DJ Pete Tong talks ahead of Ibiza Classics at Birmingham's Genting Arena - interview
It started at a friend's wedding – Pete Tong DJ'ed his first gig at the age of 15 when one of his mates tied the knot.
He loved every moment and as soon as he'd learned to drive he bought a van and hit the road.
His mobile disco was based in a Transit van and he became part of the Kent Soul Mafia, taking soul weekenders to seaside towns.
He also booked bands, including the then-unknown Culture Club, before starting to write about music for national magazines. Tong's love of music propelled him further into the industry, earning him a position as an A&R manager at London Records.
House music was emerging and Tong put out a compilation featuring The House Sound of Chicago. The year was 1986 and he was at the cutting edge of dance music. He's stayed there for 30 years.
Tong, aged 56, is one of Britain's most recognised DJs and earned an MBE in 2014 for his services to broadcasting and music. He started his Friday evening BBC Radio 1 Show, the Essential Selection, in 1991 and it continues to this day. He's the second-longest serving DJ on the station, after Annie Nightingale.
Dartford-born Tong was at the vanguard of the Ibiza club scene and will return to Birmingham on November 30 for Ibiza Classics at the Genting Arena. It will follow the release of his new album, Classic House, out on November 25.
The Genting date follows the incredible success of BBC Radio 1's Ibiza Prom at the Royal Albert Hall last summer. The prom was a musical homage to Ibiza with its infectious, energetic brand of club music reworked by the 60-piece Heritage Orchestra, singers, and synths, directed by the acclaimed conductor Jules Buckley. Tong's new arena show will once again create an unforgettable dance-party.
