As Clubz comes to a close Mark Gwinnett explains how the legacy and spirit of the section will live on at The Sun

FOUR years ago Clubz began bringing underground electronic dance music to the wider audience of The Sun.

Since then Clubz has covered the full spectrum of electronic music on a weekly basis in print and online.

However, this will be the last dedicated Clubz feature. It will now merge with the general music section on The Sun website and in the Something For The Weekend section of the newspaper where dance music stars are able to now mingle freely with pop and rock stars.

I created and launched Clubz not long after I began working at The Sun as a Graphic Designer. I felt it was about time that dance music be comprehensively represented in the right way on a weekly basis in a tabloid. This was at a time when EDM threatened to rule the roost with massive growth in the US, commercial success chart wise and a DJ Top 100 that to me seemed well out of touch with the dance music I love and grew up with. The weekly award winning music section of Something For The Weekend in the UKs biggest newspaper was the ideal place for Clubz to cover electronica across multiple genres to give a broad perspective on an incredible multi-faceted dance music scene. It has featured every week in print since November 2012 interviewing everyone from Underworld, Jean Michel Jarre, Gary Numan, Andy C and Sven Väth to Carl Cox, Frankie Knuckles, Hot Since 82, Dubfire, Loco Dice, Richie Hawtin and the Rhythm Masters. A rich tapestry reflecting the global scene. There are few DJs and artists we haven’t spoken to or featured in Clubz.

We launched the section with a piece written by Pete Tong alongside Carl Cox and Danny Rampling. It had to be done with the blessing from pioneers of the scene such as these and I made sure there was an appetite for it in the industry, speaking to various other influential figures before going ahead in November 2012. Over the last few years we have heard from Pete on every birthday and celebrating Carl’s last season at Space Ibiza this year chatting to him numerous times over the summer has been a big highlight.

The challenges of running a section dedicated primarily to underground dance music at The Sun was never going to be easy as I have been reminded by commentators both in the media and music industry. Others have championed Clubz in equal measure, recognising that the whole concept of what Clubz represented was progressive and of value to a vulnerable UK night life scene, a challenging digital arena for underground music sales and a thriving festival circuit. The Sun of course made itself extremely unpopular in rave culture during the advent of Acid House in the late 80’s, sensationalising and demonising the scene. I’ve always been fully aware of that.

My motivation for Clubz has always been purely positive for the underground dance music scene irrespective of the past politics. In an effort to support the music I love on a mass media platform like this, I believe it has been a good thing for the scene and I am glad that dance music artists will now be considered alongside the elite music stars within the music section of The Sun in print and online.

Most recently I am proud to have been able to support the plight of fabric consistently since the club had its licence revoked, running features from Alan Miller, Terry Francis, Carl Cox, DJ Hype, Alan Fitzpatrick, Saytek and Slam highlighting the cultural importance of the club ahead of the appeal to have its license reinstated on November 28th. Clubz also positively influenced the narrative The Sun generally took when reporting on the recent closure of fabric and the overall and ongoing threat to UK club land. I hope this continues. Providing a platform for the Night Time Industries Association and Alan Miller to highlight the wider issue of club closures and threat to night life across the UK has also been very important. It’s great to see that the London Mayor has now appointed a Night Czar to address the loss of culture that is happening all around us in the night time industries.

I have been lucky enough for my Cubism label to host regular label showcases in Room 3 of fabric over the last 5 years alongside my label partner Saytek. I attended fabric on it’s opening weekend 17 years ago and spent many years when I lived in London creating memories there that will live with me forever with so many amazing people in my life. A lot of them hung up their clubbing shoes a long time ago and have had kids like I have, but a lot of them still occasionally got involved on the dance floor there, especially when Cubism hosted the occasional incendiary label showcase in room 3.

The last time I played at the club I celebrated my 40th birthday there in May this year when Cubism returned there to host room 3. What a birthday present that was! I spent over a decade going to fabric dreaming of playing there so to do it several times over the last 5 years with my label and friends and to play a 2 hour set there on my 40th is something I will never forget. The guys at fabric, especially Judy together with Andy and Kirsti welcomed Saytek and myself and our crew into fabric on the basis of our music alone. I cannot put into words what this meant for us all and the boost it gave us as DJs and artists but I can tell you it was huge inspiration. If that had not had happened 5 years ago I doubt Clubz would have ever happened or whether Cubism would have developed the way it has to the point where the music is as stronger as ever and we are approaching our 100th EP release. Not to mention Saytek’s recognition as one of the best live techno acts in the UK. There just isn’t another club like fabric and it’s loss to the scene and UK culture will be felt for decades to come. I pray that the authorities will see sense on November 28th and the club is allowed to reopen.

I hope you have enjoyed reading Clubz. It’s been one hell of a ride and I look forward to bringing more chats with great artists to you as the legacy and spirit of Clubz will live on at The Sun.

I’d like to thank all of the PRs, DJs, supporters and contributors I have worked with over the years on Clubz. Special mentions to Ash Blewer, Anthony Kearney, Darren Leipnik, Alex Jukes, Joseph Keevill, Carl Cox, Ian Hussy, Steve Rose, Paul Barker, Stephan Knight, Ed Colman, Alan Miller, Ben Turner, Mark Lawrence, Ray Smith, Toni Tambourine, Matt Learmouth, James Horrocks, Greg Sawyer, Pete Tong, Nic Fanciulli, Luke Bendall, Jeff Gray, Sergio Bienati, Mike Nicholson, Gordon Smart, Dan Wootton, Stuart Pink, Simon Cosyns, Simon Copeland, Judy Griffith, Andrew Blackett, Kirsti Weir, Cameron Leslie and my inspiring, late, great friend Wayne Sauerbach.

#saveourculture #savefabric #savenightlife