legendary DJ Tony Prince.
Eventually, Michael began mixing his own original tracks with the help of Jon Pearn, first as the duo Greed before rebranding to Full Intention in an effort to appeal to American DJs, many of whom were more likely to spin American tracks.
Full Intention’s first release, “I Love America”, became an instant hit. It was during this time that Michael first began playing with a sample from Oliver Cheatham’s disco classic, “Get Down Saturday Night”, recording a new topline with vocalists Shèna and Xavier and changing the lyrics to “I can’t wait for the weekend to begin.” The project was then shelved.
Fast-forward a year later and Michael, who’d taken a break from producing house tracks to work on a post-punk project, returned to dance music, and more specifically, his work on “The Weekend.” Finishing the track in a matter of days, “The Weekend” almost immediately received significant distribution through the Ibizan club scene in the summer of 2004. Following a largely positive reception on the club circuit, Michael enlisted the help of Jim Irvin and Sally Still in getting the track radio-ready by adding some verses and revamping the mix.
An Astounding Reception and Remarkable Legacy
Upon release, “The Weekend” wasted no time climbing the charts, soaring to number seven on the UK Singles Chart on November 1, 2004. This remains Michael’s biggest hit, though “Borderline”—his 2006 follow-up to “The Weekend”—enjoyed considerable success, peaking at #3 on the ARIA Charts and #12 in the UK.
With Shèna’s soulful vocals and Michael’s disco-infused underscoring, “The Weekend” made an indelible mark on the global dance scene and became an intercontinental club favorite. This legacy was only further secured by a legendary Top of the Pops performance opposite Kylie Minogue and a provocative music video inspired by those for Daft Punk’s “Around the World” and Eric Prydz’s “Call On Me.”
Fast-forward to today, and “The Weekend” remains a fixture on the club scene, consistently being played for massive crowds by the industry’s biggest names. With the resurgence of house music in the 2020s, the track continues to be rediscovered by new generations of fans and DJs alike. Its continued popularity speaks volumes to “The Weekend”’s brilliant production and the enduring impact of Michael Gray’s genius.
