Pete Tong
Encyclopedia
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English
DJ
who works for BBC Radio 1
. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music
for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix
and Essential Selection
on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio
streams, for his record label FFRR Records
, and for his own performances at nightclub
s and Music Festivals across the globe. Tong has also worked as a record producer
and is known by the nickname of Lord of the Dance.
The phrase "It's all gone Pete Tong", where the name is used as rhyming slang for "wrong", was reputedly first coined by Paul Oakenfold
in late 1987 in an article about Acid House called 'Bermondsey Goes Balearic' for Terry Farley and Pete Heller
's 'Boys Own' Fanzine. It's All Gone Pete Tong
is also the title of a 2004 film which portrays a fictional DJ's experiences as he realizes he is becoming deaf. Tong appears briefly in the film. It is also the name Tong has adopted for his club night at the nightclub Pacha
in Ibiza.
In 2008 he was involved with the founding of the International music summit
in Ibiza
.
Tong's original musical interest was in drumming, but he soon moved on to DJing. He played his first public gig at a friend's wedding aged 15. While at school he and a couple of friends earned some extra money by promoting a couple of local bands, booking halls for gigs etc. He also worked as part of the Kent "Soul Mafia" bringing soul weekenders to seaside towns like Caister-on-Sea
and Prestatyn
. Tong was heavily influenced by the late DJ Froggy
in his early years and most of Tong's success is down to Froggy's originality in style of record mixing presentation.
Initially after leaving school he set up a mobile disco based in a transit van, but he soon started his own club in Baker Street called Family Function. He also booked bands for an alternative night, the first of which was the then unknown Culture Club
. Later he became DJ/Promoter at the Kings Lodge club in West Kingsdown and quickly gained a faithful following, who were prepared to travel from far and wide on a Wednesday night to hear him playing underground Jazz, Funk and Soul. Later moving venue to the Hill Top also in West Kingsdown, he was responsible for breaking classics such as Lonnie Liston Smith's "Expansions" and Ritchie Cole's "Groovin on a New York Afternoon".
In 1979, he became a staff writer for Blues & Soul Magazine. After a year he was promoted to features editor, a position he would hold until 1983. He left Blues & Soul to join London Records
as an A&R
manager.
Through his connections in London Records Tong was exposed to the newly emerging house music
sound from Chicago
. In 1986, Tong organised a compilation album, The House Sound of Chicago, Vol. 1, the first British release to gather and expose this genre.
yajvarius
in the 'Soul Mafia' and doing occasional mixes for Radio London
. In 1981 he made his first appearance on Radio 1 hosting a 15 minute feature on Peter Powell
's show, playing the new tracks and covering the latest gossip and news from the dance world.
When Invicta Radio started up in Kent in 1984, Tong joined them to host a regular soul show, where assisted by local Kent journalist Eddie Gordon of the Kent Messenger
he built up a big county profile.
Tong stayed at Invicta until 1987. He was then hired by Capital Radio
in 1988 at the suggestion of DJ Jeff Young to present a weekly dance programme. DJ Jeff Young having initially been offered the slot by Capital went to BBC Radio 1 to broadcast a weekly Friday night show called The Big Beat.
In 1991 Tong returned to national radio taking over the "hot" Friday night slot from the retiring Jeff Young. Thus Tong began his long stint as the host of the Essential Selection.
The Essential Selection
was a BBC Radio 1 show that aired on Friday evenings, at varying times from 6-10pm between 1991 and 2006. From 1992 to 1993, a second weekly edition of the show aired on Sunday evenings from 7-8pm. From 29 September 2006 onwards, the show dropped its name in the UK from Essential Selection and was referred to as simply "Pete Tong: The Official Start To The Weekend", airing from 7-9pm until 2009 when it changed to 9-11pm. The programme showcases the latest dance & electronic music, and informs listeners what club nights are on around the United Kingdom at weekends. It is endorsed by Radio 1 as the official start to the weekend, and attracts one of the highest audiences for a radio show in the UK. There are no plans to change this successful format.
nightclub in Ibiza
, drawing people from all over the world to his Pure Pacha nights. In 2008 he left Pacha and signed with Eden in Sant Antoni de Portmany
to host his own Wonderland
night. In March 2011 he announced that he would be returning to Pacha
on Friday nights with his new event named 'All Gone Pete Tong'.
Pete Tong plays the Together Winter Music Festival in London at the Alexandra Palace on Saturday 26th November.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
who works for BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix
Essential Mix
The Essential Mix is a weekly radio show on BBC Radio 1 currently broadcast between 03:00 and 05:00 Saturday morning. Originally broadcast on 30 October 1993, The Essential Mix features contemporary DJs and music producers of electronic dance music....
and Essential Selection
Essential Selection
The Essential Selection was a radio show on Friday evenings on BBC Radio 1, hosted by Pete Tong. It started in early 1991 and showcased the latest electronic dance music, with an emphasis on house...
on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
streams, for his record label FFRR Records
FFRR Records
FFRR Records is a subsidiary of London Records, founded and run by English DJ Pete Tong. FFRR has also two subsidiaries: Double F Double R Records and Ffrreedom Records...
, and for his own performances at nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s and Music Festivals across the globe. Tong has also worked as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and is known by the nickname of Lord of the Dance.
The phrase "It's all gone Pete Tong", where the name is used as rhyming slang for "wrong", was reputedly first coined by Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
in late 1987 in an article about Acid House called 'Bermondsey Goes Balearic' for Terry Farley and Pete Heller
Pete Heller
Pete Heller is an English electronic and house music producer. He is recognised in the dance community for his solo work, and his remixes with frequent collaborator Terry Farley. As a duo they have released popular tunes under the names Heller & Farley Project , Fire Island plus The Look and Feel...
's 'Boys Own' Fanzine. It's All Gone Pete Tong
It's All Gone Pete Tong
-CD 1:#"Pacific State" - 808 State #"Cloud Watch" - Lol Hammond#"Dry Pool Suicide" - Graham Massey#"Moonlight Sonata" - Graham Massey#"Baby Piano" - Lol Hammond#"Ku Da Ta" - Pete Tong...
is also the title of a 2004 film which portrays a fictional DJ's experiences as he realizes he is becoming deaf. Tong appears briefly in the film. It is also the name Tong has adopted for his club night at the nightclub Pacha
Pacha
Pacha is a nightclub franchise with headquarters in Ibiza, Spain. The first Pacha club was opened in Sitges outside Barcelona in 1967. The Ibiza club, located in Ibiza Town, is the best known venue today. During 2009 Pacha acquired El Divino, near the marina of Ibiza la Nueva, which will be...
in Ibiza.
In 2008 he was involved with the founding of the International music summit
International music summit
International Music Summit is a 3-day dance music conference that takes place in Ibiza. It is described by founder Pete Tong as "an intense networking environment with the glamour and glitz of my favorite party island of Ibiza, but with a Back to Business ethos and leading into the official Ibiza...
in Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
.
Early years
Pete Tong was born in Dartford, Kent in July 1960 and was educated at King's School, Rochester, Kent.Tong's original musical interest was in drumming, but he soon moved on to DJing. He played his first public gig at a friend's wedding aged 15. While at school he and a couple of friends earned some extra money by promoting a couple of local bands, booking halls for gigs etc. He also worked as part of the Kent "Soul Mafia" bringing soul weekenders to seaside towns like Caister-on-Sea
Caister-on-Sea
Caister-on-Sea, also known colloquially as Caister, is a settlement in Norfolk in the United Kingdom, close to the large town of Great Yarmouth. It is a seaside resort and busy holiday destination on the "Golden Mile", with its main attraction being its sandy "Georgian Beach". It is home to Great...
and Prestatyn
Prestatyn
Prestatyn is a seaside resort, town and community in Denbighshire, North Wales. It is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. At the 2001 Census, Prestatyn had a population of 18,496.-Prehistory:...
. Tong was heavily influenced by the late DJ Froggy
DJ Froggy
Steven Howlett aka DJ Froggy was an English DJ who worked as a 'beatmixer DJ' on the British Club music scene in the 1970s and 1980s.- Early years :...
in his early years and most of Tong's success is down to Froggy's originality in style of record mixing presentation.
Initially after leaving school he set up a mobile disco based in a transit van, but he soon started his own club in Baker Street called Family Function. He also booked bands for an alternative night, the first of which was the then unknown Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
. Later he became DJ/Promoter at the Kings Lodge club in West Kingsdown and quickly gained a faithful following, who were prepared to travel from far and wide on a Wednesday night to hear him playing underground Jazz, Funk and Soul. Later moving venue to the Hill Top also in West Kingsdown, he was responsible for breaking classics such as Lonnie Liston Smith's "Expansions" and Ritchie Cole's "Groovin on a New York Afternoon".
In 1979, he became a staff writer for Blues & Soul Magazine. After a year he was promoted to features editor, a position he would hold until 1983. He left Blues & Soul to join London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
as an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
manager.
Through his connections in London Records Tong was exposed to the newly emerging house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
sound from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In 1986, Tong organised a compilation album, The House Sound of Chicago, Vol. 1, the first British release to gather and expose this genre.
yajvarius
Radio career
Tong's first appearance on radio was in the late 1970s on Radio Invicta 92.4fm, Europe's first soul station. He joined a rotation of nightclub djs including Steve Walsh, Chris Hill, Chris Brown and others to present monthly guest shows. Later he appeared on local radio station BBC Radio MedwayBBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent.It broadcasts on FM on 96.7 , 97.6 and 104.2 also 774 and 1602 MW and DAB.- History :The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the...
in the 'Soul Mafia' and doing occasional mixes for Radio London
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
. In 1981 he made his first appearance on Radio 1 hosting a 15 minute feature on Peter Powell
Peter Powell (disc jockey)
Peter Powell is a former disc jockey, popular on BBC Radio 1 in the late 1970s and 1980s, who has a second career in talent management.-Early career:...
's show, playing the new tracks and covering the latest gossip and news from the dance world.
When Invicta Radio started up in Kent in 1984, Tong joined them to host a regular soul show, where assisted by local Kent journalist Eddie Gordon of the Kent Messenger
Kent Messenger
This article is about the weekly paper for the Maidstone region. For the Kent Messenger Group, see KM Group.The Kent Messenger is a weekly newspaper serving the mid-Kent area. It is published in three editions - Maidstone, Malling, and the Weald...
he built up a big county profile.
Tong stayed at Invicta until 1987. He was then hired by Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
in 1988 at the suggestion of DJ Jeff Young to present a weekly dance programme. DJ Jeff Young having initially been offered the slot by Capital went to BBC Radio 1 to broadcast a weekly Friday night show called The Big Beat.
In 1991 Tong returned to national radio taking over the "hot" Friday night slot from the retiring Jeff Young. Thus Tong began his long stint as the host of the Essential Selection.
The Essential Selection
Essential Selection
The Essential Selection was a radio show on Friday evenings on BBC Radio 1, hosted by Pete Tong. It started in early 1991 and showcased the latest electronic dance music, with an emphasis on house...
was a BBC Radio 1 show that aired on Friday evenings, at varying times from 6-10pm between 1991 and 2006. From 1992 to 1993, a second weekly edition of the show aired on Sunday evenings from 7-8pm. From 29 September 2006 onwards, the show dropped its name in the UK from Essential Selection and was referred to as simply "Pete Tong: The Official Start To The Weekend", airing from 7-9pm until 2009 when it changed to 9-11pm. The programme showcases the latest dance & electronic music, and informs listeners what club nights are on around the United Kingdom at weekends. It is endorsed by Radio 1 as the official start to the weekend, and attracts one of the highest audiences for a radio show in the UK. There are no plans to change this successful format.
DJing
Tong is one of England`s most recognised DJs. From 2003 to 2007 he was resident at the PachaPacha
Pacha is a nightclub franchise with headquarters in Ibiza, Spain. The first Pacha club was opened in Sitges outside Barcelona in 1967. The Ibiza club, located in Ibiza Town, is the best known venue today. During 2009 Pacha acquired El Divino, near the marina of Ibiza la Nueva, which will be...
nightclub in Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
, drawing people from all over the world to his Pure Pacha nights. In 2008 he left Pacha and signed with Eden in Sant Antoni de Portmany
Sant Antoni de Portmany
Sant Antoni de Portmany is a town on the western coast of Ibiza. It is the second-largest town and municipality in Ibiza; an island described by Time Out magazine as "arguably the clubbing capital of the universe"...
to host his own Wonderland
Wonderland (event)
Wonderland is a club night concept created and developed by UK based DJ Pete Tong. In 2007 Wonderland had its debut at London's Ministry of Sound and has remained a resident party at the super club...
night. In March 2011 he announced that he would be returning to Pacha
Pacha
Pacha is a nightclub franchise with headquarters in Ibiza, Spain. The first Pacha club was opened in Sitges outside Barcelona in 1967. The Ibiza club, located in Ibiza Town, is the best known venue today. During 2009 Pacha acquired El Divino, near the marina of Ibiza la Nueva, which will be...
on Friday nights with his new event named 'All Gone Pete Tong'.
Pete Tong plays the Together Winter Music Festival in London at the Alexandra Palace on Saturday 26th November.
External links
- Pete Tong's Wonderland website
- Pete Tong Interview - Laptoprockers (2009)
- Pete Tong Interview (2006)
- Pete Tong discography at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Interview with DJ Times, 2000
- Video; Pete Tong interviewed by Paul Morley, 2010
Further reading
- "Pete Tong Issues a Wikipedia Correction and Announces Concert at Mansion October 27" blog post by S. Pajot on "CrossFade, the Music Blog", Tue., Oct. 19 2010 @ 1:00PM, accessed October 19, 2010