Dexter Jones

Jason Herd on the ambulance service, Ibiza anthems, and mentoring the next generation

Jason Herd’s career is anything but ordinary.
In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Jason Herd to unpack an extraordinary journey from working as a UK paramedic to becoming a globally respected house music producer, mix engineer, and mentor.
Jason opens up about the leap from saving lives on the front line to taking a risk on music, the mindset shift required to walk away from a stable career, and how discipline, pressure, and resilience carried over into the studio and the DJ booth.
We dive into the story behind I Just Can’t Get Enough, the Ibiza summers it soundtracked, and wild memories from clubs and parties across the island, including Godskitchen, Babooshka, Bora Bora Ibiza, and Space Ibiza.
The conversation also goes deep inside the studio. Jason talks honestly about his work as a mix engineer, the realities of production at a professional level, and why mentorship has become such an important part of his mission. Through teaching and guiding new producers, he’s helping shape the next generation of house music talent in a rapidly changing industry.
This is not a story about overnight success.It’s about risk, craft, and building a sustainable career with purpose.
If you’re a DJ, producer, Ibiza lover, or someone fascinated by the realities behind the scenes, this episode delivers inspiration and real-world insight.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🚑 Life as a UK paramedic and the decision to change careers
🎵 Producing I Just Can’t Get Enough and defining Ibiza summers
🪩 Stories from Godskitchen, Babooshka, Bora Bora, and Space Ibiza
🎚 Working as a mix engineer and producer
📈 Mentorship and developing new talent
🧠 Discipline, pressure, and mindset from emergency services to music
🔮 Building longevity in today’s dance music industry
Links:
Jason Herd music: https://www.beatport.com/artist/jason-herd
Subtone Music Academy: https://www.subtonemusicacademy.com
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Steve Mac on Rhythm Masters, studio craft, and 30+ years in electronic music

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Steve Mac — producer, DJ, remixer, and one half of Rhythm Masters — for a deep dive into an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades.
Recorded inside Steve’s now-famous Brighton studio bunker, this conversation traces his journey from DJing at just 11 years old to becoming one of the most trusted names in house music production. We explore his work remixing and collaborating with artists including Michael Jackson, INXS, Marshall Jefferson, Robert Owens, and Todd Terry.
Steve opens up about his early years in Luton, the evolution of studio gear from Akai samplers to modern AI-assisted tools, and why he still prefers hardware, tape, and hands-on process over shortcuts. We also talk candidly about the Rhythm Masters era, the realities of long-term relevance, and how a devastating studio fire nearly wiped out everything — and what it took to rebuild from scratch.
The conversation moves into current projects too, including his work with Irvine Welsh on the upcoming Trainspotting: The Musical, reflections on the saturation of modern music, and why musicality sometimes gets lost in today’s house and techno landscape.
This is not a nostalgia piece.It’s a masterclass in craft, resilience, and staying creatively honest across generations.
If you’re a producer, DJ, engineer, or simply someone who loves dance music at its deepest level, this episode delivers rare insight from someone who has truly seen it all — and is still pushing forward.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🎶 DJing at 11 and early studio experiments
🎛️ From Akai samplers to AI-assisted production
👑 Working with house and pop music legends
🔥 The Rhythm Masters era and defining records
🚒 A studio fire and rebuilding everything from scratch
🚝 Trainspotting: The Musical with Irvine Welsh
📼 Why Steve still mixes down to tape and favours hardware
🕺🏻 Music saturation and the loss of musicality
🎙 Staying relevant in a fast-changing industry
📦 Studio stories, lost vinyl, Strawberry Sundaes, and advice for new producers
Chapters:
00:00 Intro and Brighton bunker banter03:20 DJing at 11 and early studio days10:45 Working with house legends and remix royalty18:00 The Rhythm Masters era24:15 AI, music saturation, and the future of production32:00 Studio fire and rebuilding from scratch40:50 Trainspotting: The Musical47:10 Vinyl, nostalgia, and rave memories55:00 Final thoughts, legacy, and One More Tune
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Love To Be… on building a legendary UK club brand and surviving 30+ years of rave culture

Love To Be… is one of the most iconic and long-running club brands to come out of the UK.
In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with the people behind the brand, Tony Walker and Marc Dennis, to unpack the untold story of Love To Be… from its roots in Sheffield to global dancefloors and a brand that has stood the test of time.
We go right back to how Love To Be… started, the early nights, the culture that shaped it, and the golden era of UK house music that helped define a generation. Tony and Marc share behind-the-scenes stories from legendary nights, the realities of promoting through different eras, and how club culture has changed from the 90s to today.
The conversation also looks forward. We talk about keeping the original rave spirit alive in a phone-obsessed world, the importance of community over hype, and how Love To Be… has adapted without losing its identity. From intimate club nights to the launch of the Love To Be Festival, this is a rare insight into longevity in dance music.
This is not a nostalgia exercise.It’s a practical, honest conversation about evolution, resilience, and why some club brands endure while others disappear.
If you care about classic house, UK rave culture, and the people who actually built the scene, this episode is essential listening.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
💃 How Love To Be… started in Sheffield
🪩 Behind-the-scenes stories from legendary club nights
🎶 The evolution of clubbing from the 90s to now
📲 Preserving rave culture in a phone-first era
⏳ Lessons from more than three decades of promoting
🎏 The launch and vision behind Love To Be Festival
Find Love To Be…
Instagram: @lovetobeevents
Instagram: @trimtonemusic
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Peach London: the legacy of one of UK clubbing’s most iconic nights

Welcome to the ultimate throwback to Peach London, one of the most legendary and influential club brands in UK dance music history.
In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, we dive deep into the golden era of UK clubbing, when Peach set the standard for uplifting trance, euphoric anthems, and dancefloors built on community, energy, and pure joy.
If you ever raved at Camden Palace, felt that unmistakable Peach atmosphere, or grew up on the sound of late-90s and early-2000s trance, this episode will take you straight back. And if you’re discovering it for the first time, this is essential context for understanding what made UK club culture so special.
We explore the rise, evolution, and legacy of Peach, how it shaped a generation of clubbers, and why the brand still carries real meaning today. Through stories and reflections from Graham Gold, Chris Bayne, and Edele Andaya, we unpack what Peach represented on and off the dancefloor.
This is not just a nostalgia trip.It’s a cultural snapshot of a time when clubbing was about togetherness, music-led programming, and nights that stayed with you long after the lights came up.
If you care about UK clubbing history, trance culture, or the brands that genuinely shaped the scene, this episode delivers.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🍑 The rise of Peach London and its unique identity
🪩 Camden Palace and the energy of classic Peach nights
🎶 How Peach shaped uplifting trance and club culture
🧠 Community, togetherness, and music-first programming
🔥 Why the Peach brand still matters today
⚡ The lasting legacy of one of the UK’s most loved club nights
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Marc de Groot on photographing Ibiza and documenting club culture

n this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Marc de Groot, one of Ibiza’s most respected photographers and visual storytellers.
For more than two decades, Marc has been behind the lens documenting Ibiza’s nightlife at its most iconic. From superclubs like Amnesia Ibiza, Cream, and Clockwork Orange, to countless events including Kevin & Perry Amnesia Ibiza, his work has quietly shaped how the world remembers the island.
Marc shares what it’s really like capturing Ibiza nightlife while remaining completely sober since 1994, how he transitioned from DJing into photography and videography, and the responsibility that comes with documenting culture rather than just marketing it. We talk about the rise of phones on the dancefloor, the difference between art and promotion, and how Ibiza itself has changed through the years.
The conversation also explores the role of platforms like DontStayIn.com, the realities of creative work in a party-driven industry, and Marc’s advice for anyone hoping to build a sustainable creative career on the island.
This is not a surface-level chat.It’s an honest look at memory, integrity, and the people behind the images that defined Ibiza.
If you care about Ibiza history, club culture, photography, or the unseen work that documents a scene, this episode delivers.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🎧 Starting out as a DJ before moving behind the camera
📸 Photographing Ibiza’s most iconic clubs and events
🎥 Videography, storytelling, and visual legacy
🍺 Being sober in a party-fuelled industry
🧠 Art versus marketing in club photography
📱 Phones on the dancefloor and cultural impact
🎨 Advice for creatives working in Ibiza
Find Marc de Groot:
Website: https://www.marcdegroot.co.uk/
Ibiza Wedding Photography: https://www.ibizaweddingphotography.net/
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com
 

Emmalena Nesmith on addiction, Ibiza, and finding purpose through recovery

In this raw, emotional, and deeply honest episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with my longtime friend Emmalena for what is, without doubt, one of the most important conversations I have ever recorded.
Once a familiar face within Ibiza’s community during the 2000s, Emmalina is now a senior nurse prescriber working in addiction recovery within the UK prison system. She has been sober for 15 years. We have both walked similar paths, and this conversation comes from a place of shared experience, trust, and deep respect.
We talk openly about the madness and magic of Ibiza between 2000 and 2010, the drinking culture that blurred invisible lines, and the moments when control quietly slipped away. Emmalena shares the turning points that led to rock bottom, including the morning she woke up with sick in her hair and a tongue swollen “like a tennis ball”, and the events that eventually led her to sobriety in Sweden.
This episode also focuses on what came after. Life beyond addiction. Parenting, purpose, rebuilding identity, and dedicating a career to helping others recover. Emmalina speaks candidly about recovery, the role of Alcoholics Anonymous, and why the 12 steps are not a cult, but a framework that can genuinely change lives.
This is not an episode about shame.It’s about healing, forgiveness, love, and how recovery can become your greatest strength.
If you have ever struggled with alcohol, questioned your relationship with drinking, or loved someone who has, this conversation is for you.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🌴 Ibiza life between 2000 and 2010
🍺 Drinking culture, blackouts, and crossing invisible lines
🤒 Losing control and hitting rock bottom
🇸🇪 Finding sobriety and recovery in Sweden
🩺 Life after addiction: parenting and professional purpose
🙏 Why AA isn’t a cult and how the 12 steps work
❤️ Healing, forgiveness, and long-term recovery
⚠️ Trigger warning:This episode contains discussion of addiction, seizures, and alcohol-related trauma.
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Judge Jules on UK raves, Ibiza, and reinvention across decades

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Judge Jules, one of the most influential and enduring figures in dance music culture, to unpack a career defined by reinvention.
Before becoming a household name, Jules was promoting unlicensed warehouse raves during the raw, formative years of the UK rave scene. What followed was a decades-long journey through global DJ residencies, BBC Radio 1, and the creation of Judgement Sundays, Ibiza’s longest-running weekly party.
We talk candidly about rising through the ranks with Gatecrasher and Cream, shaping the sound and identity of San Antonio, and what it really takes to stay relevant as scenes, audiences, and technology change. Jules also opens up about retraining as a music lawyer while still DJing at the highest level, and why adaptability has been the key to his longevity.
This is not a nostalgia interview.It’s a grounded conversation about evolution, resilience, and building a career that can survive multiple eras of electronic music.
If you care about UK rave history, Ibiza club culture, or how artists adapt and endure, this episode delivers real insight.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🏭 Promoting unlicensed warehouse raves in early UK dance culture
🎧 Rising through Gatecrasher, Cream, and global DJ residencies
🏝️ Building Judgement Sundays into Ibiza’s longest-running weekly night
📻 Life behind the scenes at BBC Radio 1
⚖️ Retraining as a music lawyer alongside a DJ career
🔄 Staying relevant across decades in electronic music
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Dean “Shminky DJ” on Shipwrecked, Dirty Rotten DJs, and Ibiza’s wild underground era

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with my Ibiza mentor Dean (Shminky DJ), one of the key figures behind Shipwrecked, the Dirty Rotten DJs, and the infamous Slut Party that defined San Antonio’s underground worker-led scene in the 2000s.
This is a raw, hilarious, and often outrageous conversation that captures a side of Ibiza that simply could not exist today. From pirate radio roots and early garage scenes to DJ booths in Manumission’s ladies’ toilets, Dean shares the unfiltered truth behind the parties that shaped a generation.
We relive the rise of Shipwrecked boat parties, the moment “we need a bigger boat” became a movement, and the worker culture that kept Ibiza alive long after the clubs closed. There are stories of lock-ins, winter Ibiza survival, and nights that blurred into mornings, all before social media and corporate control changed the island forever.
This episode is not revisionist nostalgia.It’s a first-hand account of a time when community, chaos, and creativity ruled.
If you lived it, missed it, or want to understand the madness that was pre-social media Ibiza, this one delivers.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🥾 Getting kicked out of Space Ibiza with mum in tow
🎧 Pirate radio, garage roots, and going digital
🏴‍☠️ The birth of Shipwrecked and the rise of Ibiza boat parties
👯 Worker-led parties that could never happen today
🚺 DJ booths inside Manumission’s ladies’ toilets
🎉 The Dirty Rotten Slut Party and inclusive club culture
🏝️ Winter Ibiza, lock-ins, and community survival
🔮 Why some parties and eras cannot come back
Chapters:
00:00 Intro01:45 Highlights04:30 Early music days07:20 The origins of “Start Getting Naked”10:05 First time in Ibiza13:00 Rock bands to pirate radio15:45 Early garage scene and going digital19:30 The CDJ revolution and influences22:15 Moving to Ibiza24:00 Winter Ibiza and island life27:00 Worker culture and daytime raving29:10 How Shipwrecked started at the Ship Inn32:00 From pub night to movement34:50 From lock-ins to boat parties38:00 Dirty Rotten DJs beginnings41:10 Playing in Manumission’s ladies’ toilets44:20 Backroom deals and scene politics48:00 Birth of the Dirty Rotten Slut Party51:30 Workers, inclusivity, and culture55:20 The decline of the wild West End58:10 Ibiza after Covid and corporate shifts01:01:00 Why some parties can’t return01:03:20 Legendary nights and bars01:06:10 Bar M memories01:08:10 Dream line-ups and community01:10:00 Cream Terrace workers’ nights01:12:15 Final tune01:13:00 Outro
📍 Subscribe for more stories from Ibiza legends, DJs, promoters, and the characters who built the island’s culture.
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Ed Lynam on Ibiza worker culture, Trance, and the West End years

In this Ibiza Worker Special of The Dexter Jones Podcast, we sit down with Ed Lynam to talk about Ibiza, trance music, and the wild, formative days of San Antonio’s West End.
From his first season working on the island in 2004 to becoming a regular name on the European trance circuit, Ed shares a candid, funny, and deeply nostalgic account of Ibiza life before it changed forever. From Curry Club shifts to early DJ sets, this is a story many Ibiza workers will instantly recognise.
We talk about worker culture pre-Brexit, Shipwrecked boat parties, Es Paradis nights, and the friendships that defined entire summers. The conversation also moves forward into the evolution of trance, the realities of building a DJ career in the digital era, and what the future holds for the scene.
Ed also reflects on working alongside and being influenced by artists such as Lange, Armin van Buuren, and Scot Project, as well as the enduring legacy of Robert Miles and why Children still hits decades later.
This is not a polished highlight reel.It’s a real conversation about graft, community, music, and the Ibiza experience that shaped a generation.
If you’ve ever worked a season, loved trance, or still feel the pull of the island, this episode will resonate.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🌴 Working in Ibiza before Brexit
🍛 Curry Club days and worker life
🏴‍☠️ Shipwrecked boat parties
🎧 First Ibiza DJ sets and building confidence
🪩 Es Paradis and San Antonio memories
🔊 The evolution of trance music
📱 Social media and DJ growth today
🎶 Collaborating with Lange
🌌 Trance legends and lasting influences
❤️ Robert Miles’ legacy and Children
Chapters:
00:00 Intro, birthday chat, and Aquarius link02:30 First season in Ibiza06:15 West End culture and changes post-Brexit10:00 Working at Curry Club13:00 DJ journey begins16:00 Es Paradis memories and iconic parties20:15 Trance passion and early influences24:30 One More Time shows and future plans28:15 Staying connected after the season30:45 Dublin events, Lange collaboration, and bookings36:00 Shipwrecked boat parties38:15 Trance scene evolution42:00 New producers to watch45:15 Social media and DJ growth48:00 DJ identity and production challenges51:00 Favourite club, track, and advice52:45 Robert Miles tribute
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com

Mark Doyle on Hed Kandi, Ibiza, and building a global dance music brand

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Mark Doyle, the creator and founder of Hed Kandi, to tell the full story of one of dance music’s most influential global brands.
Hed Kandi was more than a record label. It became a cultural movement that soundtracked a generation, from instantly recognisable artwork to packed dancefloors across the world. For the first time, Mark shares a first-hand, unfiltered account of how the brand was built, the ambition behind its expansion, the realities of corporate pressure, and the legal battles that ultimately changed everything.
We go right back to Mark’s early career at Jazz FM, the creation of New Cool, and the moment Jason Brooks’ artwork helped define a visual identity that became iconic. From there, we follow Hed Kandi’s rapid rise, international success, and its move to Ibiza, including the defining years at El Divino.
This is not a highlight reel.It’s an honest conversation about creativity, control, ownership, mistakes, and legacy — and why the Hed Kandi story is not finished yet.
If you lived through the era, danced to the compilations, or want to understand how a music brand really scales and fractures, this episode matters.
🎧 Take your time with this one.
We talk about:
🎙️ Early career at Jazz FM
🎨 New Cool and the first Jason Brooks artwork
🎶 The birth of Hed Kandi
🌍 Global expansion and international success
📻 Radio promotion and early Hed Kandi parties
🏝️ Moving the brand to Ibiza
🪩 El Divino and the Hed Kandi Ibiza era
🏢 Corporate acquisition and internal conflict
⚖️ Legal battles and their aftermath
🔮 The future of Hed Kandi
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and early career at Jazz FM15:00 Creating New Cool and the first Jason Brooks image25:00 The birth of Hed Kandi35:00 Global expansion45:00 Early parties and radio promotion55:00 Moving the brand to Ibiza01:05 El Divino and Ibiza focus01:10 Jazz FM acquisition and internal conflict01:15 Legal struggles01:18 The future of Hed Kandi
Hed Kandi today
Mark Doyle and Hed Kandi now present a weekly two-hour radio show across Mixcloud, DAB, and podcast platforms.
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/hedkandi📲 Instagram & Facebook: @hedkandi
For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter:rave@onemoretimeibiza.com