Dexter Jones

Paul Glazby on Burnout and Leaving the Dance Music Scene

Paul Glazby returns to The Dexter Jones Podcast for Part 2 of this in-depth Hard House interview, diving into UK club culture, Vicious Circle Records, Tidy Trax era dance music, DJ burnout, music industry politics, management failures, and the real reason he stepped away from the UK Hard House scene. In this episode, Paul Glazby opens up about losing 75% of his DJ income, building multiple gym businesses, moving to New Zealand and Australia, starting again at 40 in real estate, and why Hard House and underground dance music have come back into his life after more than a decade away.
If you lived through the UK Hard House era, this is essential listening.If you’ve ever walked away from something you loved, this will resonate even more.
This is not just about DJing.It’s about identity, reinvention, burnout and rebuilding.
In this episode we cover:
• The collapse of his DJ career• Losing 75% of his bookings overnight• Fake gigs and music industry politics• Launching Red Management• Seven years of burnout juggling fitness and DJing• The 10-hour farewell set• Moving abroad and completely disconnecting from dance music• Losing half his gym membership overnight• Reinventing himself in real estate at 40• The return of Hard House• The one track he would close the night with
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🎧 CHAPTERS
00:00 The Collapse: “My DJ Career Looked Like It Was On Its Ass”01:09 Losing 32 Kilos & Reinventing Myself Through Fitness06:01 Drugs, DJing & The Night Everything Changed08:12 Tidy Management, Trophy Twins & Industry Politics12:55 Fake Gigs, Cancelled Bookings & A 75% Income Drop19:42 Launching Red Management & Taking Back Control20:26 Seven Years of Burnout: 5:30am Clients + Weekend Gigs21:57 “I’m Never Gonna Do A UK Gig” – The Final Announcement26:36 Moving Abroad & Losing Touch With Dance Music33:00 The Gym Collapse: Losing Half My Members Overnight34:22 Starting Again at 40: From DJ to Real Estate40:05 “Music’s In The Blood” – Hard House Comes Back47:13 The One Last Track: RRF – Yomamba
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About Paul Glazby
Paul Glazby is a UK Hard House DJ and producer known for Vicious Circle Records and his work during the peak of the Tidy Trax era. A key figure in underground UK club culture, he has released extensively across the Hard Dance scene and remains one of the most respected names in Hard House history.

Paul Glazby on Hard House's Greatest Era and What's Coming Next

🎧 Paul Glazby: Hard House’s Greatest Era & Why It’s Coming Back This week on the podcast, I sit down with Paul Glazby, DJ, producer, label owner, and founder of hard house record label Vicious Circle, to unpack the rise, fall, and resurgence of Hard House.
From teaching himself to mix in secret…To clearing the dancefloor at Insomniacs before becoming a resident…To build one of the most influential Hard House labels of the early 2000s…
This is a deep dive into one of the most important eras in UK club culture.
We talk about:
• The real impact of Tony De Vit’s passing on Hard House• How Gatecrasher & trance briefly overtook the harder sound• The explosion of 2000–2002 Hard House• Building Vicious Circle from scratch• Producing classics like Kick It• The vinyl collapse & MP3 era• Why Hard House is back• The new generation pushing 150–160 BPM• And how podcasting reignited Paul’s passion for music
This is Part 1 of 2. Part 2 drops very soon.
If you were there in the early 2000s… this will hit.If you weren’t… this explains everything.
🔥 Topics Covered:
Hard House historyVicious Circle RecordsInsomniacs SheffieldTony De VitTidy TraxBK & Hard Dance evolutionHard House comeback 2025Vinyl era vs digitalUK club culture 1998–2005Why are harder sounds trending again
🎶 About Paul Glazby
Paul Glazby emerged from Sheffield’s underground scene in the late 90s and became one of the defining names of UK Hard House.
Founder of Vicious Circle, his productions helped shape the tougher edge of the genre during its peak years. After a long hiatus, he has returned — producing new music, relaunching labels and hosting the Hard House History podcast.
⏱ Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Hard House Then vs Now03:12 Teaching Himself to Mix in Secret07:45 The Night Half the Club Walked Out12:30 Tony De Vit’s Death & The Scene Shift18:40 Gatecrasher, Trance & The Hard House Takeover24:10 The 2000–2002 Hard House Explosion30:25 Launching Vicious Circle Records36:50 Producing “Kick It” & Signature Sound43:15 Vinyl Collapse & The MP3 Era49:40 Why Hard House Is Coming Back56:10 The New 150–160 BPM Generation01:02:30 Podcasting, Comeback & What’s Next
New episodes every Sunday at 5pm UK.No clickbait. No bots. Just real stories from the people who built the scene.
If you’ve been enjoying the journey this past year, thank you.We’re just getting started.

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 Superclubs07:35 The Emporium - Mark & Eric and the Birth of Passion10:42 The Brutal First Six Months of Passion16:48 Why Is He Called JFK?21:52 Weekly Partying in the 90s Club Scene28:26 Running The Emporium Nightclub32:36 The Tony De Vit Residency Story37:25 Ferry Corsten at Passion - Before the Fame39:02 Booking a Student Armin van Buuren43:46 Taking Passion to Ibiza52:57 Tiësto at Cream Ibiza – The Superclub Era1:00:14 The Generational Shift in UK Clubbing1:06:54 The Return of Passion1:12:00 Modern Day Clubbing Challenges1:17:47 The Truth About Promoters Losing Money1:20:28 Why He Can Never Walk Away1:36:18 The Last Tune of the Night

Paul "Madders" Madan on Sundissential, Addiction and Recovery

This episode of the Dexter Jones Podcast tells the real story of Paul Madan AKA "Madders", who is one of the defining figures behind Sundissential and UK club culture.
It’s an honest, unfiltered conversation about success, addiction, collapse, and recovery. From the height of clubland to a twenty-year battle with crack cocaine, this episode goes beyond dance music into accountability, survival, and rebuilding a life.
This is one of the most important conversations we’ve ever recorded on the Dexter Jones Podcast.
This is not a nostalgia piece.
It’s a raw, human conversation about success, excess, addiction, collapse, recovery, and the long road back to finding meaning again.
From the rise of Sundissential and packed-out clubs to a twenty-year battle with crack cocaine, losing everything, finally finding recovery and his true purpose in life, this episode goes far beyond dance music.
It’s about accountability, survival, and choosing to face life head-on.
This episode is dedicated to everyone around the world living with any version of addiction, and to those in recovery who choose courage, honesty, and hope every single day.
In this episode, we cover:
📖 The real story behind Sundissential and its impact🤯 The pressure, chaos, and reality behind the scenes🤧 Addiction, denial, and hitting rock bottom😢 Losing everything and starting again▵ Recovery, responsibility, and life today🥰 What survival actually looks like when the noise stops
---Chapters 📖
00:00 Intro | The Real Story Begins04:08 Why He’s Always Been Called “Madders”06:13 The Rumour That Madders Was Dead10:14 Addiction Tightens Its Grip25:53 Promoting the First Events | Early Clubland Days37:32 How His Mum Invented the Name Sundissential44:53 Sundissential Grows to 100,000 Members57:51 Five Thousand People Turn Up to One Club01:05:00 Sundissential Becomes a Superclub Brand01:27:56 Club Deaths, Media Pressure, and Everything Falling Apart
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THE WELLBOURNE CLINICA huge thank you to Paul and the team at The WellBOURNE Clinic for the vital work they do supporting people affected by addiction and recovery. If you’d like to learn more about their approach and the support they offer, please visit their website:
 https://thewellbourneclinic.co.uk/

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 Explained12:52 – Ableton Live: Tool or Cheat?19:06 – How Saytek Got Into Live Performance26:08 – London, Club Home & Sound Engineering Roots32:19 – Squat Parties & Illegal Raves in London35:53 – Berlin vs UK: Techno Culture Explained45:02 – What Is an Electronic Musician (Not a DJ)54:27 – AI, Creativity & the Future of Electronic Music01:08:44 – 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.

Stephen Kirkwood on trading turntables for Pizza… and getting both!

Today, I sit down with one of the most respected and quietly influential figures in modern trance and electronic music, Stephen Kirkwood.
Stephen’s story is not the usual DJ success narrative. This is a deep, honest conversation about creativity, resilience, graft, and finding multiple ways to survive and thrive in an industry that constantly shifts beneath your feet.
If you know Stephen for his productions, his releases on major labels, or his appearances at iconic venues like Amnesia Ibiza, this episode reveals the layers behind the music. If you do not know his story yet, this is a rare opportunity to hear how a working-class kid from Scotland built a career in trance, production, education, and business by staying adaptable and relentlessly consistent.
We talk about Stephen’s journey from early DJ gigs and self-promoted club nights to working with industry heavyweights, hearing his music played by legends like Paul van Dyk, and eventually playing after them on some of the biggest stages in dance music.
One of the most surprising parts of this conversation is how Stephen built Banging Pizza, a now multi-location pizza business that became a genuine hub for the Scottish electronic music scene. What started as a lockdown pivot turned into a thriving brand, with shops run and franchised by DJs and producers from the scene itself. It is a perfect example of creative thinking outside the booth.
We go deep into music production, the reality of putting in 10,000 hours, why most tracks fail before one finally works, and how mentorship from figures like Lange, Mark Sherry and David Forbes shaped Stephen’s sound and mindset. Stephen also opens up about teaching the next generation through Escapade Studios and why education and community matter more than ever in today’s music industry.
This episode also explores:• The pressure of playing after global trance legends• Law of attraction, manifestation, and belief• Why consistency beats perfection in music careers• The truth about ghost production vs collaboration• Using AI as a creative tool in modern production• Social media, micro-communities, and the 1,000 true fans principle• Why trance is experiencing a genuine resurgence• How Ibiza performances change an artist forever
We also talk candidly about rejection, releases falling through at the last minute, managing expectations, and how to stay mentally grounded in an industry built on highs and lows.
This is not just an interview for DJs. It is a conversation for any creative, entrepreneur, or artist trying to build something meaningful while navigating pressure, comparison, and constant change.
If you love Ibiza culture, trance music, electronic production, behind-the-scenes industry stories, or real conversations about creativity and survival in music, this episode will resonate deeply.
Do not forget to subscribe for more long-form conversations with DJs, producers, promoters, and the people who built the culture from the inside out.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro – Stephen Kirkwood: Trance, Ibiza & Creative Survival03:15 When Covid Stopped Music and Forced a Pivot07:31 Growing Up in Scotland: Where Music First Entered His Life09:35 Starting a Local Club Night and Promoting Parties14:27 SKcapade Studios: Teaching Producers and Giving Back17:32 The 10,000-Hour Truth About Music Production22:52 Ibiza, Law of Attraction and Manifesting Big Moments25:03 Lange, Mentorship and Real Industry Friendships40:25 The First Time Hearing His Music Played by the Legends45:40 Social Media, DJs and Building a Real Audience50:28 Why 1,000 True Fans Beats Huge Follower Counts55:44 Playing After Paul van Dyk and Going “Cloud Nine”59:28 AI in Music Production: Tool or Threat?01:12:15 One More Tune: The Perfect Last Track of the Night

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 does03:01 How live visual mixing actually works in clubs and festivals03:30 West London roots, early rave culture & clubbing history04:01 Turning up to Slinky in a suit – learning the rave scene06:53 From corporate AV to underground dance music visuals07:51 The visual idea that was ahead of its time10:02 Nine Inch Nails tour, Spielberg & breaking into world tours25:38 Carl Cox’s compliment: “Best visuals I’ve ever seen”28:40 Why Habs doesn’t rate AI visuals in dance music50:28 V4M app explained – live visuals from your phone1:05:15 Space Ibiza years & the golden era of club culture1:14:00 The secret sauce: blackouts, timing & reading the drop1:22:18 Last tune to end the night – closing moments
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Download the V4M APP www. https://visuals4music.com/
Info: https://www.facebook.com/Habsy.Akram

Jason Fubar on why the system is broken and dance music Is harder than ever

The System Is Broken: Why Dance Music Is Harder Than Ever | Jason FUBAR
In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Jason FUBAR, a long-time DJ, promoter, and rave scene grafter who has lived every era of dance music culture first-hand.
Jason has been part of the scene for over 35 years. From the early rave days in Blackpool to superclubs, festivals, bars, the Royal Navy, Ibiza, Mallorca, and booking future superstars before they were even known, he’s seen the industry evolve from the inside.
This conversation is a reality check on why dance music feels broken right now.
We talk honestly about rising costs and shrinking margins, exclusivity deals, micro-venues versus mega clubs, and why promoters are being squeezed harder than ever. Jason also shares stories from running bars and festivals, touring internationally, and witnessing UK rave culture being built from the ground up.
This is not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.It’s about the current reality, what has changed, and what still makes dance music special after 30+ years.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
■ Why it now costs more to make less money in dance music■ Rising overheads, ticket pricing, and the real pressure promoters face■ How exclusivity deals are damaging local scenes■ Why small 200–300 capacity parties are making a comeback■ Social media, trolling, and the abuse aimed at DJs and promoters■ DJ culture then vs now, and why the scene feels different■ Ibiza, BCM Mallorca, and the Balearic circuit■ The Syndicate Blackpool and the superclub era■ Why originality in music is disappearing■ What still makes dance music worth fighting for
Chapters:
00:00 The System Is Broken: Why Dance Music Is Harder Than Ever08:23 You Used to Spend a Quid to Make a Tenner13:25 Starting Out DJing in the Early Rave Era (1991)24:14 Joining the Royal Navy While DJing33:29 English Drinking Culture and Festival Spending Power38:25 Back to the Old Pool Festival: Risks, Costs and Crowd Control51:24 Trolling on Social Media: Abuse, Misogyny and Promoter Hate01:03:09 The Syndicate Superclub, Blackpool (5,000 Capacity Era)01:18:37 BCM Mallorca and Breaking Into the Balearic Scene01:29:46 How Early Facebook Changed Ibiza Forever01:32:19 Music Production Today: Remixes, Samples and Industry Laziness01:40:36 One More Tune: Final Track Choices and Podcast Wrap-Up

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 Dahl01:31 How the name Ian Van Dahl was created03:16 Early music career and multiple aliases10:50 Making music in the 90s before laptops and DAWs22:02 Eurodance vs trance and why the UK was different30:04 The Ian Van Dahl project and Castles in the Sky39:24 Record labels, pressure, and creative control54:35 European club culture and the rise of Eurodance1:19:22 Why modern DJs struggle with identity1:29:00 What’s next for Ian Van Dahl as an artist
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:
rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

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 Identity02:03 Welcome Back: Life After Manumission05:43 When Ibiza Comes to an End08:18 Travelling Thailand Changed Everything10:04 Swimming With Sharks in Thailand12:09 Australia, Diving & Marine Conservation16:20 Cage Diving With Great White Sharks19:29 From Ibiza to Ocean Activism23:09 The Birth of Pure Sea27:23 Why Registering a Charity Is So Hard32:47 Beach Cleans With DJs & Fatboy Slim34:00 Cleaning Up Camden Lock40:38 Teaching Ocean Awareness in Schools45:15 Why Helium Balloons Kill Wildlife51:22 Why the Education System Must Change57:04 Animal Testing, Activism & Awareness1:01:43 Food Waste & Overconsumption1:03:53 Why Everyone Should Watch My Octopus Teacher1:07:21 One Last Tune From Manumission1:09:45 A Labour of Love
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com