Rusty Egan: The Autobiography

Rusty Egan, co-founder of Visage and resident DJ at London's iconic Blitz Club, helped define the New Romantic music movement. His autobiography captures the birth of British electronic music, 1980s London nightlife, and collaborations with Midge Ure, Steve Strange, and other pioneers. Rusty Egan is one of the most iconic and influential figures in the electronic music industry. His career began in the music industry as a runner at DJM studios, followed by a stint at WEA Records. Rusty collaborated with former Sex Pistols member Glen Matlock, alongside Steve New and Midge Ure, to establish the new wave band Rich Kids. Their debut album, Ghosts of Princes in Towers, released in 1978, achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. During the Rich Kids tours, Rusty met Steve Strange. This encounter led to Rusty's concept for a club night at Billy's, a Soho venue, catering to fashionable punks and showcasing the music they were passionate about. In 1979, they moved their club night to the Blitz in Covent Garden. As the resident DJ at the Blitz, Rusty played a pivotal role in introducing British, German, and Japanese electronica to the British club scene, essentially curating the soundtrack for the burgeoning New Romantic movement. Rusty Egan was instrumental in the formation of the band Visage with Midge Ure. Steve Strange joined them as the frontman (face and voice), and the lineup was completed by Billy Currie on keyboards, along with John McGeoch (guitar), Dave Formula (keyboards), and Barry Adamson (bass), all from the band MAGAZINE. Beyond his band work Rusty co-founded the incredibly popular Camden Palace nightclub in London with Steve Strange, where he continued to champion and shape the development of electronica in the UK. He also established Metropolis Music, a publishing and production company, allowing him to create music as well as perform it. In more recent news, Rusty released his album Welcome To The Dancefloor in 2017, which featured collaborations with Midge Ure, Tony Hadley, and Peter Hook. Furthermore, in June 2024, Demon Records Rusty Egan is still regularly DJing and in September 2025 will be releasing his new album Romantic to coincide with this autobiography and the Design Museum's Blitz Club Exhibition centred of course, around Rusty.