Ministry of Sound

Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, England and an associated record label. It was ranked sixth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010.[1] As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and Malaysia. The Ministry of Sound brand also includes various other products such as dance music compilations and clothing.

Ministry of Sound is owned by MSHK Group Limited, which has offices in London, Sydney, Berlin and New York. The Chairman is James Palumbo, who is also the majority shareholder – a small minority share-holding having been sold to private equity house 3i in 2001 – the Chief Executive Officer is Lohan Presencer. MSHK Group has global sales of £80 million and employs up to 500 personnel worldwide. Its mission statement is: "to create the moments that people live for".[2] The company also owns the Hed Kandi, Euphoria, and Hard2Beat brands, and co-owns Ministry of Sound Australia's Hussle Recordings, along with MoSA and Hussle's founder and MoSA's Managing Director/Founder DJ Tim McGee. MSHK Group though Ministry of Sound Australia also own Downright Records, etcetc and Asterix.

Inspired by New York’s Paradise Garage, Ministry of Sound’s London nightclub was the brainchild of DJ Justin Berkmann, who set out to create London’s first club devoted to the American house music scenes of New York, Chicago and Detroit, with a room purely dedicated to sound. Berkmann stated: "My concept for Ministry was purely this: 100% sound system first, lights second, design third (in that order); the reverse of everyone else’s idea."[3] Berkmann partnered with James Palumbo and Humphrey Waterhouse to bring the concept to life and a site, a disused bus garage, was located in Elephant & Castle in Southwark, London. The club opened on 21 September 1991.

With opening sets from American house DJs such as Larry Levan, David Morales, C+C Music Factory, Roger Sanchez and Tony...