Dexter Jones

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 Pop03:20 Major Label Backlash & Leaving Jungle Behind06:45 Coachella, David Bowie & Green Day10:15 Sony, America & the Calvin Klein Campaign14:30 22 Years in America18:10 Coming Back to the UK21:15 Where the Name DJ Rap Came From24:00 Beyond Jungle: DJ Rap Plays House28:00 Crowbar Miami & Burning Man32:15 DJs, Promoters & Playing to the Right Crowd35:10 The Last Record of the Night

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 Intro01:18 Jon X Crosse: An Extraordinary Career02:04 The Birth of MIDI & Electronic Music06:23 Jon’s Disastrous First TV Appearance08:45 The Story of Crescendo12:24 The Emotion Behind Crescendo13:21 How Sasha & Digweed Influenced Crescendo14:54 Crescendo, Beethoven & Moonlight Sonata17:01 Making Crescendo19:53 Guru Josh, Kirk Field & The Prodigy23:21 The Morrighan25:09 The Story of Follow Me with Lange28:23 How Follow Me Was Written29:42 Why the Lyrics of Follow Me Endured32:29 Follow Me & Kevin and Perry33:12 Why Crescendo Was So Different37:39 The Bizarre Story Behind the JD-80042:08 How Jon Booked Sasha & Digweed for £35045:21 The Secret Sasha & Digweed DAT Recordings46:53 John Digweed Plays Crescendo on Radio 149:54 What Happened After Crescendo?51:47 80,000 Records Sold in One Week52:54 The Return of Crescendo55:02 Why These Records Still Mean So Much56:02 Part Two: Prince William, the SAS & More56:39 Judge Jules & His Radio 1 Debut58:16 Part 2 incoming.
Contact Jon:
www.morrighan.com @jon_x_crosse

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 Career01:32 DJ Rap: The Early Rave Years03:12 Growing Up Around the World05:36 A Difficult Childhood & Finding Freedom08:51 The First Club That Changed Everything10:55 Squats, Raving & Living for Records14:00 Before DJing: Dancing at Raves18:03 The Moment DJ Rap Knew Her Future20:53 Learning to DJ on One Turntable22:28 Making Her First Record23:10 Pirate Radio, Rave FM & Fantasy FM25:33 DJ Rap’s First Ever DJ Set27:38 Producing Records & Breaking Through28:12 The Telepathy Incident: “My Career Just Ended”29:24 Becoming the First Woman on the Main Stage32:55 Breaking Barriers as a Female DJ35:51 Losing London & Starting Again37:35 AWOL & Discovering Jungle40:01 Studying the Masters: Randall, Kenny Ken & Andy C41:34 Spiritual Aura & Breaking Through as a Producer41:47 From Jungle to a Sony Record Deal42:31 When Music Became a Business43:27 Losing the Record Deal & Learning the Hard Way
 

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 Up02:54 Discovering The Haçienda & Acid House08:14 "Faking It" & Turning a Cellist Into a DJ16:10 Buying Her First Technics 1210s20:00 Moving to London & Becoming Lottie22:41 The Gallery, Turnmills & Learning to Warm Up25:25 The Essential Mix That Changed Everything31:58 Going Global & the Golden Age of Radio 135:00 Ibiza in Its Glory Days37:43 Space Ibiza, Manumission & Closing Space40:05 The Early Days of DC10 & Circoloco45:00 Touring, Family & Stepping Away From DJing50:00 Finding Joy in DJing Again55:00 Is the Art of the Warm-Up DJ Disappearing?59:20 Imposter Syndrome & Earning Your Stripes64:46 Creamfields Memories & One More Tune

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.

What was it really like to live, work and dance in Ibiza in 2001?
Carrie Stevens was right in the middle of it.
After arriving on the island, she became a club dancer at Es Paradis, before being poached by Eden and eventually becoming Head Dancer. This was an Ibiza of packed dancefloors, podium dancers, workers crammed into apartments, club parades through San Antonio, morning bars and after-hours sessions that could disappear well into the next day.
In this episode, Carrie takes us back inside that world. We talk about the reality of being an Ibiza dancer, the incredible atmosphere inside Es Paradis, life at Eden, the notorious Garden of Eden, Ibiza worker culture, Judgement Sundays, surviving the winter and why the island felt so different before social media.
Carrie also tells us about one of the happiest moments of her life: dancing above a packed Es Paradis as the shutters opened and Café Del Mar played.
If you worked, danced or partied in Ibiza during this era, tell me your memories in the comments. What was YOUR Ibiza like?
Subscribe for more conversations and stories from the people who lived through dance music and club culture.
Chapters:
00:00 What It Was Really Like Being an Ibiza Dancer01:26 Leaving Ibiza and Coming Back04:34 An Unforgettable Night at Es Paradis06:44 Why Ibiza Felt So Different08:05 Did Social Media Change Ibiza?09:45 Surviving an Ibiza Winter12:54 Becoming an Ibiza Club Dancer14:04 Getting Poached by Eden15:51 Becoming Eden's Head Dancer17:28 The Infamous Garden of Eden19:50 Ibiza's Drinking Culture21:40 Es Paradis vs Eden22:32 Ibiza Dancer Auditions26:37 Kevin & Perry and Ibiza28:38 Moving to Ibiza32:05 Ibiza Worker Apartments34:35 The Darker Side of San Antonio36:14 Ibiza's Dangerous Dance Podiums39:23 Dancing Above a Packed Club41:48 Knowing When to Leave Ibiza42:49 The Legendary Ibiza Club Parades48:28 Part Two...

Marcella Woods is the voice behind some of the most recognisable anthems from the golden era of dance music, including Beautiful, Liberation (Fly Like An Angel) and El Niño.
In this episode of the Dexter Jones Podcast, Marcella tells the incredible stories behind those records, including how Liberation was recorded in just 20 minutes and how the vocal for Beautiful was nailed on the very first take.
Marcella also takes us back to the clubs that shaped her, from Bagley's and Strawberry Sundae to Freedom and The Fridge, and explains how a chance introduction eventually led her to Matt Darey and a string of records that would become part of dance music history.
But Marcella's story hasn't stopped there.
Now in her 50s, she's taken on an entirely new challenge: becoming a DJ. After just six hours of intensive training before her first gig, she's gone on to play festivals and events, finding herself handing over the decks to artists including Mauro Picotto, Dave Pearce and Signum.
We also talk about why dance vocalists haven't always received the recognition they deserve, Marcella's extraordinary classical musical background, the realities of balancing music with family life, and why she's still every bit as passionate about dance music today.
A brilliant conversation with one of the voices behind the soundtrack to a generation.
Subscribe to the Dexter Jones Podcast for weekly conversations celebrating the DJs, artists, clubs and stories that shaped dance music culture.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Liberation Was Recorded in 20 Minutes00:18 Marcella Woods & The Story of Beautiful02:35 From Vocalist to DJ04:37 Bagley's & The Golden Era of Clubbing07:12 Marcella's New Life Behind the Decks09:56 Hearing Your Own Voice on a Dancefloor10:49 Do Dance Vocalists Get Enough Recognition?12:14 Singing vs DJing14:09 Nine Gigs a Weekend15:53 Could Beautiful Be a Hit Today?17:24 Marcella's Classical Music Background19:03 The Truth About El Niño & Beautiful20:21 Liberation: 20 Minutes to Record a Classic22:08 How Marcella Became a Recording Artist25:03 Family, Touring & Music as an Escape27:30 Classical Training Meets Dance Music29:34 What DJing Has Taught Marcella

Tall Paul’s story is inseparable from one of the most legendary clubs in British dance music history. Long before Turnmills became an institution, it was his family’s business, and the place where a teenage Paul began learning his craft behind the decks.
From the arrival of House music and the birth of all-night clubbing to Trade, The Gallery and the extraordinary rise of Turnmills, Paul takes us inside a period when London club culture was being created in real time.
We also dive into 30 years of Rock Da House, hunting London record shops for exclusive white labels, the pressure of playing Trade, following Tony De Vit, and why DJs of that generation treated every weekend like it mattered.
This is the story of Tall Paul, Rock Da House and the family-run London club that became part of British dance music history.
#TallPaul #Turnmills #RockDaHouse
In this episode:
• The story behind Rock Da House• Why Rock Da House nearly came out on Hooj Choons• Hunting record shops for exclusive white labels• Why playing Trade felt like performing at Wembley• How Turnmills went from wine bar to legendary nightclub• The arrival of House music and all-night clubbing• Learning to DJ inside an empty Turnmills• Trade, The Gallery and the nights that defined an era• Following Tony De Vit behind the decks• What made Turnmills so special• The incredible 90s London clubbing scene• The emotional story behind the final days of Turnmills
Chapters 📖00:00 Trade Felt Like Playing Wembley00:19 30 Years of Rock Da House03:15 How Rock Da House Became a Club Anthem09:13 Reworking a Classic 30 Years Later13:18 Tall Paul’s Obsession With Finding Records16:48 The Pressure of Playing Trade20:27 The Incredible Story of Turnmills29:56 What Made Turnmills So Special?31:47 Learning to DJ Inside Turnmills37:52 Trade, The Gallery & Turnmills41:43 How Trade Became an All-Day Institution49:07 The Memories That Made Turnmills Special52:12 Did We Know We Were Making Clubbing History?53:10 How Trade Launched Tall Paul’s Career55:25 The Emotional End of Turnmills01:02:10 Why Turnmills Still Means So Much
🎙️ The Dexter Jones Podcast – Conversations with the people who shaped dance music.

How many clubbers, DJs and music lovers already have permanent hearing damage without even realising it?
In this week's episode, I sit down with Jono Heale, Director at ACS Custom, musician and one of the UK's leading voices on hearing health in the music industry.
After developing permanent hearing damage himself, Jono made it his mission to help protect musicians, DJs and clubbers from making the same mistake.
We discuss tinnitus, hearing loss, safe listening levels, why ringing ears should never be ignored, whether one loud nightclub can permanently damage your hearing, and why so many people don't discover the problem until it's too late.
If you've ever left a club, festival or gig with ringing ears, this conversation is essential listening.
In this episode:
• How tinnitus really starts• Why hearing damage is often permanent• Can one loud nightclub damage your hearing?• Safe listening levels explained• Why DJs are at greater risk• Why dance music is particularly challenging for hearing• The truth about hearing protection• How ACS Custom helps protect musicians worldwide• Practical advice every clubber should know
Chapters:
00:00 The diagnosis that changed everything00:21 How many clubbers already have hearing damage?02:10 Why musicians often ignore hearing loss04:00 What is tinnitus?05:43 Why ringing ears are a warning sign07:57 Meet Jono Heale & ACS Custom10:55 Why custom earplugs work better14:12 Why hearing damage is becoming more common18:30 Jono's own hearing loss journey22:40 Living with tinnitus every day25:55 How Jono joined ACS Custom30:20 Why musicians need hearing protection36:10 The moment ACS changed Jono's career37:30 The Musicians' Hearing Health Scheme38:25 Why tinnitus can't currently be cured43:05 Can one nightclub permanently damage your hearing?45:40 Why dance music is harder on your ears49:00 Why some people lose hearing faster than others53:40 Are DJs more at risk?56:15 The biggest myths about hearing protection59:45 The future of hearing health01:03:30 Jono's advice to every clubber

What happens when your first-ever single becomes one of the biggest dance records of all time?
In this exclusive conversation, Darude reveals the untold story behind Sandstorm, from handing out demo CDs in Finland to becoming an international superstar within weeks. He explains why having your biggest hit first was both a blessing and a burden, why he couldn't even DJ properly when success arrived, and how he has spent the last 25 years building a career beyond one iconic record.
We also dive into the evolution of dance music, surviving overnight success, record label pressure, social media, AI, mental health, and why passion, not fame, should always come first.
Whether you're a fan of trance, dance music history or electronic music production, this is one of Darude's most open and insightful interviews.
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IN THIS EPISODE:
• How Darude got his name after repeatedly playing the same record at a party
• How handing out one demo CD changed his life forever
• Why Sandstorm was created in just a week and a half
• Becoming a global superstar before he could properly DJ
• Why having your first release become your biggest hit comes with unexpected downsides
• The pressures of following one of the biggest dance records ever made
• Why Darude says he still loves playing Sandstorm after 25 years
• The story behind the iconic Sandstorm music video and the annual Helsinki run
• How the music industry has changed from vinyl and CDs to streaming and social media
• Why record labels wanted him to copy Sandstorm, and why he refused
• Rebuilding his debut album from scratch after the original project files were lost
• How technology has transformed music production over the past two decades
• Why supporting new artists through his Vibing Out label matters so much
• Darude's honest advice for young producers starting their careers today
• Why passion, not fame, should always come first
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Chapters
00:00 Intro00:35 How Darude got his name02:39 Discovering electronic music07:00 When music became more than a hobby08:08 Meeting JS16 changed everything09:20 Creating Sandstorm10:16 Overnight success in weeks10:50 Becoming famous before learning to DJ14:25 Does he get bored of Sandstorm?17:00 The story behind the Sandstorm video19:20 Creating the Darude Sandstorm Run25:35 Overnight success and its downsides30:00 Pressure after your biggest hit33:35 Touring the world37:00 How the music industry has changed40:10 Why Sandstorm still works today43:20 Hearing Sandstorm played by an orchestra45:00 Current projects and new music47:05 Technology and producing music today48:35 Rebuilding Sandstorm from scratch52:20 Future ambitions beyond dance music54:00 Launching the Vibing Out record label56:45 Helping the next generation of producers01:00:10 Advice for young producers01:04:10 Fame, TikTok and today's DJ culture01:08:00 Mental health in dance music01:09:25 One More Tune: his perfect closing track01:13:00 Final thoughts