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. 2d ago

    Dave Beer on Space Ibiza, Manumission & the Art of Clubbing

    What really happened the day the legendary Space Ibiza terrace came to life? And what made the great clubs of the 1990s and 2000s so extraordinary? In the third and final part of my conversation with Dave Beer, the legendary founder of Back to Basics, we explore some fascinating stories from the history of British and Ibiza clubbing. Dave shares an incredible first-hand account of being at Space Ibiza when Brandon, Alex, Mitch and the team decided to carry the club's only set of DJ decks outside, one at a time, and set them up on the terrace bar. A simple decision that helped create one of the most iconic dancefloors in clubbing history. We also revisit the extraordinary world of Manumission, where music, theatre, lighting and outrageous performances combined to create something completely different from anything else on the island. But this conversation goes much further than Ibiza. Dave talks about the evolution of Back to Basics, his initial reluctance to embrace daytime clubbing, and the incredible response when people returned to the dancefloor after 10, 15 or even 20 years away. We explore his approach to nightclub design, the influence of New York's legendary Sound Factory, the importance of sound and lighting, and why creating the perfect atmosphere involves far more than simply booking a great DJ. There's also a fascinating conversation about Dave's music production, his album released through Steve Mac's label, his connection with Irvine Welsh, and how his experiences with Buddhism, spirituality and travelling in the Amazon have shaped his outlook on life. From the madness of Manumission to the magic of the Space terrace, this is a conversation about music, creativity, friendship, personal growth and a lifetime spent bringing people together. Chapters:  00:00 The Birth of the Legendary Space Ibiza Terrace 01:17 Dave Beer, Banksy and His Love of Art 02:15 Back to Basics: Taking the Leeds Club to Ibiza 04:29 How Back to Basics Changed After Lockdown 05:19 The Rise of Daytime Clubbing and Day Parties 08:02 Dave Beer's Music, Steve Mac and Irvine Welsh 10:41 Robert Owens, For the Beloved and Buddhism 11:53 Serendipity, Synchronicity and Life's Lessons 14:00 DMT, Psychedelics and Consciousness 17:40 Dave Beer's Ayahuasca Experiences in the Amazon 18:43 Owning Nightclubs and the Business of Clubbing 20:20 Creating the Perfect Club: Sound, Lighting and Visuals 23:06 New York's Sound Factory and the Art of Clubbing 23:32 Manumission Ibiza: Theatre, Music and Madness 25:33 Dave Beer as a Space Ibiza and Manumission DJ 26:45 We Love Sundays at Space Ibiza 27:14 How the Space Ibiza Terrace Really Began 29:10 Dave Beer's Philosophy on Music, Life and Clubbing 31:44 One More Tune: Dave Beer's Final Record Choice In this episode: - The incredible story behind the beginnings of the Space Ibiza terrace - Dave's experiences at Manumission and We Love Sundays - Back to Basics and the rise of daytime clubbing - Why the best nightclubs were about much more than music - The influence of New York's Sound Factory - Working with Steve Mac and the story behind Dave's album - Buddhism, spirituality and Dave's experiences in the Amazon - Why Dave still believes in creating unforgettable experiences A huge thank you to Dave for sharing his stories so openly across this three-part series. It's been an absolute pleasure.

  2. Oct 12

    Dave Beer on Not Caring if I Lived or Died. My Life After Losing My Best Friend

    DAVE BEER | BACK TO BASICS | Episode 2 What happens when the party becomes bigger than anyone ever imagined? And what happens when the man behind it all finds himself facing some of life's darkest moments? In Part 2 of my conversation with legendary Back to Basics founder Dave Beer, we explore the extraordinary highs, devastating lows and unforgettable characters behind one of Britain's most influential club nights. Dave speaks openly and emotionally about losing his close friend and business partner Ali, the difficult years that followed, and how grief led him down a path of reckless behaviour and self-destruction. But this is also a story of resilience, friendship and the incredible community that grew around Back to Basics. From three generations sharing the same dance floor to couples meeting, falling in love and starting families, Dave reflects on how a nightclub became something far greater than just a place to dance. We also discuss the philosophy that made Back to Basics different, its uncompromising attitude and why Dave still believes they did things better than anybody else. Chapters: 00:00 Coming Up 02:01 The Back to Basics Community 03:33 Discovering and Developing DJ Talent 04:27 Two Steps Further Than Anybody Else 05:06 Why Dave Beer Is Always Searching for New Music 07:14 Remembering Alli and Andrew Weatherall 08:31 Keeping Back to Basics Alive After Tragedy 10:37 Why Clubbing Communities Matter 11:11 Why Back to Basics Rejected the Superclub Label 11:58 The Music Industry and Major Record Labels 14:49 Has Clubbing Really Changed? 15:57 Remembering the Early Days of DC10 Ibiza 17:44 Dave Beer's Unfinished Podcast and Rare Footage 19:46 Ralph Lawson and the First Back to Basics Record 20:31 The DJs Who Built Back to Basics 22:50 Imposter Syndrome and DJing at Space Ibiza 24:55 The Rise of the Superstar DJ 25:17 Pre-Recorded DJ Sets and Million-Dollar Fees 26:29 Why Superstar DJs Should Support New Talent 28:45 The Truth About Ghost Production 32:40 Is Dance Music Losing Its Soul? 35:17 The Power of Music and Frequencies 36:18 Lisa Lashes and Music for Relaxation 41:10 Dave Beer's Recovery and the Support He Received 42:30 Changing Your Lifestyle After Cancer

  3. Oct 5

    Dave Beer on The Extraordinary Story of Back to Basics

    Welcome to Part One of my special mini-series with Dave Beer, the legendary co-founder of Back to Basics and one of the most recognisable characters in UK club culture. In this opening episode, Dave takes us right back to the beginning. We talk about discovering house music in America, walking through those famous plastic sheets at The Haçienda, and the inspiration that eventually led to the birth of Back to Basics. What started with around 80 people grew week after week, becoming one of Europe’s longest-running weekly club nights, with Dave at the helm every Saturday for 20 years. Dave also tells the brilliant story of how, before business cards and booking agents, he would write his phone number on a $50 bill, pass it across the DJ booth and tell the DJ:  “That’s your deposit.” But this conversation goes much deeper than clubbing. Dave opens up about the four-and-a-half centimetre tumour that came frighteningly close to his spine, as well as the horrific road accident in which he says he died before being brought back. This is the story of Dave Beer and Back to Basics, but it’s also the story of an extraordinary life lived well outside the ordinary. And this is only Part One. Part Two coming soon. If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe to the Dexter Jones Podcast, drop a comment below and let me know your memories of Back to Basics. Chapters:  00:00 Coming Up 01:53 Dave Beer on Surviving Cancer 04:00 From Roadie to Club Culture 05:14 Discovering House Music in America 06:38 The Hacienda Changed Everything 08:32 The UK Rave Explosion 11:17 Charlie Chester & the Early Days 13:15 The Birth of Back to Basics 15:30 Building a Legendary Club 18:01 The Music of Back to Basics 20:39 Two Steps Further Than Any Other F****r 21:42 The Iconic Back to Basics Artwork 24:46 Bringing American DJs to the UK 26:01 The $50 DJ Booking Trick 27:02 Dave Beer’s Unfinished Book 30:28 Finding Buddhism 34:28 How Buddhism Helped Dave Through Cancer 36:27 Given a 5% Chance of Survival 40:15 Finding Strength in Other People 42:11 “This Isn’t the First Time I’ve Died” 42:53 The Car Crash That Changed Everything 44:24 Two Weeks in a Coma 46:00 The Strange World Inside a Coma 48:08 Dyslexia, Knowledge & Altered States 50:12 20 Years of Back to Basics 52:25 What Made Back to Basics So Special? 55:36 How Club Culture Has Changed 57:48 Synchronicity, Spirituality & Life

  4. Sep 28

    DJ Rap on 22 Years in America, House Music & Life Beyond Jungle

    DJ Rap is synonymous with jungle and drum & bass, but that’s only part of her story. In Part 2 of our conversation, we go beyond jungle and uncover the other side of DJ Rap’s extraordinary career. She talks openly about signing to a major label, the backlash she received for stepping outside the boundaries of jungle, and how her career suddenly exploded in America. From Coachella and performing alongside David Bowie and Green Day, to New York Fashion Week and landing a huge Calvin Klein campaign, this was a completely different world. But behind the success were some difficult lessons. DJ Rap explains why she believes she had the wrong management around her, why Sony wanted to turn her into a pop artist, and how an electronic album she wanted to release was rejected. We also dive deep into something many UK clubbers may not realise: DJ RAP PLAYS HOUSE. She spent years playing house across America, held a residency at Crowbar Miami, played marathon sets including eight hours at Burning Man, and has been producing and releasing house music for decades. DJ Rap explains why she’d love to return to the house circuit, her passion for classic house and the Toolroom era, and why being booked for the right crowd in the right room makes all the difference. Plus, we talk about her 22 years in America, returning to the UK, rebuilding her career, creating her online community, the story behind the name DJ Rap, promoters, social media and the records she’d choose to close the perfect night. This is DJ Rap: Beyond Jungle. 00:00 They Wanted Me to Go Pop 03:20 Major Label Backlash & Leaving Jungle Behind 06:45 Coachella, David Bowie & Green Day 10:15 Sony, America & the Calvin Klein Campaign 14:30 22 Years in America 18:10 Coming Back to the UK 21:15 Where the Name DJ Rap Came From 24:00 Beyond Jungle: DJ Rap Plays House 28:00 Crowbar Miami & Burning Man 32:15 DJs, Promoters & Playing to the Right Crowd 35:10 The Last Record of the Night

  5. Sep 21

    Jon X Crosse on The Secret Sasha & Digweed Tapes That Changed Everything

    In this episode of the Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Jon X Crosse for a journey back into the golden age of 90s trance and electronic music. Jon’s story is absolutely fascinating. From working with some of the earliest MIDI technology and experimenting with synthesizers in the 1980s, to creating Crescendo – Are You Out There? and becoming part of The Morrighan, this episode takes us right inside the making of some truly special records. We get into the remarkable story behind Crescendo, a track whose musical foundations Jon says began when he was just 12 or 13 years old and were partly inspired by Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Jon also tells the incredible story of booking Sasha & John Digweed at Heaven in the early 90s, recording their sets onto DAT and studying the way they built their musical journeys. Those recordings would go on to have a major influence on the way he approached the production of Crescendo. Then we get into Lange featuring The Morrighan – Follow Me, how Cecily wrote those unforgettable lyrics, how the record came together with Lange, and why more than two decades later it can still create incredibly emotional moments on the dancefloor at Amnesia Ibiza. We also talk Judge Jules, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Guru Josh, Radio 1, Heaven, the early days of music production and plenty more stories from an extraordinary period in British dance music. If you lived through this era, there are some serious memories in this one. And if you didn’t, this is a brilliant insight into how some of the records that helped define it were actually made. Jon X Crosse: Inside the Golden Age of 90s Trance Anthems. 00:00 Intro 01:18 Jon X Crosse: An Extraordinary Career 02:04 The Birth of MIDI & Electronic Music 06:23 Jon’s Disastrous First TV Appearance 08:45 The Story of Crescendo 12:24 The Emotion Behind Crescendo 13:21 How Sasha & Digweed Influenced Crescendo 14:54 Crescendo, Beethoven & Moonlight Sonata 17:01 Making Crescendo 19:53 Guru Josh, Kirk Field & The Prodigy 23:21 The Morrighan 25:09 The Story of Follow Me with Lange 28:23 How Follow Me Was Written 29:42 Why the Lyrics of Follow Me Endured 32:29 Follow Me & Kevin and Perry 33:12 Why Crescendo Was So Different 37:39 The Bizarre Story Behind the JD-800 42:08 How Jon Booked Sasha & Digweed for £350 45:21 The Secret Sasha & Digweed DAT Recordings 46:53 John Digweed Plays Crescendo on Radio 1 49:54 What Happened After Crescendo? 51:47 80,000 Records Sold in One Week 52:54 The Return of Crescendo 55:02 Why These Records Still Mean So Much 56:02 Part Two: Prince William, the SAS & More 56:39 Judge Jules & His Radio 1 Debut 58:16 Part 2 incoming. Contact Jon: www.morrighan.com  @jon_x_crosse

  6. Sep 14

    DJ Rap on Raves, Pirate Radio and the Birth of Jungle

    DJ Rap joins the Dexter Jones Podcast for a journey back to the 1990s, when rave culture, pirate radio and a new underground sound were changing British music forever. Long before jungle and drum & bass became global movements, Rap was living and breathing the rave scene. She talks about discovering acid house, spending everything she had on records, living in squats, learning to DJ and breaking through on pirate stations including Rave FM and Fantasy FM. Rap also opens up about the much deeper role music played in her life. After an incredibly difficult childhood, she found freedom, friendship and a new family through rave culture. We hear how she became one of the first women to break onto the main stages of the UK rave scene, demanded the same money as the men, and then lost every London booking following an extraordinary and tragic coincidence at Telepathy involving “Mr Kirk, Your Son Is Dead.” Rap eventually headed north, before discovering AWOL and a new sound that would completely change her direction as a producer: jungle. She remembers studying DJs including Kenny Ken and the late Randall, watching the emerging generation around her, including Andy C, and taking that inspiration back into the studio. That journey ultimately helped produce records including Spiritual Aura and launched another chapter of her career. This is the story of DJ Rap, pirate radio, rave culture and the birth of jungle, told by someone who was right there in the middle of it. 🎧 DJ Rap: From Raves and Pirate Radio to the Birth of Jungle If you lived through the 1990s rave scene, let me know in the comments: where did you rave, and which DJ defined that era for you? Subscribe to the Dexter Jones Podcast for more conversations with the DJs, producers, promoters and characters who helped shape dance music culture. Chapters: 00:00 The Story That Nearly Ended DJ Rap’s Career 01:32 DJ Rap: The Early Rave Years 03:12 Growing Up Around the World 05:36 A Difficult Childhood & Finding Freedom 08:51 The First Club That Changed Everything 10:55 Squats, Raving & Living for Records 14:00 Before DJing: Dancing at Raves 18:03 The Moment DJ Rap Knew Her Future 20:53 Learning to DJ on One Turntable 22:28 Making Her First Record 23:10 Pirate Radio, Rave FM & Fantasy FM 25:33 DJ Rap’s First Ever DJ Set 27:38 Producing Records & Breaking Through 28:12 The Telepathy Incident: “My Career Just Ended” 29:24 Becoming the First Woman on the Main Stage 32:55 Breaking Barriers as a Female DJ 35:51 Losing London & Starting Again 37:35 AWOL & Discovering Jungle 40:01 Studying the Masters: Randall, Kenny Ken & Andy C 41:34 Spiritual Aura & Breaking Through as a Producer 41:47 From Jungle to a Sony Record Deal 42:31 When Music Became a Business 43:27 Losing the Record Deal & Learning the Hard Way

  7. Sep 7

    Lottie on Turnmills, Space Ibiza, "Faking It" & the Early Days of DC10 Ibiza

    This week on the Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with one of the defining DJs of the golden era of UK and Ibiza clubbing, Lottie. From discovering acid house and finding her people at The Haçienda, to learning her craft behind a pair of Technics, becoming a resident at The Gallery at Turnmills, recording her breakthrough BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, and eventually playing some of the greatest clubs in the world. We go deep into Lottie’s incredible years in Ibiza, including playing Space, DC10, Circoloco, Pacha, Amnesia and Manumission, closing Space and the unforgettable moment Pepe Roselló introduced her to the crowd. We also revisit her famous appearance on Channel 4’s Faking It, where Lottie was given the seemingly impossible task of turning a classical cellist into a convincing club DJ. She reveals what really happened behind the scenes and how the programme suddenly made her recognisable far beyond the dancefloor. Lottie also talks candidly about motherhood, stepping away from the relentless touring lifestyle, the incredibly difficult circumstances that changed her family life, and why returning to DJing and discovering new music has become so important to her again. There’s also plenty of discussion about how DJ culture has changed, the lost art of the warm-up DJ, learning your craft through residencies, phones on dancefloors, modern Ibiza and why Space remains her favourite club of all time. This is a proper journey through more than three decades of house music, club culture and Ibiza with someone who was right there in the middle of it. If you lived through this era, I think you’re going to absolutely love this one. And if you didn’t, here’s your chance to find out what all the fuss was about. 🎙️ Lottie: Turnmills, Space Ibiza, ‘Faking It’ & the Golden Age of Clubbing Chapters: 00:00 Coming Up 02:54 Discovering The Haçienda & Acid House 08:14 "Faking It" & Turning a Cellist Into a DJ 16:10 Buying Her First Technics 1210s 20:00 Moving to London & Becoming Lottie 22:41 The Gallery, Turnmills & Learning to Warm Up 25:25 The Essential Mix That Changed Everything 31:58 Going Global & the Golden Age of Radio 1 35:00 Ibiza in Its Glory Days 37:43 Space Ibiza, Manumission & Closing Space 40:05 The Early Days of DC10 & Circoloco 45:00 Touring, Family & Stepping Away From DJing 50:00 Finding Joy in DJing Again 55:00 Is the Art of the Warm-Up DJ Disappearing? 59:20 Imposter Syndrome & Earning Your Stripes 64:46 Creamfields Memories & One More Tune

  8. Aug 31

    Carrie Stevens on Living in Ibiza in the 2000s

    Ibiza in the 2000s was like nowhere else. In Part 2 of my conversation with Carrie, we go deeper into what life was really like working behind the scenes during one of Ibiza’s most unforgettable eras. From dancing in the island’s superclubs and the madness of Judgement Sundays, to worker life, nights becoming days, barely seeing the beach and the characters who made Ibiza what it was, this is the side of the island most holidaymakers never got to see. Carrie also tells the story behind the incredible underwater Judge Jules photoshoot, recalls some of the situations that got completely out of control, and explains what it was really like being part of the Ibiza worker generation. No smartphones. No social media documenting every moment. Just a completely different way of living, working and partying. If you worked in Ibiza during the 2000s, I’d love to hear your memories in the comments. Was Ibiza in the 2000s the greatest era the island has ever seen? 🎧 Subscribe to the Dexter Jones Podcast for more untold stories from Ibiza, club culture and the people who lived it.

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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
    87
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Dexter Jones

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