Spotlight: So 2009's theme is Join the Revolution, what are you rebelling against?
Carl Cox: Negativity, we’re rebelling against negativity. We want to just try and be positive, so many people are trying to damn everything that’s going on, obviously the financially situation doesn’t help but we need to rise above the situation we’re in, you know it’s about coming together and to revolt against all the negativity that exists and just try and enjoy our lives whilst we’re on this planet. We want to send a positive message about what we have in the scene, what we have created together, you know this scene was created by us, we did it, we created it, nobody else did it and so we have to come together again.
Are you a rebel at heart?
Always, I’ve always gone against the grain. In my music, whether it’s too hard too soft, too loud or not loud enough. I’ve always tried to rebel and play what is right for the people who follow me, not just what people think I should play.
Tell us about the line-ups this year, diversity is the key right?
For sure, we’ve had 8 years of really diverse line-ups. For example, one of the biggest surprises that drew attention was Pendulum - everyone was thinking old skool rave wouldn’t work and it’s not the sound of the island, but the gig was fantastic. We’re brining talent from all over the world, fresh new talent that I’ve seen when I plau across the world. Ibiza is not about one sound, it’s about all aspects of music, whether you like or not. We are giving people the experience and if they don’t like it, fine, but at least we’re giving them the option. With Pendulum we won a lot of people over and that’s just one example, when I think about Gilles Peterson, The Glimmers, you know it’s about music that is exciting, not the same people every year for a stale and boring night. I think it should be exciting for people.
Pendulum
Will you be playing 2 sets at each gig again?
Well yes I usually do 2; 1 housier on the [Sunset] terrace, then after the guest in the discoteca, which is more rockin full on Carl Cox. I’m really excited about the changes they’ve made in the discoteca at Space too.
What have they changed?
Well they’ve moved the bars back and the old DJ box, you know where the light and sound guy has been for years, well that is gone. Instead the lighting guy is by the Red Box, so now he overlooks the whole room. They’ve definitely spent money on it, so when people walk in it’ll be a nicer room to be in, the bar areas will be less crowded with people struggling to get past each other, it was like a cattle market at times cos Space gets packed. Now it should be better to walk through and get to the bars, should be cool.
Do you miss the old terrace?
Yeah, totally. I was a part of the creation of how that grew and how it really put Space on the map. When Space started it was all about inside but we changed the whole essence; I wanted to dance outside on the terrace. So we took the booth from the bar to the dancefloor, that’s where the whole big thing about the space terrace grew from.
Space Terrace - As was
When I saw the New terrace, I thought hmmmmm, ok, not sure about this. I thought they’d just change it a bit, not build a whole new club. On the old terrace I used to play at 4pm in the afternoon, you know really good house, loads of piano tracks and all the girls would be there in their bikinis, just rockin out. I’d do at 4-6 hours minimum, then it became like everyone had 2 hours, then just one hour and so people were just banging it out, the whole soul got lost.
On Tuesdays we’ve tried to bring the soul back to the [Sunset] terrace, starting at 8 so it’s still light and sun hasn’t gone down. Times changes and we move on, but yeah I miss it a lot.
Tell us about the new breed policy this year?
Well it’s really important to keep new and young upcoming, exiting djs coming through. A lot are making their own way and producing great music, like Nicole Moudaber who we’ve booked, she’s be many years in her own route as a DJ and I’ve always followed her music, deep powerful, music , lots of vocal, surprises she didn’t get booked. Jon Rundell is another example. We have to bring these DJs through, cos I’m not gonna be around forever.
Finally, do you think the acid house spirit still exists?
Good question. Well, most of the people around then are over 40 years old now so many don’t go out anymore, so I guess we’ve tried to rub it off onto the next generation. The spirit of acid house to me is a time when we were always breaking into warehouses, standing in muddy fields in Oxford with no toilets, running from the police, getting the party raided, then going somewhere else to jack our bodies. These days, there’s air conditioning, VIP table service and modern clubs, so it’s not the same.
But the music prevails for sure, the sound we pioneered, the spirit is still there in the music.
