Dexter Jones

Dexter Jones
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Dexter Jones Podcast is a long-form interview series documenting the people, stories, and moments that shaped dance music culture, from the early rave years to the global club movement. Hosted by Dexter Jones, the podcast features in-depth conversations with DJs, producers, promoters, journalists, and industry figures who lived through the rise of rave culture, clubbing, and Ibiza as a worldwide dance music epicentre. Each episode goes beyond nostalgia to explore what really happened behind the scenes, covering creativity, success, failure, excess, reinvention, and the realities of building a life and career in electronic music. For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

  1. 25 MAR

    Micky Modelle on 4 Decades in Dance Music

    Micky Modelle joins The Dexter Jones Podcast to share his incredible journey through 4 decades in dance music — from the early days of Belfast’s underground club scene during one of its most turbulent periods, to the rise of vinyl culture, Clubland, and the evolution of the global dance music industry. In this episode, we dive deep into what it was really like coming up in a time with no roadmap, no social media, and no shortcuts — where DJs built careers from record shops, word of mouth, and pure passion. Micky opens up about the realities of the industry, the shift from vinyl to digital, and why success today isn’t the same as it once was. This is a raw and honest conversation about longevity, adapting to change, and surviving in one of the most competitive industries in the world. --- 🎧 In this episode, we cover: Growing up and DJing in Belfast during a turbulent era How club culture thrived despite real-world conflict The early days of vinyl and what success really looked like Selling records vs streaming culture today The truth about longevity in the music industry Why you can’t stay on top forever How technology has changed everything for DJs and producers Stories from the early underground scene Advice for the next generation of DJs --- ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Belfast Was a War Zone 03:20 – Early Club Scene Outside the City 08:45 – Winging It: No Set Path 15:10 – Vinyl Days & Record Sales 22:30 – Then vs Now: The Industry Shift 35:40 – You Can’t Stay on Top Forever 48:15 – Technology Changed Everything 58:20 – Stories from the Scene 1:10:00 – Advice for New DJs --- 🎤 About Micky Modelle Micky Modelle is a respected DJ and producer with over 40 years in the dance music industry. Known for his influence across multiple eras — from underground club culture to commercial dance — he has witnessed and adapted to every major shift in the scene.

    1hr 23min

  2. 15 FEB

    JFK on Why he Can't Walk Away From Passion

    In this episode, I sit down with Jason "JFK" Kinch to unpack 30 years of PaSSion and the era of weekly UK club culture before the corporate superclubs and festivals muddied the waters. Operating alongside Gatecrasher, Cream and Godskitchen. Before huge production budgets and global DJ brands. PaSSion was building something different. From the early days of flyering streets and risking everything financially, to flying in unknown artists like Ferry Corsten and a young Armin van Buuren who was still at university, this is a raw and honest look at what it really took to survive in the golden era of UK clubbing. JFK opens up about: • The reality of losing money as a promoter • Why are you only ever as good as your last party • The integrity of Tony De Vit turning down upfront feed to remain resident • Taking risks on artists nobody knew • Growing from 750 capacity to 2,500 • And why seeing that first person run onto the dancefloor still makes it all worth it This is not a throwback for its own sake. This is clubbing history from someone who lived it. If you care about UK club culture, trance history, and the foundations of the scene before it went global, this episode is essential viewing. Subscribe or follow for more club culture deeps dive with the people who built the scene. Chapters: 00:00 30 Years of Passion - Before the Superclubs 07:35 The Emporium - Mark & Eric and the Birth of Passion 10:42 The Brutal First Six Months of Passion 16:48 Why Is He Called JFK? 21:52 Weekly Partying in the 90s Club Scene 28:26 Running The Emporium Nightclub 32:36 The Tony De Vit Residency Story 37:25 Ferry Corsten at Passion - Before the Fame 39:02 Booking a Student Armin van Buuren 43:46 Taking Passion to Ibiza 52:57 Tiësto at Cream Ibiza – The Superclub Era 1:00:14 The Generational Shift in UK Clubbing 1:06:54 The Return of Passion 1:12:00 Modern Day Clubbing Challenges 1:17:47 The Truth About Promoters Losing Money 1:20:28 Why He Can Never Walk Away 1:36:18 The Last Tune of the Night

    1hr 38min

  3. 1 FEB

    Saytek on Live Techno vs DJing

    Live performance in electronic music is widely misunderstood. In this episode, Saytek explains what playing live actually means and why it is fundamentally different from DJing. Saytek has never DJed. Every performance is built, arranged, and performed live in real time. Nothing is pre-arranged, nothing is duplicated, and no two sets are ever the same. He has been part of electronic music culture for decades, from early UK rave and squat parties to international touring, Berlin clubs, Ibiza seasons, and headlining techno rooms around the world. His background in sound engineering and deep technical understanding shaped a live performance approach that prioritises creativity, risk, and connection with the crowd. In this conversation, we break down the realities of live techno performance. We talk honestly about gear, Ableton, hardware myths, Berlin vs UK culture, why live acts are rarer than DJs, the sacrifices involved, and how electronic musicians actually think while performing. This is not a DJ debate. It’s an explanation. Topics include: • Why Saytek has never DJed • What live techno performance really involves • Hardware, Ableton, and the myth of “cheating” • Sound engineering roots and early London club culture • Squat parties, illegal raves, and DIY scenes • Berlin vs UK techno culture • What defines an electronic musician • AI, creativity, and human imperfection • Gear Acquisition Syndrome and why more gear isn’t the answer ⏱️ PODCAST CHAPTERS 00:00 – Saytek: “I’ve Never DJed” 04:27 – What Is Techno (and Why Live Matters) 10:56 – Live Techno Gear Explained 12:52 – Ableton Live: Tool or Cheat? 19:06 – How Saytek Got Into Live Performance 26:08 – London, Club Home & Sound Engineering Roots 32:19 – Squat Parties & Illegal Raves in London 35:53 – Berlin vs UK: Techno Culture Explained 45:02 – What Is an Electronic Musician (Not a DJ) 54:27 – AI, Creativity & the Future of Electronic Music 01:08:44 – Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) Explained If you’re a DJ, live act, producer, promoter, or someone interested in how electronic music is actually performed, this episode will give you real insight.

    1hr 8min

  4. 18 JAN

    Habs Akram on Carl Cox saying “Best visuals I’ve ever seen”

    In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, Dexter Jones sits down with Habs Akram, a pioneering VJ, visual artist, and live visual mixer who has helped shape how electronic music events, clubs, and festivals look for over 35 years. Working alongside some of the biggest names in dance music, including Carl Cox, Habs has played a key role in bringing club visuals, live video mixing, and stage visuals into global electronic music culture, from underground London parties to Ibiza superclubs, Glastonbury, and world tours. Often mistaken for “the lighting guy”, Habs explains what a VJ actually does, why visuals matter on the dance floor, and how live visual mixing can completely change the way music is experienced in clubs and festivals. We dive into: 🔥 The moment Carl Cox told Habs: “Best visuals I’ve ever seen” 🎥 Why VJs are still misunderstood and undervalued in club culture 🌍 Touring the world with Nine Inch Nails and creating visuals used as lighting 🎬 How Habs’ work ended up in AI: Artificial Intelligence, directed by Steven Spielberg 🎪 The infamous Glastonbury “blag” that led to running the Pyramid Stage 🧠 Mixing visuals live, in real time, not pressing play 📱 The decade-long journey to building V4M, a live visual app that fits in your pocket 🎶 Why visuals should respond to music, not overpower it 🖤 The art of restraint, blackouts, and understanding the shape of sound This episode is not just about visuals. It’s about timing, instinct, creativity, and what it really means to bring music to life on a dance floor. If you’ve ever wondered how iconic nights actually come together behind the scenes, this one’s for you. Chapters:  00:00 Why I wanted Habs Akram on the podcast (VJ & visual pioneer) 02:14 VJ vs lighting engineer – what a VJ really does 03:01 How live visual mixing actually works in clubs and festivals 03:30 West London roots, early rave culture & clubbing history 04:01 Turning up to Slinky in a suit – learning the rave scene 06:53 From corporate AV to underground dance music visuals 07:51 The visual idea that was ahead of its time 10:02 Nine Inch Nails tour, Spielberg & breaking into world tours 25:38 Carl Cox’s compliment: “Best visuals I’ve ever seen” 28:40 Why Habs doesn’t rate AI visuals in dance music 50:28 V4M app explained – live visuals from your phone 1:05:15 Space Ibiza years & the golden era of club culture 1:14:00 The secret sauce: blackouts, timing & reading the drop 1:22:18 Last tune to end the night – closing moments --- Download the V4M APP  www. https://visuals4music.com/ Info: https://www.facebook.com/Habsy.Akram

    1hr 24min

  5. 4 JAN

    Ian Van Dahl on the pressure & reality of making timeless dance music

    Ian Van Dahl on the pressure, politics, and reality of making timeless dance music Few tracks define an entire generation of club culture quite like Castles in the Sky. For many, it was a soundtrack to first nights out, Ibiza summers, and the emotional peak of late-90s and early-2000s trance. In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I’m joined by Ian Van Dahl to revisit the story, sound, and legacy behind one of the most influential dance music projects of its era. We explore the rise of euphoric trance at a time when clubs were built on emotion, release, and collective energy. From early aliases and studio pressure to record label politics and creative control, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really took to create records that still resonate decades later. This is not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s about understanding why this music mattered, why it connected so deeply, and why it continues to hit differently today. If you lived through the golden era of trance, this will resonate. If you are discovering this music for the first time, this episode offers vital context into a moment when dance music felt truly timeless. 🎧 Take your time with this one. We talk about: 🎶 The story behind Castles in the Sky 🌍 How Ian Van Dahl broke through globally 🧠 Making music before laptops and DAWs ⚖️ Record labels, pressure, and creative control 🪩 Eurodance, trance, and why the UK scene was different 🔮 Why modern DJs struggle with identity Chapters: 00:00 Intro and meeting Ian Van Dahl 01:31 How the name Ian Van Dahl was created 03:16 Early music career and multiple aliases 10:50 Making music in the 90s before laptops and DAWs 22:02 Eurodance vs trance and why the UK was different 30:04 The Ian Van Dahl project and Castles in the Sky 39:24 Record labels, pressure, and creative control 54:35 European club culture and the rise of Eurodance 1:19:22 Why modern DJs struggle with identity 1:29:00 What’s next for Ian Van Dahl as an artist For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

    1hr 47min

  6. 28/12/2025

    Lisa Good on life after Ibiza

    What happens after Ibiza? For many, Ibiza is a moment in time. For others, it becomes a turning point that quietly shapes everything that follows. In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I’m joined by Lisa Good, a former Manumission performer, to explore what life really looks like after the lights come up and the music fades. We begin where it all started. The Manumission years. The madness, the freedom, and the surreal experience of living in Ibiza during one of its most iconic cultural eras. But this conversation goes deeper than nostalgia. Lisa shares the journey that came after Ibiza, how travel, the ocean, and a series of life-changing experiences led her away from the party world and towards a new purpose rooted in environmental action, community, and long-term legacy. This is not a charity pitch. It’s an Ibiza story that didn’t end when the island chapter closed. At its core, this episode is about evolution. How a place like Ibiza can change you, challenge you, and quietly influence the rest of your life in ways you don’t always recognise at the time. If you lived through Ibiza in the late 90s and early 2000s, this will resonate. If you’ve ever wondered what happens after a life built around music, freedom, and excess, this conversation is for you. 🎧 Sit back, take your time, and enjoy this next chapter. To find out more about Pure Sea, visit: www.puresea.co.uk We talk about: 🪩 Life during the Manumission era in Ibiza 🗺️ What happens when that world ends and reality returns ✈️ Leaving Ibiza and searching for identity afterwards 🌊 How the ocean became a turning point 🎗️ The connection between music culture and community action 🎧 Ibiza DJs and creatives giving back Chapters: 00:00 Ibiza, Manumission & Losing Identity 02:03 Welcome Back: Life After Manumission 05:43 When Ibiza Comes to an End 08:18 Travelling Thailand Changed Everything 10:04 Swimming With Sharks in Thailand 12:09 Australia, Diving & Marine Conservation 16:20 Cage Diving With Great White Sharks 19:29 From Ibiza to Ocean Activism 23:09 The Birth of Pure Sea 27:23 Why Registering a Charity Is So Hard 32:47 Beach Cleans With DJs & Fatboy Slim 34:00 Cleaning Up Camden Lock 40:38 Teaching Ocean Awareness in Schools 45:15 Why Helium Balloons Kill Wildlife 51:22 Why the Education System Must Change 57:04 Animal Testing, Activism & Awareness 1:01:43 Food Waste & Overconsumption 1:03:53 Why Everyone Should Watch My Octopus Teacher 1:07:21 One Last Tune From Manumission 1:09:45 A Labour of Love For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

    1hr 11min

  7. 21/12/2025

    Katie Knight on documenting Ibiza before social media took over

    Who documented Ibiza before everyone had a camera? Before podcasts, before social media, and long before everyone had a camera in their pocket, Ibiza’s club culture was documented by a small group of presenters, hosts, and storytellers working quietly behind the scenes. In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Katie Knight, one of the most influential yet often overlooked voices in dance music media, to explore how Ibiza’s club history was captured during its most important years. From her early days at Amnesia Ibiza to hosting interviews for Amnesia TV, Boiler Room, Ibiza Global Radio, the International Music Summit, and live broadcasts for Amazon Music, Katie has spent over a decade documenting the artists, venues, and moments that shaped Ibiza and the global electronic music scene. This conversation pulls back the curtain on the media side of dance music. We talk candidly about working inside Ibiza’s clubs during the 2010s, being thrown into high-pressure interviews with artists like Carl Cox, Marco Carola, and Steve Aoki with little or no preparation, and why presenters and hosts play a critical role in preserving dance music history. We also explore career advice for aspiring presenters and podcasters, the importance of communication and public speaking, the realities of live broadcasting, radio versus filmed interviews, cultural and language fluency in Ibiza, online abuse in the modern era, and why nostalgia-driven storytelling resonates more than hype. This is not an episode about trends or algorithms. It’s about legacy, documentation, and the responsibility to tell the story properly. If you care about Ibiza, club culture, dance music history, or the people who built the scene behind the scenes, this episode is essential listening. 🎧 Take your time with this one. We talk about: 🇪🇸 Life inside Ibiza clubs before social media 📺 How Amnesia TV documented a generation of artists 🎤 Being thrown into interviews with no training or prep 🪩 The unseen role of presenters in dance music culture 📻 Radio vs filmed interviews and the power of storytelling ❌ Misogyny, online abuse, and resilience in the industry 🎬 Why nostalgia content connects more deeply than hype ❤️ Preserving Ibiza’s cultural history properly Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Katie Knight 02:00 Wanting to be a presenter from the age of five 06:00 Growing up in Spain and becoming bilingual 10:00 Discovering Ibiza and early connections 14:30 First steps into Ibiza club culture 19:00 Life inside Amnesia: press, social media, and long days 24:00 Amnesia TV begins: thrown in the deep end 30:00 Interviewing artists every night, seven days a week 35:30 Ibiza mornings, terraces, and club culture nostalgia 40:30 Why Amnesia still feels like family 46:00 Boiler Room, press rooms, and the smell of Ibiza 51:00 From Amnesia to radio and global platforms 56:30 Radio vs filmed interviews: storytelling with the senses 1:01:30 Interviewing global stars and handling entourages 1:06:30 Misogyny, online abuse, and resilience 1:11:30 Podcasting, editing, and the unseen workload 1:16:00 Why nostalgia interviews outperform hype 1:20:00 Presenting around the world: Middle East and beyond 1:24:00 Legacy, pride, and documenting Ibiza properly 1:27:30 One More Tune For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

    1hr 23min

  8. 14/12/2025

    Neil Kemp on DJing at the World’s highest altitude for charity

    The world’s highest DJ set and the story behind it In 2018, a team from Last Night A DJ Saved My Life made dance music history. Alongside Nightmares on Wax, the LNADJ crew climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and performed what was, at the time, the highest-altitude DJ set ever recorded, all to raise money for children in need. The challenge raised thousands of pounds, funded a new housing unit for a special-needs children’s home in Tanzania, and has since been turned into a full two-hour documentary titled Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Neil Kemp, the LNADJ filmmaker who climbed alongside the team, carried the cameras up the mountain, battled 10 per cent oxygen, freezing temperatures, and exhaustion, and ultimately brought this record-breaking moment to life on screen. This conversation goes far beyond the headline. We talk about the realities of filming at extreme altitude, the technical and physical challenges of DJing on a mountain, the emotional moments that unfolded during the climb, and how a charity-led idea turned into a powerful piece of dance music history. The record itself has since been surpassed, but the purpose, impact, and legacy of this climb remain unmatched. This is not a hype story. It’s a story about commitment, creativity, and using dance music culture to create real-world change. 🎧 Take your time with this one. We talk about: 🎚️ How the 2018 world-record DJ set happened 🏔️ The technical nightmare of DJing at extreme altitude 🧠 Mental and physical challenges on the climb ❤️ Raising money and creating lasting change in Tanzania 🎬 Turning a near-lost project into a feature-length documentary 🌕 The next challenge: the world’s highest full-moon party in Nepal Chapters: 00:00 DJing on Mount Kilimanjaro – World’s Highest DJ Set Intro 02:18 Last Night a DJ Saved My Life – The Moment That Sparked Everything 05:41 How a Broken Microphone Changed the Direction of the Journey 09:12 Clubaholic TV and Filming Dance Music Culture 13:04 Falling in Love With House Music and DJ Culture 16:38 Why This Kilimanjaro DJ Set Had to Be Documented 20:11 Preparing to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro – Training and Planning 24:07 Life on the Mountain – The Reality of High Altitude 28:19 Summit Night on Kilimanjaro – Mind Over Instinct 32:02 Sunrise at 5,895m – Above the Clouds 35:08 The DJ Set on Mount Kilimanjaro – The World’s Highest Performance 39:14 Descending Kilimanjaro – The Hardest Part of the Climb 42:03 Raising Money for Charity in Tanzania 46:08 Turning the Kilimanjaro Climb Into a Documentary Film 49:32 What Happened After the 2018 Kilimanjaro DJ Set 52:14 What’s Next for the Charity and Future Projects 54:40 Final Thoughts on the Kilimanjaro Experience For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

    56 min
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About

Dexter Jones Podcast is a long-form interview series documenting the people, stories, and moments that shaped dance music culture, from the early rave years to the global club movement. Hosted by Dexter Jones, the podcast features in-depth conversations with DJs, producers, promoters, journalists, and industry figures who lived through the rise of rave culture, clubbing, and Ibiza as a worldwide dance music epicentre. Each episode goes beyond nostalgia to explore what really happened behind the scenes, covering creativity, success, failure, excess, reinvention, and the realities of building a life and career in electronic music. For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dexter Jones
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Dexter Jones

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