We met up with Carl Cox at the villa which Pepe Rosello regularly places at his disposal during the season. Carl feels really at home here and enjoys Pepe’s hospitality immensely. He jokingly comments: “I suppose I’ll be allowed to carry on living here as long as I keep mixing the music OK. If you ever find me back at the Hotel Marco Polo, you’ll know that I’ve blown it.” We’re sure it will never come to that.
Carl, how many years have you known Pepe Rosello?
More than 8 years. He is a great person. It is admirable, he made a tremendous achievement.
How long have you been DJing at Space? How did it all start?
It was the former manager Fritz Pangratz, he saw me deejaying somewhere. He liked my attitude and my music. I used to go to Space when it was THE official afterhour club. So I would be one of the persons that would be outside of the club at 7 o’clock in the morning instead of inside. For me, my experience of going into Space as a club was the best experience I had in any club in the world. In Ibiza I went to Amnesia – for me OK. Pacha: OK. Ku: OK. Space: amazing! I loved the fact that outside had very calm music and you could chill and inside was techno music and you could dance. So this for me was the best experience. I always wanted to play at this club. I loved the club before I deejayed at the club. I think that has to be clear because people think that I just came and played at the club. It was at least four or five years going to Space before I got to play at Space. When I came to play at Space for the first time. people came, really enjoyed themselves with my music and paid me compliments. So I had already established a close personal relationship with the club long before working there.
Carl, how many years have you known Pepe Rosello?
More than 8 years. He is a great person. It is admirable, he made a tremendous achievement.
How long have you been DJing at Space? How did it all start?
It was the former manager Fritz Pangratz, he saw me deejaying somewhere. He liked my attitude and my music. I used to go to Space when it was THE official afterhour club. So I would be one of the persons that would be outside of the club at 7 o’clock in the morning instead of inside. For me, my experience of going into Space as a club was the best experience I had in any club in the world. In Ibiza I went to Amnesia – for me OK. Pacha: OK. Ku: OK. Space: amazing! I loved the fact that outside had very calm music and you could chill and inside was techno music and you could dance. So this for me was the best experience. I always wanted to play at this club. I loved the club before I deejayed at the club. I think that has to be clear because people think that I just came and played at the club. It was at least four or five years going to Space before I got to play at Space. When I came to play at Space for the first time. people came, really enjoyed themselves with my music and paid me compliments. So I had already established a close personal relationship with the club long before working there.
Carl @ pool
First you played outside on the terrace and later inside?
I decided that I wanted to do something exceptional and not play only at a club and to put my whole energy into Space. So, obviously we packed the sunset terrace where I did my unique sessions during the day and inside was a guest DJ plus me. That was always the formula.
What happened after that?
One day Pepe and Fritz decided that they wanted to build a new terrace covered with a roof. All right – OK. When we came back we saw – they had built a completely different club. It was a massive change. Where we needed to have 3,000 people to fill the club before now we needed 5,000. Now we had to create a new style to bring people to Space. Now that the terrace was covered, it was big, it had good sound and we had to come with a new concept. So we decided to bring new DJs.
Perhaps, this stylish new terrace was too modern for Ibiza?
I would say it changed the face of what a club looks like. Compared to Pacha or Amnesia it was more out of the ordinary. Now it turned more into a kind of boutique club. Space moved into modern times.
Tell me about your relationship to the island. Do you have a favourite place where you like to go?
I always end up at the total tranquility of Sa Trintxa. Even if it has turned into a very well known beach over time there’s always somewhere to switch off, relax and enjoy the music and the scenery. I really enjoy it there. I also enjoy San Miguel. You are there by the coast in the middle of the water and you can watch the sunset...it’s amazing. Of course, I love the restaurants of Formentera as well.
I heard that you probably will have some jazz sessions at Sands?
Yes, that’s right. I have always been into my funk jazz and soul music - but I never had an outlet. Last year we had a kitchen session here at the villa that I’m staying at. We had a broadcast on Sonica radio. And all the people were really interested by that style of music that I was playing. They wanted to experience it live so I went to Sands to check it out as a venue. I really liked what I saw there. We are still trying to work out free dates. If possible, we are planning to do one or two sessions on a Monday this year.
I think that is a very nice idea.
Yes, I think so too.
Carl, thank you for your time and maybe see you soon at Sands
I decided that I wanted to do something exceptional and not play only at a club and to put my whole energy into Space. So, obviously we packed the sunset terrace where I did my unique sessions during the day and inside was a guest DJ plus me. That was always the formula.
What happened after that?
One day Pepe and Fritz decided that they wanted to build a new terrace covered with a roof. All right – OK. When we came back we saw – they had built a completely different club. It was a massive change. Where we needed to have 3,000 people to fill the club before now we needed 5,000. Now we had to create a new style to bring people to Space. Now that the terrace was covered, it was big, it had good sound and we had to come with a new concept. So we decided to bring new DJs.
Perhaps, this stylish new terrace was too modern for Ibiza?
I would say it changed the face of what a club looks like. Compared to Pacha or Amnesia it was more out of the ordinary. Now it turned more into a kind of boutique club. Space moved into modern times.
Tell me about your relationship to the island. Do you have a favourite place where you like to go?
I always end up at the total tranquility of Sa Trintxa. Even if it has turned into a very well known beach over time there’s always somewhere to switch off, relax and enjoy the music and the scenery. I really enjoy it there. I also enjoy San Miguel. You are there by the coast in the middle of the water and you can watch the sunset...it’s amazing. Of course, I love the restaurants of Formentera as well.
I heard that you probably will have some jazz sessions at Sands?
Yes, that’s right. I have always been into my funk jazz and soul music - but I never had an outlet. Last year we had a kitchen session here at the villa that I’m staying at. We had a broadcast on Sonica radio. And all the people were really interested by that style of music that I was playing. They wanted to experience it live so I went to Sands to check it out as a venue. I really liked what I saw there. We are still trying to work out free dates. If possible, we are planning to do one or two sessions on a Monday this year.
I think that is a very nice idea.
Yes, I think so too.
Carl, thank you for your time and maybe see you soon at Sands
