From The Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith) to Faithless and Dido, Champion Records has spent decades at the dance music coalface. As the label celebrates its 35th anniversary, veteran boss Mel Medalie talks us through his career and shares a few things he’s learned along the way…

My first big hit single was hard work…
“I’d set up Polo Records and we released Dance Yourself Dizzy by Liquid Gold [which peaked at No.2 in 1980]. But in those days ...