mercury music prize

M People were a British house music act from Manchester which formed in 1990. They consisted of Mike Pickering, Heather Small and Paul Heard and Shovell. Pickering was a member of factory records dance act Quando Quango, but became more noted as one of the original DJs at The hacienda. Heard was a member of acid jazz band Ace Of Clubs. Heather Small was in the British Soul band Hot House who had released a number of critically acclaimed records without scoring any major success.