Jon Pleased Wimmin

Jon Pleased Wimmin

Jon Pleased Wimmin is the performance and DJ identity of Jonathan Richard Cooper, who is born in the Belgian Congo in Africa. In the early 1990s, he forms a dancing drag cabaret act called The Pleased Wimmin with two friends from college. The act becomes known in London for outrageous performances in pre-house clubs such as Kinky Gerlinky, and for encouraging clubgoers to lose their inhibitions.

Early club work and first DJ break

The Pleased Wimmin attracts the attention of Danny Rampling, who invites the act to become a regular feature at his Glam night at the Milk Bar in London. While there, Jon gets his first DJ opportunity when he fills in a warm-up slot. He learns to DJ on the job and develops a reputation for reading a crowd naturally.

Promoters, residencies and studio work

In 1993 he starts his own night, Pleased, at the Velvet Underground in London. What begins as a small Wednesday gathering grows into a well-known midweek club night, drawing people from music, media and club circles. Regular attendees include Boy George, Blur, the Manics, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys and Pete Burns.

In 1994 he turns to studio work with his first single, Passion, a cover of a Bobby O production by The Flirts. It is produced with Pizzaman, also known as Norman Cook, and is signed to Norman Cook’s Southern Fried label before being picked up by East West and later Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto. The single sells 12,000 copies and reaches the UK Top 30. His follow-up, Give Me Strength, is produced with Faithless member Sister Bliss and also reaches the Top 30.

He also releases compilation mix albums including Fantazia's House Collection 2 and DJ's At Work Volume 3 under the name Jon Of The Pleased Wimmin.

The Visitor and later releases

Under the name The Visitor, he produces a series of UK underground 12-inch singles for the dance label Wall Of Sound. He later signs to Wall of Sound again in 2004 and releases more underground EPs under the same pseudonym. He also remixes tracks by Themroc, Grand Popo Football Club and Venus Hum.

Move to Edinburgh and education

In 2002 he moves from London to Edinburgh. In 2007 he studies Popular Music at Napier University and gains a first-class honours degree.

DJ style and residencies

Jon Pleased Wimmin plays regularly across Europe and the UK and has performed alongside DJs including Erol Alkan, 2ManyDJs, Sasha, John Digweed, Danny Tenaglia, Tom Middleton, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Judge Jules, Fergie and Eric Morillo. His sets draw on tracks and remixes by artists such as Azari & III, Cosmonauts, Rory Phillips, Black Van, The Magician, Aeroplane, DFA, Kitsuné, Vitalic and Mighty Mouse.

He holds a regular residency at Church Of The High Kicks / CC Blooms in Edinburgh, where he appears every Sunday. The night also features alter-ego characters such as Psychotic Sally and Moan Collins, alongside music spanning classic 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s wonkypop, disco, trash, high energy, new wave and current club sounds. A Wheel of Four-Tunes feature lets the crowd choose the next half-hour’s musical direction.