Pete Tong is an interesting man – but he’s not an easy one to interview. Like waiting for the buildup in a dance track, you groove, you grin, you slowly await the wave-releasing sensation of the breakdown; to let loose with the beat and melody as you smile at that hottie across the floor – only they don’t smile back. Perhaps he was having an off night. Perhaps I was having an off day, and as we chat I metaphorically chink at the ice that lies between me and the legendary DJ and Radio 1 host as he’s being driven to a gig in downtown Paris.

This is Pete Tong. Eventually, he speaks of his love of Australia, and the frost begins to melt. “I’ve been visiting since the late 80s and this’ll be my fifth or sixth time. It’s always a pleasure to get down there,” he says.

Headlining Sydney’s first ever Space Ibiza event on New Years Day in Sydney, as well as several other events around the country, I asked how he approaches such gigs, particularly as the event heralds yet another Ibiza staple to our shores. Will it be a festivalised, anthem-laden affair, or a more ad-hoc feed-off-the-crowd style?

“I try to make it as entertaining as possible irrespective of the gig,” Pete qualifies. “I always go out to do the very best I can do… it won’t be cheesy, it’ll be an event.”
Amongst the heady backdrop of big names arriving for the new year in Australia (with Carl Cox, Tom Novy, Sandy Rivera being just a mere few of them), Space Ibiza looks to be a standout, particularly given it’s at a fresh (although untested) location in Moore Park. Given that it’s been quite a while since his last visit, it led me to query what was special this year that got him down here – was god really a DJ, celestially aligning his galactic turntables for us or was it Santa riding in on a subwoofer sleigh?

“Australia is so attractive this time of year with its climate, and it synchronises perfectly for so many of us DJs with the Ibiza and northern hemisphere festival season over. Plus the people – always up for it, always primed to party hard. It’s also fair to say the Australian electronic scene is making a bigger impression and contribution worldwide. Music is even breaking there, especially on a crossover level, before anywhere else,” he adds.

As a gateway to the electronic dance world for so many, Pete is the industry’s pulse, and as an ex A&R music exec who’s used to unearthing the next big thing, I ask who from Australia is musically exciting him? “*TV Rock* and Dirty South are two that spring to mind. TV Rock’s reputation is ever growing and Dirty South is producing some great stuff and travelling the world. Sneaky Sound System is another. All have really done some big things in the last 18 months,” he elaborates.

While on the topic of new big things Pete also outlined his latest projects: his contribution to the score on the feature film Harry Brown, and the arrival of his new website www.petetong.com .

“It’s directed by Daniel Barber and stars Sir Michael Caine. It’s a hard and dark film, but is has a real message, and we did about fifty percent of the soundtrack. I like this field as it has both similarities and differences to DJing. Similar in that you’re picking the right music for a mood but different because you’re putting music to scenarios which are less organic to a live crowd,” he muses.

“Film scores are something I’d like to do more of but it’s a difficult world to break into, particularly when there’s so much money at stake. It’s a steady climb, and this one was far different from my involvement in other films such as 24 Hour Party People and It’s All Gone Pete Tong. But I’ve now developed a good rapport with the team at HanWay films and I’m working on something new with them right now.”

As to the overhauled website Pete laughs, “Yeah, you caught me. It literally went live today. It used to sit on a record company’s server and we finally had to chance to move it, enhance it and fire it up.”

With longevity in the game going way, way back I questioned Pete on how he kept his perspective fresh. “It’s enthusiasm really; if I was bored it would come across as such. I’m fidgety, hungry for change and on finding new things, whether it be a new single or new talent. It’s a simple formula really and it ties in with the joy and passion.”

Speaking on change and new things I turned to the mixing booth: vinyl, CD, or laptop? “I’ve done the full journey over the years and I’m now fully entrenched with the computer. It’s the most creative way of doing it, and while it may upset the purists, I’ve played for long enough, and as part of the change we just talked about, it keeps things fresh. I don’t think I could ever go back now,” he says.

Pete Tong may have appeared initially to have an icy armour, but he’s undoubtedly very cool. As a veteran who’s peered into electronica’s every nook and cranny, he brought it all back to its essence with this one comment.

“At the end of the day it’s about picking the right music and playing it in the right order.”

Pete Tong tour dates:

Thurs 31st December – Adelaide Alive, Adelaide
Fri 1st January – Space Ibiza, Sydney
Fri 1st January – Daydream, Melbourne
Sat 2nd January – Boomtick, Perth