Dexter Jones

From raves to reality… this is what it’s really like working in the dance music industry.

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Steve Arnold to break down his journey from the early rave scene through to working behind the scenes in dance music. From Godskitchen and Global Gathering to artist liaison roles, interviews, and the real grind it takes to break into the industry… this is the side of dance music most people never see.

We dive into the Midlands rave scene, UK club culture, and what it actually takes to build a career in electronic music. No hype, no filters… just real stories from inside the industry.

If you’re a DJ, producer, or just obsessed with dance music culture, this one’s for you.

🎙️ WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

In this episode, we cover the reality of working in the dance music industry, from the UK rave scene to major events like Godskitchen and Global Gathering.

• How to get into the dance music industry
• The UK rave scene and Midlands club culture
• Behind the scenes of DJ life and artist liaison work
• The grind of becoming a DJ and building a name
• Dance music events, touring and industry insights
• Then vs now: how clubbing and DJ culture has evolved
• Honest advice for new DJs and producers

Micky Modelle joins The Dexter Jones Podcast to share his incredible journey through 4 decades in dance music — from the early days of Belfast’s underground club scene during one of its most turbulent periods, to the rise of vinyl culture, Clubland, and the evolution of the global dance music industry.

In this episode, we dive deep into what it was really like coming up in a time with no roadmap, no social media, and no shortcuts — where DJs built careers from record shops, word of mouth, and pure passion. Micky opens up about the realities of the industry, the shift from vinyl to digital, and why success today isn’t the same as it once was.

This is a raw and honest conversation about longevity, adapting to change, and surviving in one of the most competitive industries in the world.

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🎧 In this episode, we cover:
Growing up and DJing in Belfast during a turbulent era
How club culture thrived despite real-world conflict
The early days of vinyl and what success really looked like
Selling records vs streaming culture today
The truth about longevity in the music industry
Why you can’t stay on top forever
How technology has changed everything for DJs and producers
Stories from the early underground scene
Advice for the next generation of DJs

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⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 – Belfast Was a War Zone
03:20 – Early Club Scene Outside the City
08:45 – Winging It: No Set Path
15:10 – Vinyl Days & Record Sales
22:30 – Then vs Now: The Industry Shift
35:40 – You Can’t Stay on Top Forever
48:15 – Technology Changed Everything
58:20 – Stories from the Scene
1:10:00 – Advice for New DJs

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🎤 About Micky Modelle

Micky Modelle is a respected DJ and producer with over 40 years in the dance music industry. Known for his influence across multiple eras — from underground club culture to commercial dance — he has witnessed and adapted to every major shift in the scene.

Dirty Sanchez was one of MTV’s wildest and most controversial TV shows, reaching over 400 million viewers across 64 countries and becoming a global phenomenon in the early 2000s. 

In this episode, Pritchard from Dirty Sanchez joins the podcast to reveal what really happened behind the scenes of the MTV show, from how Dirty Sanchez started and exploded worldwide to the full-on lifestyle, Ibiza stories, and the reality of life after fame.

How did it become MTV’s wildest and most popular show?

In this episode, I sit down with Pritchard to uncover the full story behind Dirty Sanchez, from its unexpected beginnings to its rise as one of the biggest shows MTV ever produced.

What started as a group of mates filming skateboarding, pranks, and chaos quickly turned into something far bigger than anyone imagined. MTV were looking for a UK version of the Jackass movement, and within no time, Dirty Sanchez exploded onto screens around the world — reaching over 400 million people across 64 countries.

But none of that was the plan.

As Pritchard explains, they genuinely thought it would be one show, one year… just getting paid to party and have a laugh.

Instead, it became a global phenomenon.

We talk about what life was really like during that time — travelling the world, pushing boundaries, and living a lifestyle that was completely full on. The energy, the madness, and the pressure to keep going further eventually started to take its toll.

We also dive deep into Ibiza — a huge part of the journey.

From performing live at Bar M to experiencing the island at its peak, Pritchard shares how Ibiza became the place where everything escalated. The freedom, the atmosphere, and the culture made it a playground where anything felt possible — and where some of the wildest moments happened.

But this episode isn’t just about chaos.

It’s about what happens after.

We talk about the reality of that lifestyle, the impact it has over time, and how Pritchard has completely transformed his life since those days. From stepping away from alcohol to doing serious work on himself, this is a side of the story that most people never hear.

From global fame… to personal change.

If you remember Dirty Sanchez, this is the story behind it.

If you don’t — this is one you won’t expect.

⚡️ WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• The origins of Dirty Sanchez and how it started from skateboarding and prank videos
• How MTV discovered the crew and turned it into a global TV show
• Reaching 400 million viewers across 64 countries
• Why they never expected Dirty Sanchez to blow up
• What life was really like behind the scenes of MTV’s wildest show
• The “get paid to party” lifestyle and how it became full on
• The pressure to keep pushing boundaries
• How the chaos and lifestyle took its toll
• Ibiza stories, Bar M residency, and wild island moments
• Living in Ibiza during the peak years
• Life after Dirty Sanchez
• Personal transformation, sobriety, and self-work
• Reflections on fame, identity, and change

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 – Dirty Sanchez: 400 Million Viewers Worldwide
05:32 – From Pro Skateboarder to Filming Chaos
07:15 – Ibiza Residency & Party Lifestyle Begins
12:16 – MTV Discovery: The UK’s Jackass Era
13:07 – Becoming MTV’s Biggest Show Ever
16:44 – Life After Dirty Sanchez: The Dirty Vegan Journey
23:32 – Rowing the Atlantic: The Ultimate Challenge
28:02 – Why He Turned to Veganism
37:52 – “Sleep When You’re Dead” Lifestyle
42:17 – Personal Reinvention & Life Transformation
52:16 – Dealing with Anxiety & Mental Health
58:28 – Discovering a Passion for Cooking
1:06:55 – The Importance of Exercise & Routine
1:09:03 – Favourite Life Chapters & Lessons Learned

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All About Pritchard:

https://www.mathewpritchard.com/

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with DJ and producer Denney (James Denney) to explore the journey behind a career that has taken him from the early days of UK club culture to some of the most respected underground dance floors in the world.

From his beginnings playing at Sugar Shack, through the legendary Back To Basics nights in Leeds, to releasing music on Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations, Denney shares the story of how he built a life in dance music.

This is a brilliant conversation about the evolution of the underground scene, the reality of becoming a DJ, and what it really takes to sustain a career in dance music.

In this episode, we talk about

• Denney’s early days discovering dance music
• Playing at Sugar Shack and learning to DJ
• Working at the legendary Back To Basics in Leeds
• How underground club culture shaped his career
• The journey to releasing music on Hot Creations
• Touring internationally and playing in Ibiza
• The realities of building a long-term DJ career
• How the dance music scene has evolved over the years
• Advice for DJs trying to break into the industry

Timestamps 

00:00 Introduction
02:14 Discovering dance music
07:40 The Sugar Shack years
15:10 Back To Basics and the Leeds scene
25:32 Learning the craft of DJing
38:20 The underground club culture
49:05 Releasing music on Hot Creations
58:41 Playing Ibiza and touring internationally
1:09:30 How the dance music scene has evolved
1:18:05 Advice for new DJs
1:23:40 Final thoughts

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Follow Denney:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denneymusic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DenneyMusic Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/denney

Subscribe

If you enjoy real stories from the dance music world, make sure you subscribe to The Dexter Jones Podcast for new episodes every week featuring DJs, producers and key figures from the global club scene.

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, Paul “Madders” Madan returns for part two, sharing the raw and brutally honest story behind the rise and fall of Sundissential, one of the most iconic club brands in UK dance music history.

Madders was at the centre of the 90s rave explosion, helping build Sundissential into a phenomenon that packed superclubs across Birmingham and Leeds. But behind the scenes, addiction was taking hold.

What started with early rave culture and Class A drugs slowly spiralled into cocaine, crack addiction, and eventually losing everything.

In this powerful conversation, Madders opens up about the darkest years of his life, the collapse of Sundissential, his battle with addiction, and the long road to recovery.

This is a brutally honest story about rave culture, fame, ego, addiction and redemption.

If you were part of the UK club scene in the 90s and early 2000s, this episode will take you right back to one of the wildest eras in dance music history.

Topics covered in this episode

• The rise of Sundissential and UK hard house culture
• Life behind the scenes of 90s rave promotions
• How addiction slowly took control
• Crack cocaine and the downward spiral
• The collapse of a legendary club brand
• Hitting rock bottom
• Recovery and rebuilding life after addiction

Chapters

00:00 – “Crack Was My Life”
03:02 – When Did It Start Going Wrong?
04:39 – The First Time I Took a Class A Drug
06:55 – The Invisible Line Into Addiction
12:19 – Active Recovery Since 2017
27:39 – The Moment I Started Using Crack Cocaine
33:36 – The Beginning of the End for Sundissential
37:19 – Three Weeks in Birmingham Crack Houses
42:17 – When Sundissential Went Bust
1:00:03 – “If I Thought This Mug Would Change How I Felt…”
1:02:48 – The Moment of Clarity

About Paul “Madders” Madden

Paul “Madders” Madden was a co-founder of Sundissential, one of the most influential hard house club brands in the UK. During the late 90s and early 2000s, Sundissential events attracted thousands of clubbers every week and helped shape the UK dance music scene.

After years of addiction and personal struggles, Madders is now in recovery and works helping others facing similar challenges.

Subscribe for more stories from dance music culture

The Dexter Jones Podcast explores the real stories behind club culture, DJs, promoters and the people who built the dance music scene.

🎧 New episodes every week.

Subscribe here:
https://www.youtube.com/@dexterjonesibiza

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The Wellbourne Clinic

The Wellbourne Clinic is a UK-based addiction treatment centre that provides professional support for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. The clinic offers therapy-based treatment programmes designed to help individuals understand the root causes of addiction and build the tools needed for long-term recovery.

With a focus on personalised care, The Wellbourne Clinic provides a safe and supportive environment where people can begin rebuilding their lives. Their approach combines therapeutic support, recovery guidance, and community-based recovery pathways to help individuals move forward with stability and purpose.

Paul “Madders” Madden now works within addiction recovery support and has been involved in helping others facing similar struggles.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you can learn more about their work here:

https://thewellbourneclinic.co.uk/

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Addiction & Recovery Support

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, there are organisations that offer confidential help and support.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Support groups for people struggling with alcohol addiction.
https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Support meetings for people recovering from drug addiction.
https://ukna.org

FRANK – UK Drug Advice Service
Free confidential advice about drugs and addiction.
📞 0300 123 6600
https://www.talktofrank.com

Drinkline – National Alcohol Helpline
Free confidential helpline for people concerned about drinking.
📞 0300 123 1110

Samaritans
If you are struggling and need someone to talk to.
📞 116 123
https://www.samaritans.org

The Wellbourne Clinic
Professional addiction treatment and recovery support.
https://thewellbourneclinic.co.uk

Important note

Recovery is possible. If you are struggling, reaching out to one of the organisations above can be the first step toward getting help.