Michael Mulligan

Michael Mulligan was born on the outskirts of Southend-on-Sea, in Essex, which is where he purchased his first single, 'School's Out' by Alice Cooper. As a teenager he'd buy as many as five music newspapers each week (when there were such things) and would gauge the growth of his music knowledge by his ability to finish the crossword puzzle.

Shortly before NOW That's What I Call Music Volume 17 was released he got a job in his local record shop. For the next twenty-five years he worked in all manner of music retailers, and more recently he has been a consultant for record labels, mining their archives for overlooked gems.

Michael once made Kylie Minogue laugh, and has the photographic evidence to prove it. Though it is entirely possible she was just being polite. He lives in north London with two cats, a patient and indulgent wife and a 'no way too large' record collection.