Loud&Unfiltered

In this Inside the Industry edition of Loud & Unfiltered, we sits down with one of the most respected forces behind global club culture and festival programming: Jenni Cochrane. From selling tickets at Café Mambo, to programming the world’s biggest stages, to navigating political crises with EXIT Festival, Jenni’s 30-year journey in music is wild, unpredictable and packed with lessons for anyone building a career in nightlife, events or artist bookings. Jenni shares how she fell into the industry by accident, rose through the ranks in Ibiza during the late-90s hedonistic era, learned the craft at Renaissance and Ministry of Sound, booked global superstars long before they were household names, and eventually became the programmer for EXIT Festival’s mainstage - a bucket-list festival for artists around the world. This conversation goes deep into what the booking world really looks like: navigating agents, fee inflation, TikTok-driven breakout acts, political instability affecting festivals, and the pressure to build gender-balanced line-ups without compromising artistic or commercial integrity. Jenni also opens up about her wellbeing work through GetAhead, her experience working in Saudi Arabia with Middle Beast, and the evolving role of women in the global music industry. Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/ Key Moments: 0:00 – Introduction and Industry Background: From Clubbing in Glasgow to Ibiza 02:17 – From Fashion to Music: How Jenny Cochrane Entered the Industry 05:00 – Climbing the Ranks: Early Roles in Promotions and Renaissance 06:50 – Ibiza’s Golden Era: Legendary Clubs and Networking 09:10 – Breaking into London: Ministry of Sound, PR, and Booking 11:38 – Building Global Brands: Ministry of Sound’s Expansion and Team Growth 13:32 – Booking Superstar DJs: From Steve Angello to Calvin Harris 15:30 – Career Milestones: Major Gigs, The O2 Arena, and Festival Takeovers 20:39 – Going International: Booking in London, The Middle East, and the Balkans 21:25 – EXIT Festival: Booking Main Stage Acts, Genre Diversity, and Programming 25:00 – Saudi Arabia & Middle Beast: Market Evolution and Social Impact 41:31 – Gender Equality in the Music Industry: Mentorship and Representation 45:00 – Booking Headliners and Diversity: Challenges and Strategies 50:54 – Personal Stories: Fun with Artists Like Wu-Tang Clan and Skrillex 55:00 – The Reality of Booking: Processes, Crisis Management, and Hard Work 1:03:29 – Get Ahead and Mental Health: Wellbeing Initiatives in the Music Industry 1:09:10 – Work-Life Balance: Parenting, Career, and Advice for Women in Music 1:12:37 – Quickfire Questions: Dream Bookings and Career Highlights

In this new series of Loud&Unfiltered, Inside The Industry, we have Jacob, better known online as Jakkob, who has lived one of the wildest, most unlikely journeys in UK club culture. From burning CDs on Numarks in his teens, to blagging his way into his first warm-up gig, to accidentally becoming the UK’s biggest “SeshTok” personality, to now selling out shows, releasing on major labels and having the biggest DJs in the world play his tracks… the story is outrageous, relatable, and full of proper rave folklore. In this unfiltered conversation, Alex and Josh dive deep into how Jacob built an audience of over one million followers, the moment he became “the Smash Guy”, why some venues refused to book him because of his comedy style, how he balances humour with credibility, and how he’s now carving out a serious path as a DJ and producer. Across the episode, Jacob speaks candidly about building community, getting taken seriously in the scene, content strategies, viral format creation, behind-the-scenes festival stories, insane afterparty invitations, playing Ibiza Rocks all summer, releasing on respected labels, getting support from huge names like Baker, Siragusa, Rossi, and why seeing your own tune go off in a club is still the biggest buzz on earth. Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/ Key Moments: 0:00 – Guest introduction, discussion about origin of the DJ name “Jakkob,” branding, and anecdotes about alternative nicknames. 02:00 – Early DJ Beginnings & First Gigs 6:00 – Touring with Regression Sessions & Unique Nightlife Stories 08:30 – Social Media & Viral TikTok Content Creation, “Smash Guy” persona, and strategies for viral music content. 10:15 – Navigating Comedy, Branding Risks & Club Bookings 13:00 – Best man experience at an Indian wedding, family reactions to career milestones, and the role of parents in supporting a creative journey. 16:20 – From DJ to Label Owner: Kitchen Club Records 18:50 – High-Profile Remixes & Streaming Success 20:50 – Changing Perceptions & Building a Community 22:20 – The Importance of Community & Sold Out Shows 23:40 – Afterparty Culture & Wild Tour Stories 26:45 – Gigs Abroad & Family Moments 29:00 – Industry Friends & Festival Highlights 31:40 – The DJ Rider, Promoter Tales & Funny Interactions 34:00 – Ibiza Adventures & International Gig Life 41:20 – Label Releases & Track Sampling Process 45:20 – Reflections, Fan Support & What’s Next

In this episode, Alex sits down with Nikki Gordon and Tom Ranger: from Ministry of Sound and Oval Space to now their biggest project yet - Eutopia, a multi-space venue in Barking. Across nearly two decades, they’ve booked everyone from Weatherall and Harvey to Dixon, Tom Yorke, Nile Rodgers, Max Dean, and the new wave of collectives reshaping the scene. They’ve lived the Wild West years of London clubland, seen the era of monster DJ fees take over, handled artist chaos, navigated industry politics, launched festivals, survived takeover attempts, and rebuilt from scratch — all while carving out careers that defined entire eras of dance music. This episode goes deep into: • How Eutopia was built from a literal construction site into an industrial mega-venue • What today’s clubbers want (and why headliners matter less than ever) • The new era of queer collectives, community-led brands, and DIY promoters • Why big venues are moving East — and what it means for London • Insane promoter war stories you won’t hear anywhere else • Nikki’s powerful story of cancer diagnosis, sobriety and returning to the scene stronger Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/ Key Moments: 0:00 – Opening Stories & Podcast Welcome  0:31 – Introduction to Nikki & Tom: Early Careers and First Collaborations  01:44 – Tom’s Journey: Breaking Into Music PR and Club Promotion  05:22 – Nikki’s Beginnings: Throwing Parties and Building Reputation  08:08 – Booking Breakthroughs: The Power of Spotting Future Hits  11:10 – Reflections on London Venue Culture: Wild West Days & Growth  16:08 – Learning On The Job: Lessons in Club Management  18:22 – The Birth of Eutopia: Founding Stories, Team-Up, and Venue Build Process  22:25 – Location Strategy: Why Barking? Navigating London’s Changing Club Landscape  24:25 – Eutopia’s Unique Selling Points: Design, Production, and the Visitor Experience  26:32 – Launching and Promoting Eutopia: Community Reception & Upcoming Events  30:39 – Eutopia’s Place in Today’s Scene: Grassroots Spirit vs. Corporate Clubs  33:46 – The Changing Face of Clubbing: How the Scene Has Evolved  35:01 – The Rise of Communities and Collectives in London Nightlife  37:28 – Wild Stories & Industry Challenges: From Festivals to Business Betrayals  41:09 – Balancing Creativity and Commerce: Artist Booking and Club Marketing  47:25 – Personal Resilience: Nikki’s Story of Cancer & Transformation  53:05 – Favourite Bookings and Industry Legends: Iconic Artists and Moments  1:00:17 – Eutopia in 2026 and Beyond: Vision for the Future  1:01:47 – Why Experience Eutopia: What Sets The Club Apart  1:06:10 – Memorable DJ and Club Stories: Behind the Scenes Anecdotes 

In this Inside London episode of Loud&Unfiltered, Alex Jukes sits down with DJ programmer, event builder and long-standing heartbeat of Sunday’s at Fabric, Jacob Husley. This is a conversation about more than DJ bookings. It’s about scene DNA. From feeding crowds out of Brick Lane, to merging minimal heads with Club Kids, to co-founding a movement-style Sunday party that eventually landed a 17-year home at fabric, Jacob walks us through the moments London couldn’t package into a press release if it tried. They get into: The evolution of the Sunday rave culture scene Partying in The Shard and Museum Of London 80+ year-old couple flying from Poland to visit Fabric Building nights that are free, meaningful, multi-cultural, community-led The importance of having a loyal team around you From promoting at Fabric, to running restaurants Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/ KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 – Introduction 01:16 – Jacob’s History with Fabric and “Wet Yourself” 04:10 – Building London’s Sunday Club Scene 08:48 – From Local Success to Fabric Residency 15:32 – Modernising & Adapting Sunday Parties 19:00 – “Come As You Are” Relaunch & Free Tickets Model 23:37 – The Viral Story of the Elderly Polish Couple 30:03 – Expanding Fabric’s Brand: World Tours & Unique Venues 43:21 – Fabric’s Enduring Community and Legacy 50:13 – Gastronomy Meets Music: Jacob’s Restaurant Ventures 55:22 – The State of London’s Nightlife 59:04 – Favourite Clubs Worldwide & Standout Bookings  

In this episode of Loud&Unfiltered, Inside London, Alex Jukes catches up with promoter, festival gambler, pub-rave architect, and general scene instigator Rob Star. Rob takes it from the beginning: first raves at Fantasia events at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, UK, and why he built his own path outside clubs, outside social media, outside the predictable. Expect: The rise of London’s illegal rave and squat-party culture Moving 10,000+ people without a venue or a licence How Rob used temporary event notices before it was the norm Fabric London politics, DJ booking blocks, and ego-free alliances Community over trending audio Why festivals are a professional gamble, and promoters are the house’s biggest punters How his pub at the time accidentally became a rave venue because he couldn’t afford furniture From Shoreditch warehouses to rave pubs, to festivals like Eastern Electrics, Rob lives the ethos of building culture from the ground up, keeping it loud, honest and impact-driven, without falling into the hype vortex. Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/ Key Moments: 0:00 – Introduction & Early Rave Culture 04:19 – Building a Party Brand: Early Promoting & The Birth of Mullet Over 07:13 – The Warehouse Revolution & London’s Underground Scene How London’s party landscape shifted, finding warehouse spaces, and the intersection with squatters and illegal raves. 14:25 – Legalizing the Underground: The Power of Temporary Event Notices (TENs) 19:19 – Growing a Scene: Music Programming, Community, and Competition 25:02 – Reinventing the London Pub: From Nightlife to Hospitality The decision to open Star Bethnal Green, evolving pub culture, and adapting for modern audiences. 34:12 – Eastern Electrics: From Warehouse Party to Iconic Festival Origins, early struggles, and the unique ethos behind building the Eastern Electrics Festival. 39:32 – Stories of memorable campaigns, viral videos, and creative festival promotions. 46:21 – How lineup curation changed, community connection, and the festival's evolution post-pandemic pause. 50:17 – Diversifying: Restaurants & Future Hospitality Ventures Launching a restaurant, challenges in the food industry, and plans for a new multi-purpose venue. 54:32 – Rob Star’s picks for best restaurants, bars, and clubs in London. 56:44 – Final thoughts on passion in business, future ambitions, and gratitude for collaborations.