The Secret DJ

25/06/2024

Be warned -

(also, watch out for Vajazzled Rave Claypoles in Bad Jeggings)

https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jun/25/warning-issued-over-super-strength-ecstasy-pills-ahead-of-glastonbury-festival-the-loop

25/06/2024

Yorkshire Tapas.

20/06/2024

yep. I stand by these words...

15/06/2024

My good friend Gerald Mas had a music therapist visit in Glasgow and Gerald made his own track about his journeys to visit us in Ibiza.

Go Gerald!

13/06/2024

I know some of you are thinking "Labour Landslide" and quite a few of you don't want this to happen either. Quite few thinking 'why bother?'

Look. Stop thinking about Labour and looking cool being such an edgy socialist and start thinking like a voter with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to END the right wing.

Vote Count Binface for all I care. Just vote and vote tactically. All the Tories need is your apathy. We have a genuine chance here to cripple the n**i machine for a generation.

I can hear you "oh Labour are just Tories and BLUH BLUH BLUH..." - for f**k's sake you've been oppressed for so long you aren't making sense anymore.

Don't vote Labour then.

Vote Green. Vote Orange. Vote anything you like.

Just stop complaining for f**k's sake and be an adult. It is your civic duty. It may be the only significant thing you or I will ever do to help others and change the world.

Change the game. End the Tories.

12/06/2024

I outlined all the things described in this piece some years ago in both my books and many articles.

I'm not a lone nut, well ...I am a lone nut but I am also a correct nut.

https://metro.co.uk/2024/06/09/pop-star-refused-play-glastonbury-fee-low-20999452/

10/06/2024

If you have suffered at the hands of a UK Pubco, or even if like me you just love pubs - this is for you...

: One of the things I have been trying to explain to UK folks about how touring has changed under the Right Wing is in relation to something that has been discussed over the years in...

24/05/2024

Welcome back to my old haunt. Spent a long time in this place when it was semi-derelict. I know that feeling.

Hoping it survives. It's a big space in a very, very fickle town. And as usual, in the new version - nothing is cheap.

Hats off though, cos it was on the brink of being torn down.

A phoenix rises!

23/05/2024

I'm not joking but check you are on the electoral register.

I've found myself removed from it 3 times in the last 14 years.

The fu***rs are hard at it to take your vote away.

Take every precaution.

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

21/05/2024

Followers of our news will know that for some years now Secret DJ Project has been asking a lot of questions about the monopoly Sacha Lord has in Manchester - being not only by far the biggest operator but also its 'Night Czar' - making Amy Lame look like an honest advocate by comparison.

Our friends at Manchester paper 'The Mill' have also covered the unfolding story lately about his antics - and this time he is coming on strong.

Please follow The Mill, and if you can help - please do.

https://manchestermill.co.uk/p/sacha-lord-is-threatening-to-sue

03/05/2024

Looking like a VERY bad day for the worst people in Britain. Particularly the Conservatives.
Oh dear.
What a pity.
How sad.
Never mind.

02/05/2024

Listen.

Britain.

I believe in you.

Do the right thing and go out and vote.

I don't care who for*, just make me proud.

Time to end being a global laughing stock.

You can do it.

*obviously not the Conservatives. Don't be mental.

https://stopthetories.vote/

27/04/2024

You’ve been served Paul Oakenfold!!! We made numerous attempts to rectify this situation without serving you. All we wanted is what’s due.

22/04/2024

It can get lost in all the noise but I am, in fact, a DJ - a person who plays records in an order that is pleasing to the ear.

Like here -

T H E S E C R E T D J is on Mixcloud. Listen for free to their radio shows, DJ mix sets and Podcasts

19/04/2024

You know what to do crew.

Proceeds to DJ Alfredo

Get involved.

A fundraiser for Ibiza legend Alfredo. 100% of profits to his Fundraising page. Orders close 5th May. Available NOW.

‘Decades ago a T-shirt was made as a gift to Alfredo that was a pastiche of the movie poster ‘Alfie’, starring Michael Caine, from the swinging 60s. Most folks address him as Alfredo, his Spanish friends may abbreviate it to ‘Fredo if they know him well enough to break the many Spanish formalities …but the British unanimously call him “Alfie”, which bewildered him for some time, until he made the connection with the film and was delighted.

From an old photo from the early 90s we cobbled together a new version of this iconic item and is designed to assist with Alfredo’s GoFundMe to help him with health and care in his old age.’

17/04/2024

This dude is looking very sharp in his new jacket and pumps!

Thanks to you.

10/04/2024

Our good friends in Glasgow @1 of 100 are helping us raise funds for Alfredo with a smashing T-shirt. Stay tuned.

03/04/2024

Believe it or not I don't know everyone in the biz. I've never met Fat Tony. But he is showing his quality here by pushing Alfredo's fund to the mainstream. Sadly it doesn't contain the link, and people are lazy, but it is a fantastic example of someone in the industry giving something back. Even if you don't donate, spreading the word costs exactly NOTHING.

Payday has been and gone, there's no excuse now folks. Don't make me hunt you down 😉

Some of you asked for a reminder, and here it is. 'Fredo's fund link is below in the comments.

Be more Tony.

❤️

29/03/2024

TONIGHT

Scotland! finally.

Sorry we couldn't get anything sorted for the last tour.

An Easter in Edinburgh! Eggs ahoy.

28/03/2024

Sunday is going to be a special one. Gonzo's is one of the premier small venues in the UK, they were one of the first to book Secret DJ Project years ago and COVID and drama and disaster put it off until now.

Easter Sunday, chunky Norwich. All night.

26/03/2024

The Secret DJ Project has yet to step foot in Scotland. Easily some of the best gigs I ever had in my past life were deranged Scottish reels. My debut is this Friday, GOOD Friday, and I can't wait to see my Scottish pals. If you are not sure what to expect, the link to my Mixcloud is on my Linktree in the Bio.
EXCELSIOR!

23/03/2024

"Everyone's a DJ until you put one of these in front of them..."

Many of you already helped, but private healthcare is an ongoing cost. Alfredo is well looked-after, but … Secret DJ needs your support for Alfredo Needs YOU

23/03/2024

Unsurprisingly it is deeply unpopular but one of the abiding missions of the Secret DJ project is to police our industry as best we can and to expose wrongdoing wherever it pops up.

It pains me to do this one as he operates in secrecy and wants no one to know his activities.

But people should know.

Of all the major industry players and mega DJs who earn millions, only Carl Cox made a significant donation to Alfredo. He did it without prompting, I did not have to bully him or even contact him and he did not pretend he didn't know about the fund or hide behind handlers and keepers.

Just very early on he saw it, and he gave. In fact gave the most generously of all.

I am sorry but I could not sit on this industry secret for a minute longer.

People need to know just how humble, kind and honest this man is. And always was.

Carl, we salute you Sir.

I give to you the Golden Good Egg Award - 🥚

You total legend.

18/03/2024

This isn't a personal page, so if I want to reach my and god forbid beyond - I have to pay Facebook. Then a heartfelt appeal for an old friend becomes an advert. And it becomes problematic.

I'm about at capacity for reach. Pretty much everyone who knows me has seen this.

But all your friends and followers have not. A 'like' to keep it in the feed, or better - a share - costs nothing at all.

Help us help Alfredo!

Many of you already helped, but private healthcare is an ongoing cost. Alfredo is well looked-after, but … Secret DJ needs your support for Alfredo Needs YOU

15/03/2024

My journey into dance music had very little to do with New York and Chicago. I came from industrial, indie and the European sound. More in common with Sheffield than Detroit. More Giorgio and Vangelis than Frankie and Larry.

Ibiza was my mecca. I used to listen in awe to stories about Alfredo and Leo at Amnesia. A roofless heaven-on-earth. I even got to catch the tail end of it. A total tourist, just a couple years too late to the party. An ugly, awkward bumpkin gawking at the beautiful ones.

When I first started to work in Ibiza properly I was doing Space on Sundays in the 90s. Now and then in the distance I’d see my heroes. Back then, and to this day, I always thought it was really disrespectful to barrel up to people and address them in a foreign language. My Spanish wasn’t good enough. So I kept quiet.

There is (sorry, was) a little secret beach. On the way out to the lighthouse that spanned the north end of Talamanca at Punta de Fora. A tiny parcel of sand behind the concrete sea wall. I used to go there daily and swim out to a tiny bit of rock for exercise. Then one day a slightly familiar shaved head was there with the most beautiful dog. You all know how much I love dogs. A big happy husky. The man turned around and it was Alfredo.

Before I had time to be nervous I went up to him and greeted him really badly in awful Spanish and introduced myself. He was immediately gracious and spoke perfect English in return, although was naturally a little cagey as I am quite large and noisy. I ran back home as fast as I could to tell the missus about my momentous morning.

Not long after that we met again at Manumission. We were both residents. I was just a cocky kid and he was the pioneer who started it all. My hero. I was always very respectful and tried to speak Spanish and he was always very kind and tolerated my nonsense. Then when it came to working the afterhours at Space on Tuesday morning, and there were always too many DJs, I timidly put forward that I would gladly play back to back with Alfredo. Back then you have to understand that absolutely no one did that. We didn’t invent B2B by any means! but I always (and still do) thought it was better for the dance floor to have two DJs out of their comfort zone. It felt special.

I was amazed that he agreed. Gobsmacked. So thereafter upon several occasions I got to play side my side with my hero. Later more DJs asked to have the honour and I gladly agreed. Who wouldn’t want to share that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? a ‘gentleman’s excuse me’ became the dance card of the Space Terrace DJ booth. In fact, after that I played mano-a-mano with other DJs almost every chance I could. Arguably made a career out of it.

I always made a point of thanking him. I was always as polite as possible. I always felt that the English were very badly behaved abroad. A dreadfully rude bunch. So I did my best to be the opposite.

Decades have passed. Now not only did have I the honour of inviting him back to headline one of the greatest clubs in the world, as he should be … I also get to work with my other Balearic hero Leo Mas. Someone who has fascinated me for a long time. Not only that, but they were playing back to back. It’s a treat for me that is almost beyond my abilities to describe.

Then COVID came and laid many of us out. Sadly Alfredo then had a couple of strokes that weakened him greatly and stopped his ability to earn, and frequent falls require full-time monitoring and care. The residence Alfredo now lives in is excellent, but it is by no means free. I've agreed with both Fredo and his son Jaime that the time has come once again to reach out to our friends and ask for help. It's not like the UK here, the state does not provide in quite the same way. We are not Spanish. We must pay our own way.

I hope you will join me in paying respect due. Please like and share and spread the word, times are hard in the UK but every little helps.

Alfredo I salute you. If it wasn’t for you I would be nothing. Nor would many others.

Gracias a todos! Sinceramente.

Many of you already helped, but private healthcare is an ongoing cost. Alfredo is well looked-after, but … Secret DJ needs your support for Alfredo Needs YOU

15/03/2024

Learning to walk again, the limp is large but getting there bit by bit.

07/03/2024

Twice a week I take Alfredo to lunch. Many of you contributed to his crowdfund a couple of years back and it payed for him to be looked after since his strokes, and he is looked after well. Today he asked me to say “Cheers” and a big THANK YOU to all his friends who helped.

07/03/2024

tickets for the mega Gonzo Easter special.

as usual, small intimate space and priced low for folks feeling the pinch in the UK -

The Secret DJ All Night Long - Bank Holiday Sunday Special at Gonzo's Tea Room, Norwich on 31st Mar 2024. Buy tickets in just 2-clicks with our super-fast checkout

02/03/2024

Back to Basics fans may enjoy my memories of the place over on this platform, feel free to get involved.

https://x.com/SecretDJBook/status/1763605447104164094?s=20

01/03/2024

Woop! Alert
This is one of the UK's premier small venues and I was first due to debut here 3 years ago! and COVID and everything else put it off and off and off.
Easter Sunday at the mighty wee Gonzos!
Buzzy.