Orchestral dance? Its classic Pete Tong

AFTER last year’s successful Ibiza Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, legendary DJ Pete Tong has again teamed up with conductor Jules Buckley and the Heritage Orchestra to release an album of classic dance songs played by a 65-piece orchestra.

As Pete now prepares for an arena tour of the tracks, JACQUI SWIFT caught up with him in LA, where he told her he was on a mission to create a legacy for dance music.

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This album isn’t just about nostalgia for you. Why is that?

It shows the power of this music today. Making this album has been the most rewarding thing since we did The Proms and saw the reaction to it.
Why is the importance of dance music sometimes ignored in music history?

It’s something that frustrates me. Punk rock happened between 1977 to 1979 yet dance music has lasted more than 20 years. Making this album and having the arena tour at the end of the year is my way of fighting back saying that this music matters.

How did you meet Jules Buckley and who decided which songs to include?

I knew Jules through Goldie who he worked with when he performed his album Timeless at the Royal Festival Hall. They also worked with Chris Wheeler. Picking the tracks began by writing down every track that meant something and came into my head. Then I asked people like Annie Mac for theirs. Our memories of Ibiza meant we ended up with a list of 75 songs. Then we got it down to 20 that Chris had to score for 65 orchestra players. He wrote all the parts.

What was your initial reaction?

To hear The Heritage Orchestra play The Sabres of Paradise’s Smokebelch II and Fatboy Slim’s Right Here, Right Now was mind-blowing.
You’ve had a successful career but any regrets?

I turned down Top of The Pops. I was so up my own a*** I dithered. They asked me a few times and then they never asked me again. What was I thinking? Even John Peel did Top of The Tops.

Which of these classic track means the most to you?

I was thrilled that we did Frankie Knuckles’ Your Love because I signed Frankie. I also signed Jamie Principle and so am glad he’s on Your Love too. I hadn’t seen Jamie for 30 years and I didn’t know if he was alive or dead. I met him in Chicago and asked him to sing on the track which was amazing with Frankie no longer with us.

How much work is going into the arena shows?

We are working flat out. At the moment it’s just making sure the orchestra sound amazing in the room because we know they can play. The concern is that I want the person with the worst seat to have the same experience as the one in the front row.

Will you take this to festivals?

I don’t know. It’s all about creating a legacy for the scene and doing things that have never been done before. I can’t see it working in broad daylight so the stage time would need to be right. If it was an iconic enough setting like Glastonbury then that would appeal for sure.
Pete Tong’s Classic House is out today and his arena tour begins at the Genting Arena NEC, Birmingham, on November 30.

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