In the Maldives and at peace with being 50 years old! A beautiful experience today on a private island with just my wife and life - @olya.oyd and our son Oliver. Thanks for all the love from everybody around the world. I can’t believe the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met and stayed connected with around the planet. I’ve always said the best thing about the music industry is the hospitality and friendship we receive anywhere in the world we go. The music industry has many faults - some of which I’ve tried to play my part in fixing. But I can’t thank the overall industry for the life that it has given me. I started early (aged 17 at the Melody Maker), and I don’t intend to end early. I thank my family and friends and now my wife and son for their understanding of how a passion can fully consume you. I will continue to try hard to find the work life & family balance! Thanks to all of you who support me in this daily quest and to all the people I work with, or work for - I am blessed to reach 50 with you. Most significantly to me - my mum and dad and sister are still here with us and happy and healthy. Special thanks to our Six Senses resident DJ @thesunchasersdj - a beautiful neo-soul set on the shores of the Indian Ocean - reminded me of the music of Dr Bob Jones. And to all my music mentors or people who took the time to really educate or help me (and now some very close friends) - thank you. Namely in order of appearing in my life: Steve Sutherland; Allan Jones; Push; Richie Hawtin; Pete Tong; Rachel Turner; Garry Blackburn; Anthony H Wilson; James Barton; Judy Weinstein; Simon Moran; Peter Powell; Alison Wenham. I am sure there may be more - and certainly more to come!
Special day out to see @neworderofficial at the 02 with my original music crew. These long-term friends from OX4 shared so many defining gigs and clubs with me: Happy Mondays; Inspiral Carpets; Big Audio Dynamite; The Farm; Flowered Up; The Shamen and legendary parties like Debauchery; Boys Own and regulars like Love Ranch and Naked Lunch. Lost count of most of it! Here we are decades later and thanks to New Order and @sjmconcerts@moran.simon for more memories!
Sister @chloee.pa and wife @olya.oyd enjoying a musical moment together for @petetongofficial Ibiza Classics at @blenheimpalace . A special local treat in the Cotswolds! Big thanks to our inspiring (and long-suffering) fathers for bringing us all together! Thanks @katyelllis@gazblaz1
My beautiful wife to the rescue. Hanging with @olya.oyd up at IMS Dalt Vila. What a week. Thanks to all who made it happen - partners; sponsors; artists; agents; managers; drivers; politicians; PR; logistics. Our new partners @beatport . Our lead sponsors @pioneerdjglobal and @youtubemusic . To @jaguarworldwide - you are the future. @petetongofficial - without whom. @katie_sallows - we wouldn’t exist without you. But thanks mostly to my wife and family for standing strong through an very intense moment.
Happy Valentines Day to the love of my life @olya.oyd . My saviour from myself & techno burnout; mother to the coolest & smartest kid on earth; and for being my best of everything else. Thanks for being uniquely you.
Our son speaks English, Russian and now Vegimalese and says “Seaweed” at any photo opportunity! Octonauts to the rescue, anybody? My family birthday gathering from our favourite local Cotswolds pub.
Honoured to have been selected by the UN (United Nations) for the judging panel for the 2022 UN SDG Awards. 29 judges from different sectors reviewed changemakers & impactful SDGs initiatives that #FlipTheScript for a better world. We’ve been working with the UN at @internationalmusicsummit@afemorg and @graphiteartsculture to help guide the electronic music industry to do better around the Sustainable Development Goals. More on that very soon. Winners of the SDG Action Awards will be announced Sep 27, where all the judges also meet in person. We all have to do our bit!
