Dexter Jones

Mar I Pins. One of the messiest, wildest and most unforgettable bars in Ibiza history! 🍻🌴 If you worked or partied in San Antonio Bay during the 1990s and 2000s, there's a very good chance you've got a story about this place. Whether you can remember it is another matter! 😂 In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I'm joined by Kenny, who spent nearly two decades working at the infamous Mar I Pins, one of Ibiza's most notorious after-hours drinking spots. When the other bars closed, Mar I Pins was often just getting started. From 4am madness and all-night sessions to outrageous characters, workers' parties, legendary DJs and stories that would be almost impossible to believe today, Kenny takes us behind the scenes of a very different Ibiza. We talk about the incredible community of Ibiza workers, the Dirty Rotten DJs, Peppers, Pink Panther, the changing face of San Antonio Bay and the West End, and what it was really like working through those unforgettable summers and winters. There are some absolutely hilarious stories in this one, but we also reflect on how Ibiza has changed, the pressures of working in nightlife and why so many of us still look back on those years with such affection. 00:00 Why was Mar I Pins Ibiza's messiest bar? 02:13 Inside Mar I Pins at 4am 03:42 Late licences and the police stories 05:29 Where did the name Mar I Pins come from? 07:21 Kenny's life behind the bar 08:14 The Dirty Rotten DJs and Ibiza memories 10:16 Workers' drink deals, shots and absinthe 13:38 Spanish nights and DJ stories 15:08 The old San Antonio Bay bar scene 17:31 How Ibiza nightlife has changed 21:04 Kenny's DJ career before Ibiza 22:27 Working through the Ibiza winters 24:17 The money, hours and Mar I Pins refurbishment 26:08 Stories that nobody would believe today 27:33 Social media and the fear of being filmed 28:27 Why Kenny finally left Mar I Pins 30:22 The busiest years in San Antonio Bay 32:42 Wild quizzes, competitions and outrageous nights 35:19 Ibiza workers, reps and after-hours crowds 40:00 The music and atmosphere at Mar I Pins 43:00 Morning bars and Ibiza's colourful characters 45:07 The end of Ibiza's legendary morning parties 47:41 Why the old Ibiza felt so different 50:00 The rising cost of Ibiza and nightlife 53:00 The funniest Mar I Pins stories 56:00 When the partying got out of hand 60:00 Ibiza's hardworking party generation 62:00 How social media changed the worker scene 64:00 Would Kenny ever return to Ibiza? 68:13 Remembering the old Mardi Gras cabaret 69:11 What Mar I Pins meant to Kenny 70:01 The Ibiza winters and life after the season 71:36 Final thoughts and farewell

🎧 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DJ WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TAKES THE GAMBLE OF PUTTING ON HIS OWN EVENT? In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, Birmingham DJ and producer Rue Jay returns for another fascinating conversation about the realities of the DJ industry, overcoming self-doubt, knowing your worth and rediscovering your passion for music. Despite years of experience behind the decks, Rue Jay admits he was absolutely terrified when his agent encouraged him to launch his own event, RUE'D, at the legendary Rainbow in Birmingham. Would anyone actually turn up? With only around 50 initial sign-ups, his confidence wasn't exactly flying. But what happened next took him completely by surprise. 🔥 THE EVENT SOLD OUT IN JUST 48 HOURS, WITHOUT EVEN REACHING GENERAL SALE! Rue Jay opens up about the emotions behind that incredible achievement, the importance of believing in yourself and why putting on your own events can completely change how promoters and agents value you. We also get into some of the less glamorous realities of the electronic music industry, including booking fees, industry politics, egos, social media negativity and the challenges of building a sustainable career. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: It's So F***ing Scary! 02:00 DJ Egos, Jealousy & Social Media Trolls 06:15 Rue Jay's Return to Music Production 08:15 Beatport Number Ones & Finding His Passion Again 10:30 Finding an Agent & Knowing Your Worth 12:45 Why Rue Jay Was Terrified to Promote His Own Show 14:00 SOLD OUT in Just 48 Hours! 16:00 The Rainbow: An Emotional Birmingham Homecoming 18:00 What's Next for RUDE in 2027? 22:00 Taking RUDE to London 24:15 Thailand Tour & International DJ Ambitions 26:30 Tattoo Studios, Restaurants & Business Lessons 29:00 Are DJ Booking Fees Getting Out of Control? 32:00 Why Promoters Need DJs Who Sell Tickets 34:00 Family, Happiness & Rediscovering His Love of Music 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • The fear of launching his own event and why he nearly talked himself out of it • How his first RUE'D sold out in just 48 hours • The emotional Birmingham homecoming at The Rainbow • Why some DJs struggle to negotiate better booking fees • The problem with accepting £150 gigs and then trying to increase your value • The importance of good agents and management • DJ egos, jealousy and negativity on social media • Rediscovering his passion for music production • Working with established artists and achieving Beatport success • Balancing DJing, family life and running three tattoo studios • Plans for more RUDE events, including Birmingham and potentially London • Why proving you can sell tickets can be a game changer for your career 💬 It's an honest, entertaining conversation about the highs and lows of working in dance music, and a reminder that even the most experienced artists can struggle with confidence and self-belief. Rue Jay's previous appearance, featuring the incredible story of Carl Cox playing his music at UNVRS Ibiza, is also available on the channel. 🎧 WATCH PART 1: https://youtu.be/Tu9uf6GAt3g If you enjoy conversations about Ibiza, house music, UK club culture, DJ careers and the people behind electronic music, please subscribe to The Dexter Jones Podcast. 👇 And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Would YOU have the confidence to put on an event under your own name?

Carl Cox closed the historic opening of UNVRS Ibiza with Rue Jay's track, and Rue had absolutely no idea it was going to happen! This wasn't just another night in Ibiza. It was the very first night of UNVRS, the spectacular new superclub created following the takeover and transformation of the legendary Privilege Ibiza, once the world's largest nightclub. And as Carl Cox brought his extended opening set to a close, with the sun rising over Ibiza, he chose to finish with a track by Birmingham DJ and producer Rue Jay. The incredible part? Rue hadn't even sent Carl Cox the track! In Part 1 of the Dexter Jones Podcast, Rue tells me the extraordinary story of how he discovered what had happened, and why that moment meant so much after years away from the music industry. We also travel back through Birmingham's legendary clubbing history, from Godskitchen and Sundissential to The Steering Wheel, the Rainbow and RocknRolla. Rue shares his journey from carrying boxes of vinyl around Birmingham hoping for a DJing opportunity to promoting hugely successful club nights, taking RocknRolla to Ibiza and eventually stepping away from music to build his Vivid Ink tattoo business. We discuss the changing music industry, working with Premier League footballers, the pressures of running events and the moment Rue rediscovered his love of DJing. It's a fascinating journey through British dance music history, entrepreneurship, Ibiza and the extraordinary moments that remind us why we fell in love with this music in the first place. Chapters:  00:00 Introduction: Carl Cox, UNVRS and Rue Jay's Comeback 00:57 Welcome to the Dexter Jones Podcast 01:14 Carl Cox Closes UNVRS with Rue Jay's Track 03:21 The Phone Call That Changed Everything 04:09 Discovering Carl Cox Really Played His Track 06:40 Rue Jay's Early Musical Influences 07:42 The Prodigy Experience and Electronic Music 08:28 Birmingham's Early Clubbing Scene 09:37 Godskitchen, Trance and The Steering Wheel 11:00 Learning to DJ with Paul Thomas 12:52 What Made Birmingham Clubbing So Special? 13:25 Clubavision and Lost Clubbing Archives 15:43 From DJ to Promoter: Club DNA 17:38 The DJ Opportunity That Changed Everything 18:33 Advice for Aspiring DJs 21:08 The Legendary Steering Wheel Residency 22:40 Hard House and Speed Garage 26:00 Building Birmingham's Club Nights 29:33 Mud Club and the Rise of Afterparties 30:45 Creating RocknRolla at The Rainbow 32:14 Taking RocknRolla to Ibiza 36:04 Life Beyond Music: Building Vivid Ink 38:15 Tattooing Premier League Footballers 39:43 Why Rue Jay Stepped Away from DJing 40:44 The Gig That Reignited His Passion 42:05 Charity Raves and Roller Jam 44:02 The Reality of Owning a Venue 45:00 The Risks and Pressures of Promoting Events 45:53 How COVID Devastated the Events Industry This is Part 1 of my conversation with Rue Jay. Part 2 is coming next week! If you enjoy genuine conversations about Ibiza, dance music, clubbing history and the people behind the scene, please subscribe to the Dexter Jones Podcast. Question for the comments: Were you at Privilege Ibiza back in the day, or have you experienced the new UNVRS? I'd love to hear your memories! Thanks for watching! Dexter 💛

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.

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