Carl Cox on Over 30 Years of DJ’ing

Early Doors Club Podcast – Episode 1

In this episode of the Early Doors Club Podcast, we revisit a powerful and reflective interview with Carl Cox, originally broadcast on Channel 4 News, where he speaks with Krishnan Guru-Murthy about a lifetime dedicated to music, culture, and the dancefloor.

Carl Cox is one of the original superstar DJs of the late 80s and 90s and a true pioneer of UK club culture to this day. From the acid house explosion and unregulated warehouse parties to global festivals, clubs, and Ibiza residencies, Carl has not only witnessed the evolution of electronic music,  he helped shape it.

In this conversation, Carl reflects on over 30 years of DJ’ing, discussing how his craft has evolved, how the music industry has changed, and why he still believes deeply in the power of the dancefloor. He also shares candid thoughts on the current challenges facing the British entertainment industry, particularly for grassroots venues and emerging artists.

One of the most compelling moments sees Carl open up about a terrifying personal experience that nearly caused him to walk away from music altogether, a reminder that even icons face moments of doubt, fear, and vulnerability.

The interview also connects closely to Carl’s autobiography, Oh Yes, Oh Yes!, which charts his journey from a south London scaffolder to one of the most respected and influential figures in global dance music,  a story rooted in passion, perseverance, and belief in the culture.

This episode is part of Early Doors Club’s wider mission to document, preserve, and celebrate the people and stories that built club culture, while reflecting on how that culture continues to evolve today.

Episode highlights:

• Carl Cox on 30+ years behind the decks
• How DJ craft and technology have evolved over decades
• The rise of acid house from Chicago to UK raves
• The importance of unregulated party culture in shaping British nightlife
• Concerns for the future of the UK entertainment and club industry
• The moment Carl nearly walked away from his career
• Why he’s still DJ’ing, still learning, and still passionate

Credits:
Interview originally broadcast on Channel 4 News
Interviewer: Krishnan Guru-Murthy
All rights belong to their respective owners. This episode is shared for cultural commentary, reflection, and education.

Welcome to the Early Doors Club Podcast. It’s finally here! 

A space that brings together our event news, resident DJ mixes, interviews, and moments of history that tap into nostalgia while reflecting on how club culture, music, and communities are always evolving.

Early Doors Club explores the music, people, and cultural movements that shaped generations of ravers and clubbers and continues to influence dance floors today. Some episodes will make you smile, some might make you think, but all of them are rooted in a genuine love of the music and the people around it.

Over the last three years, we’ve built a growing community of like-minded people online through Instagram and Facebook, but most importantly in real life at our early evening events in Newcastle upon Tyne. This podcast is an extension of that community.

At its heart, Early Doors Club is about creating safe, inclusive spaces that put the music first. No hype. No superstar DJs.  Just honest conversations, proper musical journeys, and shared memories.

If you’re new to EDC, here’s a quick low-down.

Our events are built around five and a half hours of uninterrupted house through to techno, start to finish. Played by resident DJs with over thirty years of experience; DJs who know the room, trust their instincts, and aren’t boxed in by genres or trends. Expect big, banging, emotional records… house, progressive, techno, disco, breaks, and leftfield curves, all stitched together with care and intent.

One of our favourite moments is seeing new faces walk through the doors and completely get it within the first hour. That point where people relax, smile, and realise they’re in a room where the music genuinely matters and the crowd does too.

Our events run bi-monthly on Saturdays from 5pm to 10:30pm. You get the full club experience without losing your Sunday.

And then there’s the community itself. Safe. Friendly. Open. Knowledgeable. Music-lovers who come to listen, dance, connect, and let go and who trust us to take them on a journey.

If you still love house and techno but feel priced out, disconnected, or bored of the usual club format, this is us saying: there is another way. Something new but strangely familiar.

We have 6 events in 2026 and our third birthday, taking us officially into our fourth year of Early Doors Club. People can’t make every event, we understand that, but ticket sales keep growing, and the family keeps expanding. Once you try it, we say, you’re in forever.

Anyway… back to the podcast.

If you enjoy what you hear, please remember to hit subscribe, it really helps more like-minded people find us. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, where we share mixes, clips, archive footage, and community moments.

And if this resonates with you, please pass it on.

Remember: Music is our shared DNA.

Thanks for being here, we hope you enjoy the journey.

After seven years of Progressive House UK, this is the final ever mix.

It felt important that the last chapter truly represented what PHUK has always stood for — a harder, more original take on progressive house. Music with darker edges and subtle light and shade. Groovy, edgy, hypnotic and functional, wrapped in atmosphere rather than trends. The kind of mix that would sit comfortably alongside the early Global Underground releases, Nu Breed series, or a classic Renaissance compilation. Timeless, not disposable.

I want to say a genuine thank you to every artist whose music I’ve had the privilege of playing over the years. To the DJs I’ve worked alongside, the partnerships that were formed, and the countless conversations, messages and moments that came with it — thank you. To every DJ who took the time to submit a mix and trusted the platform, your contribution helped shape what PHUK became.

And most of all, thank you to the listeners. Seven years of podcasts, over 300,000 downloads in just four years — that still blows my mind. None of this would have existed without you showing up, tuning in, sharing, and supporting the music.

Progressive House UK closes here, with pride and gratitude.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

Danny

end of an era. tracklist:

1. Analog Jungs.Smiles [Hope Recordings]
2. John Creamer & Stephane K. I Wish You Were Here (Acapella)
3. Cendryma. Override (Luis Damora Remix) [PURRFECTION]
4. John Cosani. Snano [Sudbeat]
5. HAFT, Peyman S. Reflections [AV1Tamin]
6. Yonsh. Rebirth Of The Last [Manual Music]
7. Joaquin Salmain. Concentrate [Mango Alley]
8. Matthew Sona. Ripple [Mango Alley]
9. John Cosani. Idid [Sudbeat]
10. Kamilo Sanclemente. Unknown Destination (Extended Mix)
11. HAFT. Vortex [Mango Alley]
12. Gai Barone. Fractals (HAFT Extended Remix) [Univack]
13. Kamilo Sanclemente & Sebastian Valencia. (COL) Anomaly [Melody of the Soul]
14. Samuel. Initiate [Droid9]
15. Agustin Pietrocola. Damage (Original Mix) [UV Noir]
16. Bachir Salloum. Alma [Mango Alley]
17. Guy J. Alive Again (Original Mix)
18. Cloaked. Compress [Mango Alley]
19. Guy J. Worlds Apart [Early Morning]
20. Jam & Spoon. Stella (Kölsch Remix Long) [ISPO]
21. Active Child. Johnny Belinda [Original Album Version)

December’s final resident mix from SPICE

As PHUK wraps up 2025 we share a last resident mix from Doogie Mustard.

1. Nichols + Roark - Empyrean (Matthew Sona Remix) [Manual Music]
2. Fishplant - Smoke Waves In Sunbeams (Andre Moret Remix) [The Soundgarden]
3. Taylan - Vanishing (Original Mix) [Sunexplosion]
4. Re-flection - Exosphere (Original Mix) [Protagonist Dark]
5. Following Light, Nitemer - Attractive (Original Mix) [Dopamine White]
6. Maysot - Entropis (Original Mix) [AH Digital]
7. Anthony Pappa, Fauxplay - Waterfall (Original Mix) [Music To Die For]
8. EDLands - I Live In Hope (Original Mix) [OLD SQL Recordings]
9. IVADRO - Galaxy (Original Mix) [Stellar Black]
10. PAAX (Tulum) - Who Das (Hernan Cattaneo, Marcelo Vasami Remix) [Songuara]
11. Lucas Pietra - So Blue (Original Mix) [Another Life Music]
12. Damian M - Raid Of Dream (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection South America]
13. Aradya - Lyric (Doriaan Remix) [Undergroove Music]
14. Kroth (BR) - Magnetic Fields (Original Mix) [South America Avenue]
15. Stereo Munk & Dublew - Goliath (Matthew Sona Remix) [Shady&Friends]
16. HAFT - Sleepwalker (Original Mix) [Luum Records]
17. Guy J - Element (Original Mix) [Global Underground]
18. Guy J - A Moment Of Clarity (Original Mix) [Global Underground]
19. Tantum - Oh Grey World (Original Mix) [Keep My Letters]
20. Samuel (LK) - Echoes (Original Mix) [SLC-6 Music]
21. Pato Pesoa - Nightflow (Original Mix) [South America Avenue]
22. Gabbe (AR) - The Key (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection]
23. Seycel - Distant Light (Original Mix) [SLC-6 Music]
24. Nikko Mavridis - Soothe (Imagine Souls Remix) [Droid9 South America]
25. SR_TV - Worry & Fear (Original Mix) [Magic Room]

Undergrounded returns for December with over 4 hours of music, as always it's press record and play.

Resident in the mix continues in November with Mark Selby at the helm.

Tracklist:

1. Travis Jesse - Belle Epoque (Astrek Remix)[3rd Avenue]
2. Vagner Silveira - Subliminal (Original Mix)[Kodai]
3. Amháin - Dream One (Original Mix)[HIGHER STATES]
4. Samuel (LK) - Pulse (Casnik Remix)[Droid9]
5. Brann (AR) - The Last Sunlight (MakhmuriaN Remix)[MNL]
6. Sanjay Dutta, Dharmalogy - Blue Beam (Luca Abayan Remix)[SINCITY]
7. Rubia, Leonardo Britto - Mirage (Original Mix)[Cura Records]
8. Aman Anand, Maze 28 - Night Lights (Original Mix)[Platte bank]
9. Jiminy Hop, CannaKid - Chelovek (Max Wexem Remix)[WARPP]
10. Astrek - Warp (Original Mix)[Mantij Recordings]
11. Maze 28 - Glacial (Gav Easby Remix)[inU]
12. Matias Chilano - Emphasis (Original Mix)[Movement Limited]
13. Ivan Lozano, Brian Creao - Now Fire (Original Mix)[Mango Alley]
14. Lucho Bragagnolo - Hypnotized (Original Mix)[Venture Records]
15. Luca Abayan - Remap (Original Mix)[WARPP]
16. David Podhel - Messier 85 (Original Mix)[Mango Alley]
17. Astrek - Dissolve (Original Mix)[Late Night Music]
18. Luca Abayan - Soul Sphere (Original Mix)[Mango Alley]
19. Ilias Katelanos, Plecta - Won't Let Go (Jiminy Hop Remix)[Movement Recordings]
20. Cloaked - Cascade (Dave Walker Remix)[Univack]
21. CAMILA (AR) - Vesper (Original Mix)[ZEF Music]
22. Guy J - Worlds Apart (Original Mix)[Early Morning]
23. Licha Ignacio - Peony (Gowzer Remix)[SLC-6 Music]
24. Donny Carr - Fortunate Sun (Original Mix)[HIGHER STATES]

This months undergrounded mix by RICCO, a 4 hour journey featuring tracks from Dave Walker and Fordal, Lloyd Barwood, Rockka ,Aubrey Fry and more. As always no playlist, just press record and go.

Resident in the mix November continues with SPICE.

1.                    "Surge” (Cosmonaut Remix) – Kyotto. (Movement).
2.                  “Coyote” (Luis Damora Remix) – Chris Cargo. ((F You Wait).
3.                  “Here It Comes” (Original Mix) – B.I.G (AR), Munz (AR). (Polyptych Limited).
4.                  “Override” (Original Mix) – Cendryma. (PURRFECTION).
5.                  “Paper Tiger” (Extended Mix) – HAFT. (Univack).
6.                  “Everglow” (Original Mix) – IGCIO. (RKP).
7.                  “Sunless” (Extended Mix) – Cedren &Manu-I, Influence (IN). (Univack).
8.                  “Inner Atlas” (Extended Mix) – Cary Crank. (Sunexplosion).
9.                  “Naxxar” (Original Mix) – GMJ, Matter. (Sudbeat Music).
10.                “Prism” (Original Mix) – Hobin Rude. (Mango Alley).
11.                “Interlocutor” (Kebin Van Reeken Extended Remix) – Tali Muss. (Univack).
12.                “Sidestorm” (Leandro Murua & ZAHNA Remix) – Zy Khan, Sebastian Ramos. (Transensations).
13.                “Blvd Boundaries” (Daniel Arguedas Remix) – Marchesan. (AH Digital).
14.                “Home” (Original Mix) – Kevin Manning. (Droid9).
15.                “Barrier” (Gav Easby Remix) – Michael A. (inU).
16.                “Deceptions” (EMPHI Remix) – Maze 28. (Movement).
17.                “Portals” (Abity & Tiefstone Remix) – Patch Park, Abity, Tiefstone. (Mango Alley).
18.                “Synesthesia” (Original Mix) – Ruben Karapetyan. (Songspire).
19.                “Vortex” (Kiaro & MakhmuriaN Remix) – HAFT. (Mango Alley).
20.     “The Forgotten” (Remix)(Vitaly Shturm Remix) – Deepfire. (Moussaieff).

Resident in the mix is back with Doogie Mustard at the controls for November.

1. Tiefstone, CAMILA (AR) - The Void (Extended Mix) [Plaisirs Sonores Records]
2. Dhany G, Paul (AR) - Ashes (Extended Mix) [Plaisirs Sonores Records]
3. Subandrio - Luminality (Original Mix) [Synthesis Recordings]
4. Redspace, Kvint - Rocking On A Ship (Extended Mix) [PURRFECTION]
5. Elliott (UY) - Symbiosis (Original Mix) [Droid9]
6. Jiminy Hop & CannaKid - Chevolek (Max Wexem Remix) [WARPP]
7. Aman Anand, Maze 28 - Night Lights (Original Mix) [Plattenbank]
8. Sex Mind, BERDU - Analyse (STEREO MUNK Remix) [Consapevole Recordings]
9. KAZKO - Parallel Motion (Original Mix) [Synthesis Recordings]
10. ShemoW - Yoru No Machi (Original Mix) [Kodai]
11. Kyotto - High Temperature (Original Mix) [Synthesis Recordings]
12. Phillosopher - The Divinity Experience (Cendryma Remix) [Droid9]
13. 2KM - Trust The Process (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection South America]
14. Digital Mess - Reflector (Original Mix) [Protagonist Recordings]
15. Gero Rinaldi - Gravitone (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection South America]
16. D-Mice - Airy (BERDU Remix) [AH Digital]
17. Neuralis - Dana (Redspace & Al Park Remix) [Traful]
18. ODAX - Made By Humans (ShemoW Remix) [Noise In Harmony]
19. Molac - Vanta Black (Cendryma Remix) [Alquimia]
20. Carlos Bacchus, Sebas Ramos - Lapsos (Original Mix) [Droid9]