The best weekend of Ibiza 2014? I should Koko
Words by Dan Prince
Danny welcome back to DMCWORLD – wow what a Clockwork Weekend that was in Ibiza last month. You and Andy must be over the fucking moon?
“It started last year around April. We thought of returning last summer, now a little older and a smidgeon wiser and we waited and planned to make it truly special (as I write this I am listening to Les Nuits – Nightmares On Wax and the memories are flooding back -goosebumps). It all fell into place so perfectly and I could not have dreamt it all up…first Paradis, then Sands, then Mambo, all three amazingly Balearically beautiful. Better than the old days Dan.”
How many of the Orange tribe do you think made the pilgrimage last week?
“We brought over around 1000. Amazing.”
There must have been some fabulous comments from people, many hadn’t been back to the island in years, some had to sell their TVs to get there, must have been a very emotional few days…
“There’s thousands of comments, you can’t keep up with them. I must have liked thousands upon thousands of comments these past few moons, after a Clockwork Facebook it’s like ping ping ping…emotional wasn’t the word…it went beyond that It was Spiritually Ibiza of old yet better.”
Let’s kick off with Café Mambo…it was like a who’s who of the DJ world down there at sunset and Trevor Fung pulled off a masterclass. Brought back some memories for sure?
“Mambo was our haunt and that of the clubbing 90s fraternity. Live’s changed and it became but a memory, to hold the sunset once again was emotional, all the people turning up quadruple excited, high fives, cuddles and knuckles…it was the start of something so, so, so very good. To cap it off, Chris Powell played the only track I remember my mum loved…the theme track from Once Upon A Time In America, the sun was on it’s final descent, he played the tune and I honestly had a lump in my throat. Then Javier told us to look truly at the sunset and in the distance…we could see the mainland, the first time in 20 years…!!!!!!!! You cannot write that kind of stuff.”
Es Paradis was an incredible night with Alex P, Brandon Block, Tall Paul, Seb Fontaine, Judge Jules and Jeremy Healy. Throw some tunes of the night at us…
“El Nino. Robert Miles. And just about all the smashers from the 90s.”
You took up your usual sentry point at the door overlooking proceedings…must have been nice to see no queue over the road and loads of orange faces streaming towards you?
“It was a little overwhelming to be honest. We had the original staff on the door Paco and Mini, I must say it’s the first time I have ever been sober on the door of Es Paradis in 20 years, Es Paradis was truly wonderful as the staff where brilliant, no bullshit, they let me do my thing and it was incredible.”
What time did you get to bed?
“We went to Subway and said goodbye to people walking up the street, I had just changed into dry clothes as I went in the water, walking up the street with the sun coming over the hills after such a wicked party stopped me in my tracks. 7.30am I was out like a light.”
Which brings us to Sands. The best party you have ever done? Give us some highlights…
“The crowd. The Clockwork crowd is beyond better than anywhere else, it’s a gathering of older cooler clubbers who only come out for special occasions due to the responsibilities of older life, there’s no bullshit, we smile, we are happy and we know how to truly fucking have it…all you could see was hands in the air and the cheesiest grins. I drank fizzy water and was floating on cloud 10. I danced for 11 hours, I have never in my 21 years as a promoter experienced a crowd like that ever. Until next year…”
How did Manky cope with proceedings…did he behave himself?
“He was a good ol’ boy. Tall Paul went back to back with him and I don’t think Paul would look upon the claw too easily, they rocked it. Mankey’s first tune ‘La Guitara’ was superb.”
Funniest tale of the day?
“Tony Wilson face planting the sand around 2pm.”
Steve Angello and Paul Oakenfold were on Radio1 last month admitting that Ibiza had become too VIP and the had lost it’s mystique. Thoughts?
“When you see Justin Bieber and Orlando Bloom fighting on the front pages of The Sun, you can see their point…that’s just the wanderers, those who don’t know Ibiza. It’s just a place to them, to us its HOME. We step off that plane and smile the biggest smile, everything seems to fall away, we experienced the golden age of Ibiza when it was truly Balearic and that’s what we will always bring back. That’s why we did Sands, to throw a truly Balearic beach party just like the old days, yet this was better than the old days.”
One of your PRs was overwhelmed about the amount of people coming off the street and heading to Es Paradis rather than Gatecrasher…“it was the easiest night’s work I have ever done in Ibiza” she told me in the club. This week saw every promoter pulling out of Gatecrasher due to low numbers and apparent no wages. What are your thoughts on San Antonio this year – bars are closing down every day, the Counsel want the West End to turn into an upmarket shopping centre. Are San An’s days over?
“Everything moves on Dan. The Clockwork days of the 90s were incredible, beyond magic…as you experienced. I didn’t know it was going to stop so suddenly, a change is always good…you have just got to go with it or get lost behind.”
You are returning to your spiritual home Camden in September. Just why was Camden and Clockwork so special…why did you JUST HAVE to go back?
“Camden sold out in 5 days, There’s two gaffs that are very special to Clockwork. One was The Cross and that is now gone, the other was the arena of Camden Palace. It’s a very special place to thousands of people. Simple as that.”
Who are you looking forward to DJ wise on the night?
“Seb and Jeremy of course. John Kelly won’t be short of a few surprises. Lately Brandon and Alex are on fire, the laughter and camaraderie is back by dope demand, them two closing the show is gonna go off.”
What are the future UK plans?
“Two a year – that’s it. We are turning down tour dates, festivals etc. because what we have is too special.”
What can you tell us about the plans for Ibiza 2015, many expected a weekly Clockwork, you told me on the night you were quite happy keeping things as they were with one big week of madness to aim for…
“July 24th and 26th are the dates we have confirmed for next year, so many people have already booked the top hotels and as soon as flights are out they’re gonna get em. Next year is gonna be bigger and better. Watch this space.”
And finally…pick one moment from Ibiza last weekend when you looked around and thought, yup Danny, you’ve only gone and pulled it off again…!
“When I was right in the middle of the crowd at Sands, looking around and everyone smiling back, thumbs up, hands in the air, laughing and hugging, right at that moment I thought ‘this just does not get any better’. I had to think deep and hard and think am I on an E? Then I realised that I was in a moment that I had waited 13 years for…from when Clockwork and the last days of the 90s had finally finished. I had dreamt of returning, you could say daily and at Sands all my dreams had finally come true. As Jason Bull so cooly said…IBIZA HAS RECLAIMED YOU…it most certainly has…”
Clcokwork Orange return to their spiritual home on Saturday September 13th…starring likely suspects Jeremy Healy, Seb Fontaine, John Kelly, Brandon Block, Alex P, Andy Manston, James Parker, James Prentice, Tony Grimley and Angie Brown live on stage…oh…and it sold out weeks ago…
