When I thought about writing this post, I wasn’t quite sure what category would define this.. is it music or icon. Judging by the title, I went with Icon. Pete Tong and his music on BBC Radio 1 has been apart of my life since I was about 10 years old. This week he celebrates 20 years on BBC Radio 1, he joined the station in 1991 when I was just 6 years old and this man has single handedly defined and shaped what dance music has become. Some bloke called Pete Tong, Nicky Holloway, Danny Rampling and Paul Oakenfold brought to the masses in the UK music from the white isle known as Ibiza.

I have had the privelege to meet Pete Tong on a number of occasions and also interview him, one distinct memory was the first time I went to  Ibiza and my friends and I was sat outside Cafe Mambo, he walked from one side of the beach to Cafe Mambo and he was literally mobbed, the amount of people who wanted pictures with him was incredible, it took him almost 40 minutes to walk a part of the beach that should take you no longer than 10minutes at the max! If it wasn’t for this guy there would be no Radio 1 in Ibiza, he was the official start to what always used to be a great start to an crazy weekend at Cafe Mambo and you know people the weekend wouldn’t begin until Pete Tong uttered four very famous words “Welcome to the weekend!” – For me that was it the weekend had offically begun on a Friday evening at 6pm, no matter what had happened in the week, you know all would be good when Pete Tong would be on Radio 1, Friday nights 6pm!

Peter “Pete” Tong (born July 30, 1960) is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programs such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for his own performances at nightclubs across the globe. Tong has also worked as a record producer.
The phrase “It’’s all gone a bit Pete Tong”, where the name is used as cockney rhyming slang for “wrong”, was reputedly first coined by Mark Radcliffe. However, on his show of 28 November 2005, Mark Radcliffe credited his erstwhile sidekick Marc “Lard” Riley with inventing the term. It’’s All Gone Pete Tong is also the title of a 2004 film which portrays a DJ’’s experiences as he realises he is becoming deaf. Tong appears briefly in the film as himself.

A very young Pete Tong when he first began on BBC Radio 1

In honour of Pete Tong’s 20 year anniversary, Radio 1 are celebrating his two decades on the air with a 12-hour takeover on Friday April 8th. As well as a countdown of Radio 1 listeners’ Top 20 Dance Tracks and Tong’s first Essential Mix since 1995, there will be the airing of a 3-hour tribute from a number of artists he has helped champion over the years.

Recorded at the Maida Vale Studios, there is a worthy eclectic mix of artists, each very appreciative to be given a slot on Tong’s anniversary show. Chase & Status used the occasion to promote their new single ‘Time’ featuring Deliah; their set laden with heavy baselines including the Nero Remix of ‘Crush on You’ and their own monster hit ‘Blind Faith.’ Charlie XX joined Alex Metric and Kele Okereke joined the woeful Martin Solveig (he mixed electro into dubstep into pop before singing) for performances of new singles before Chilly Gonzales set the place alight with his skills on the piano, albeit strangely wearing a dressing gown and promising to “hold a grudge like a rabbit holds its crotch.”

As the beers flowed for the 100 or so crowd of competition winners, artists and hangers-on, Guy Gerber took to his Mac and delivered a 25-minute set of uplifting but relentless techno including his track with Ryan Crosson ‘Time For A Change.’ The Israeli DJ had flown in especially for his brief set, highlighting the respect held for Tong in the industry. Groove Armada closed by smashing through a b2b mini-mix of classics from the last 20 years including ‘Hey Boy, Hey Girl’, ’3 Drives’ and Ettiene de Crecy’s ‘Prix Choc.’

His knowledge of the scene and credibility within the industry continues to make his show an essential Friday night listen. Friday week should prove a fitting tribute to the DJ; just make sure you’re not in the bath when Solveig comes on as the urge to nibble on the toaster may be too strong.

Pete has become so iconic in dance music that there was a film made with his name in the title and was sort of a homage to how this man resides in the hearts of the many people he has touched with the music he has championed over the past 20 years.

This guy has probably single handedly made dance music what it is today and for me what will always stick in my memory are the Ibiza Radio 1 days of 1997-1998-1999, where all of Radio 1 literally went out to Ibiza for a week and just fucked it up so badly that Radio 1 in ibiza would never be the same!

Pete Tong, thanks for the memories “We salute you, Sir!”