THE music is pumping, the crowd is 'up for it' and the atmosphere is buzzing for Oxford graduate Melissa Harrison, who can't get enough of nightclubbing.

The editorial assistant, who left Lincoln College with a first-class honours degree, is so addicted to clubbing that she has edited a book called High Society, on the experiences of clubbers nationwide, including her own.

It comes straight from the dance floor, with funny, shocking, moving and controversial tales from the clubbers who spend their weekends in a different world.

High Society (Piatkus, £6.99) covers the good times, bad times, moments of madness and history in the making and celebrates the last ten years of club culture both in Britain and abroad.

Melissa, 23, said: "When I was in Oxford, I went to The Coven on Friday nights which was probably the closest Oxford had to a real club, but now I don't think the clubs in the town compare to those in London.

"The Zodiac club was just starting in Oxford as I left and I went there once when they had Andy Wetherall. the DJ, who is one of the biggest names in dance music." The main reason Melissa came up with the idea of editing a book by clubbers for clubbers was after watching a TV documentary on clubbing. She felt reporters were 'getting the wrong end of the stick' with clubbing and drugs.

"It made me really angry because no-one was reporting on it properly. I went into work and got a proposal together and ran adverts in a few music magazines and sent around flyers which got a really good response.

"Piatkus gave me a budget and said it mustn't interfere with the rest of my work, and I was thrown into the deep end."

People replied to the ads by letter and e-mail, and Mellisa met up with some to find out about their clubbing experiences - some were about taking drugs while clubbing, some were about the atmosphere.

"I'm quite happy to say I would never encourage people to take drugs. I know what the score is and I know enough to edit the book," said Melissa.

Her own Friday nights are pretty wild compared to those who prefer a few drinks in a pub with friends. While they stagger home after closing time, Melissa has just left her house in Battersea, south London, raring to go. "I usually leave home at 11.30pm to go into the centre of town just as many people are going home. I look forward all week to going clubbing.

"The atmosphere has a real sense of community and people look out for each other. My favourite club at the moment is Plastic People in Oxford Street."

Melissa, who spends in the region of £30 per clubbing session, has been clubbing in and around London for a few years now.

When she was studying English at Oxford University, she admitted feeling intimidated by the club scene, even though her boyfriend at the time had been going for a few years.

"During my second term at university I went to London to see a friend and we went to Club UK. It was not at all like I expected and it was much friendlier and relaxed than I thought.

"I tend not to go to the clubs where the girls wear feather boas because it's not my scene. I don't go to dress up - I go to dance." And Melissa will dance all night if she feels like it which is often the case.

"I get to a club and dance until it kicks out at 5am and then it's on to Kool Eddy's. You'd never know it was there unless someone took you, and that's the beauty of it. It may be in the heart of the West End, but it has to be London clubland's best-kept secret."

"Now, Kool Eddy's (or 'the caff') isn't much to look at, but it is much loved by its regular clientele and fiercely defended from 'riff raff'.

"But most importantly of all there is a DJ and the dancefloor is usually full of those (like me) who just can't get enough."

Melissa now runs the small after-hours party at Kool Eddy's which runs from 5am to 8am.

She tends to stay awake until 10pm on Saturday night when she finally catches up on some well-earned sleep to prepare for going back to work on the Monday.

Melissa says itso much fun that some people will do anything it seems to save money to go clubbing.

"My best mate will do anything to get money to go out. He sold his stereo for £30 once and now has to go around with a Walkman! "Another good thing about clubbing is that it's a very inclusive culture. I had got it so wrong and thought everyone was cliquy but they aren't.

"There are disabled people who go. I once saw a 72-year-old man in a trilby and Hawaiian shirt and tie who is a fan of the DJ and he has been to every gig. He was up there dancing on the podium!"

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.