32 Years of House Music: From Cigarette Packet Branding to Global Festivals - Love to Be Founders Marc & Tony episode artwork

EPISODE · May 4, 2026 · 1H 1M

32 Years of House Music: From Cigarette Packet Branding to Global Festivals - Love to Be Founders Marc & Tony

from Provocateurs · host Sarah Moxom

In this episode of Provocateurs, we are joined by Marc and Tony, the driving forces behind the legendary house music brand Love To Be. Spanning over three decades, the brand has evolved from a mid-90s weekly residency in Sheffield to a global touring powerhouse and festival organiser. Tony shares the "back of a fag packet" origins of the brand's iconic logo and how a blagged DJ gig led to a life without ever having a "proper job". We dive into the brutal reality of the music industry’s shift, discussing why bar culture and artist fees contributed to the death of the super club, and how the "original party people" of the 90s are actually messier than the modern Gen Z raver. Key Takeaways The 32-Year Legacy: How Love To Be stayed relevant across three decades by staying true to house music roots while evolving into the festival market. The Death of the Nightclub: An insider look at how consumer habits changed and why expensive headliners made club residencies unsustainable. Scaling to Festivals: The "pinch-me" moment of walking out to a sea of 6,000 people on Royal Land in Harrogate. The VIP Experience: Why modern ravers want luxury—from hair and makeup stations to a "Confessions Booth" with a nun for clubbing sins. Wild Stories: Tony and Marc recount the "dirty protest" on a 90s dance floor and the 24-hour party culture of Leeds. The Sober Generation: Why Gen Z is the most sensible generation of ravers yet, while their parents are still going wild. Timestamps [00:01:10] The 32-year origin story of Love To Be. [00:10:45] Why the era of the Super Club came to an end. [00:18:15] Moving from the club booth to organizing 6,000-person festivals. [00:41:40] Why 90s ravers are wilder than Gen Z. [00:43:40] The infamous "dirty protest" story. [01:02:20] Inside the VIP: Confessions booths and fairground games. LovetoBe Tickets https://www.lovetobeevents.co.uk/events-1 Lovetobeevents Links https://www.instagram.com/lovetobeevents/ https://www.facebook.com/lovetobeevents https://www.youtube.com/@lovetobeevents Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@provocateurspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/sarah.moxom/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPmCQvMWLaLTayKshPyGOEg/ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠

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