Rob Tissera on prison, rave culture, Ibiza, and three decades at the top (Part Two)

In Part Two of this extended conversation on The Dexter Jones Podcast, I sit down again with Rob Tissera to dive deep into his life and career after 1991, one of the most versatile and enduring journeys in UK dance music history. From the lawless warehouse raves of late-80s Blackburn to becoming a global name in Ibiza superclubs, Rob shares the full, unfiltered story. This episode is packed with raw honesty, wild memories, and career-defining moments that helped shape rave culture, clubland, and the evolution of UK dance music. Rob opens up about the infamous acid house party that landed him in prison and became a test case connected to the Criminal Justice Bill, a moment that helped change the course of UK rave culture forever. We relive the rise of rave through convoy scenes, motorway shutdowns, and thousands of ravers flooding abandoned warehouses during the golden era. The conversation then moves to Ibiza. Rob reflects on residencies and long summers at Eden, Amnesia, Pacha, Kanya, and El Divino, and how he helped shape the island’s sound across house, trance, and hard house through the 90s and 2000s. We also explore superclub culture and iconic brands, from Godskitchen and Judgement Sundays to Tidy Trax, Garlands, Clockwork Orange, and Kissdafunk, alongside international bookings across Australia, Singapore, Dubai, and beyond. Rob breaks down the music that defined his career, including the stories behind Kick Up The Volume, Quake – The Day Will Come, York – The Awakening, Armin van Buuren – Communication, and placements on the Human Traffic soundtrack. He explains how adapting across genres, from rave and breakbeat to funky house, hard house, and trance, was key to staying relevant for more than three decades. We also revisit the Ibiza workers’ era: the Ship Inn, Shipwrecked boat parties, Dirty Rotten Slut nights, and the culture that made the island feel like a second home to an entire generation. This is not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s a first-hand account of evolution, survival, and why versatility still matters. 🎧 Take your time with this one. We talk about: 🔒 Prison, acid house, and the Criminal Justice Bill 🚚 Convoys, warehouses, and the rise of UK rave culture 🏝️ Ibiza residencies and shaping the island’s sound 🪩 Superclubs, iconic brands, and global touring 🎶 Career-defining productions and remixes 🔄 Adapting across genres to survive long-term ⚡ Workers’ culture, boat parties, and Ibiza folklore 🔮 The future of dance music and genre versatility For guest invitations, sponsorship proposals, and collaboration enquiries, please contact Dexter: [email protected]