Pete Tong
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| Pete Tong | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Tong |
| Born | July 30, 1960 Dartford, England |
| Genre(s) | Electronica Balearic House |
| Occupation(s) | Disc jockey Music producer |
| Website | http://www.petetong.com/ |
Peter "Pete" Tong (born July 30, 1960) is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programs 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 nightclubs across the globe. Tong has also worked as a record producer.
The phrase "It's all gone a bit Pete Tong", where the name is used as cockney rhyming slang for "wrong", was reputedly first coined by Mark Radcliffe. However, on his show of 28 November 2005, Mark Radcliffe credited his erstwhile sidekick Marc "Lard" Riley with inventing the term. It's All Gone Pete Tong is also the title of a 2004 film which portrays a DJ's experiences as he realises he is becoming deaf. Tong appears briefly in the film as himself.
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[edit] Early years
Pete Tong was born in Hartley, Kent during 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 mates 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.
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.
In 1979 he became a staff writer for Blues & Soul Magazine [1]. 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.
[edit] Radio career
Tong's first appearance on radio was in the late '70s 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 Medway 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 program. 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 after his manager Eddie Gordon talked the then departing DJ Jeff Young into suggesting him to BBC Radio 1 as the ideal replacement for the "hot' Friday night slot. 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 nights from 6-9pm betwen 1991 and 2006. It was succeeded in 2006 by Pete Tong, still ending at 9pm on Fridays but starting an hour later. The program showcases the latest dance music, with a focus on house music, and informs listeners what club nights are on around the United Kingdom that weekend. It is endorsed by Radio 1 as the official start to the weekend, and attracts one of the highest audiences for a dance radio show in the UK. Since his main program was shortened in 2006, Pete Tong has also hosted a show on Thursday nights from 9-10pm called Pete Tong's In New Music We Trust. Since 1993, he has been associated with Radio 1's Essential Mix, which airs between 2-4am on Saturday night/Sunday morning. He is the station's second longest serving presenter (after Annie Nightingale).
[edit] DJing
Tong is one of the world's most recognised DJs. He drew people from all over the world to his famous Pure Pacha nights held at the Pacha nightclub in Ibiza, which in 2006 went on for a 17 week stint, and featured a line up including Andy Carvell and Carl Cox. In 2008 it was announced that he had left Pacha and had signed up for Eden in San Antonio, this Friday night slot will be called Wonderland, and promises to be very spectacular with artwork by Goldie and guests such as Groove Armada.
In May 2008 Tong played at the central station "Deák Ferenc Square" of the Budapest Metro (Hungary) specially equipped for only one night. The audience (ca. 2000) were recruited with a free online registration by the global market leader soft drink producer.
[edit] Criticism
He hit the headlines again in March 2008 when he gave a "shout-out" for an 18th birthday party in Bovey Tracey, Devon. The party was gatecrashed by over 1000 people causing considerable damage, and leading to headline news that "My party's gone Pete Tong!".
