Rob Tissera on acid house, illegal raves, and the birth of UK club culture

In this episode of The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down with Rob Tissera, one of the most important and authentic voices to emerge from UK rave and club culture. Rob sits right at the heart of the story. From the first wave of acid house to illegal warehouse parties, early club residencies, and moments that would change his life forever, this is one of the rawest, funniest, and most original accounts of the UK underground you’ll hear. We go deep into the illegal rave era. Rob shares uncensored stories from playing at The Haçienda, raving at Sunrise, DJing Blackburn warehouse parties that ended in riots, and the night that ultimately landed him in prison. We talk sound systems built inside abandoned spaces, dodging the police, and the thin line between freedom and consequences during the wild west years of rave culture. This is not nostalgia dressed up for clicks. It’s an honest, first-hand account of chaos, creativity, and how the underground shaped everything that followed in modern dance music. If you care about acid house, rave history, warehouse culture, or the roots of UK club music, this episode is essential. 🎧 Take your time with this one. We talk about: 🔊 Discovering acid house and UK rave culture 🏭 The life-changing first trip to The Haçienda 🎧 Playing alongside DJs before they became household names 🚓 Illegal warehouse parties and dodging the police 🔧 Building sound systems inside abandoned spaces 🔒 The night that led to prison 🚗 Surviving a serious car crash ⚡ How the underground shaped modern dance music For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: [email protected]