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A US-based DJ, who is returning to the island as part of an international tour, has opened up about how growing up in Jersey introduced him to electronic music and shaped the artist he is today.
Music producer and record label founder Michael Hooker (45) recently toured across the US to the UK and Germany.
He said he is "excited" to return home to play a deep house set at the Watersplash on Sunday alongside some of his good friends.
Having lived in Phoenix, Arizona, for the past decade, where he performs at top nightclubs and hosts parties for hundreds of people under his 'Re:Sound Music' brand and label, Mr Hooker credits his island upbringing for shaping his career.
Pictured: Mr Hooker grew up in St Lawrence and attended Victoria College.
He spoke with Express about his introduction to electronic music and the local nightclub scene of the mid-1990s and early 2000s.
He said: "It all started when my school friend gave me a mixtape from a rave in Manchester from around 1991.
"That mixtape was the catalyst for everything. It was like nothing I had ever heard before."
He and a friend began experimenting with turntables at the age of 14, eventually landing a gig at an under-18 event where they were mentored by an older DJ.
"It probably sounded awful as we had no idea what I was doing at the time," Mr Hooker laughed.
The former Victoria College student said: "College was never for me and it felt like a waste of time. I knew that I wanted to find a path within house music for a living.
"I felt like the odd kid with a weird path but it was a direction that I really wanted to follow.
"My career development officer at college had no clue what direction to point me in. There were no pathways at the time.
"There weren't any electronic music courses you could study like you can now."
Sneaking into all-night raves at a nearby club in the mid-1990s exposed the pair to renowned DJs like Carl Cox – an experience he described as a "baptism by fire."
"It went from a school disco atmosphere to all of a sudden being immersed in sweat and heat," Mr Hooker said.
"I immersed myself in the culture and the scene as a whole.
"I wanted to learn as much as possible and to discover new music by hearing these guys play."
Describing the atmosphere at these raves, he said: "It felt like a family and everyone would look out for each other.
"You felt like you could go out on your own and you would feel safe.
"Everyone was there for the music and would leave their inhibitions at the door."
Despite the welcoming atmosphere, Mr Hooker spoke about some of the unacceptable aspects of the industry, which were often overlooked amid a celebratory nostalgia.
This was something he later aimed to combat by creating a positive and inclusive environment at his parties.
"The security at certain clubs and bars could be heavy-handed, misogynistic and discriminatory at times.
"Some of my queer friends felt like they would not be made welcome."
Despite these darker elements, he knew that the electronic music industry was his passion and that by bringing people together through a love of music, he could create something positive.
Mr Hooker started working in a bank before the opportunity arose to run one of the main clubs on the island at the time called The Venue on Beresford Steet – which is now known as ROJO nightclub.
Pictured: ROJO nightclub was formerly The Venue.
At The Venue, Mr Hooker was responsible for booking big-name DJs for Friday and Saturday nights in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
"That really threw me in the deep end and taught me a lot about the business side of the music industry," he said.
"We had a lot of great nights and I was able to showcase a lot of now-big artists before they were as well known.
"With booking artists, the major difference is that back then you would book artists based on their talents as a DJ.
"Very few artists released music so you relied on their performances as an indicator to how successful they were."
Mr Hooker said that clubbing show Rapture TV came to the venue in 2000 to film one of their 'hard-house' nights.
The segment was aired on ITV and Channel 4.
In an extract, clubbers at The Venue nightclub are asked about the local nightlife scene.
“Jersey is the UK’s answer to Ibiza," one glitter-covered raver from the UK told the interviewer.
“You’ve got everything from jungle to house to garage. There is something for everyone every day of the week.
"I first came here five years ago and that's when I discovered dance music.
"I walked through the doors and went: 'This is the life I want.'"
Pictured: “Jersey is the UK’s answer to Ibiza,” a raver at The Venue told Rapture TV.
The footage of scores of visiting and local ravers harks back to a time when Jersey was one of the UK's most popular destination for partying abroad.
During this time, Jersey had a diverse network of bustling clubs and venues across the island and a bottom-up network of underground raves at venues like Inn on the Park, Elizabeth Castle and Fort Regent.
In Rapture TV's 'Guide to Jersey', the presenters noted that a pint of beer in the island cost £1.40 at the time.
The show's top picks for bars were the Warehouse, Barrio, and the Forum Wine Bar, before visiting clubs like The Venue, Maddisons, or Infinity.
Off the back of his experience at The Venue, Mr Hooker started touring and playing at different venues around the world.
After moving to the mainland to spread his wings and play at different venues across the country, he moved to Arizona.
There, Mr Hooker created his record label Re:Sound Music, a multi-dimensional house and techno platform.
He puts on events that are centred around creating a positive environment and a community around music, with a sonic focus on European house and the musical side of techno.
Pictured: Michael Hooker speaks to Rapture TV in 2000 about the nightlife in Jersey during an event at The Venue called 'Out of This World.'
Mr Hooker said: "People are looking for an experience but also want to feel that they are welcome and that they are part of something."
In his spare time, he mentors aspiring music producers in Arizona, Utah, and LA to "support them within their journey in the music industry".
Mr Hooker explained: "The most important thing is learning your craft, getting out and watching and learning from other people.
"It's all about adding value and finding your own touch, learning the craft and the culture.
"The knowledge is the thing you can't download and it is the thing that takes time."
He also spoke about how Jersey's nightlife scene has faced a gradual decline over the years, with only a handful of clubs remaining and a lack of an underground music scene due to restrictive licensing laws and increased regulation.
When asked about the challenges faced by event organisers in Jersey today, Mr Hooker said: "A huge factor is that there is very little guidance when you submit proposals for licenses to put on new events. This deters people from applying.
"You could have the best idea for a bespoke event but it can be daunting to have to submit documents for approval."
Mr Hooker claimed that there has been an increase in "gatekeepers" who are not bringing in fresh faces and new talent to the island.
He explained that only established organisers are trusted to put on events as it is considered less risky, and new faces are often turned away.
Mr Hooker added: "The laws are quite restrictive and it would be great to see the Government focusing more on helping music, arts and culture thrive here."
He explained that it would also provide a "boost" for tourism.
"It's only a short flight from the UK and it would be incredible to have people flying over for concerts and events," said Mr Hooker.
"Likewise, I feel the laws with drinks promotions are very outdated. The cost of living is high and people can't justify going out.
"It's an incentive for people to want to go out and support local businesses if they could offer Happy Hour or Drink Specials."
Words of wisdom
When asked if he had any advice for aspiring event organisers, Mr Hooker said: "The main tip is to embrace the changes and use everything to your advantage.
"Socials and email campaigns to everyone who has purchased tickets previously are the best forms of advertising and they are free. Instagram is an incredible platform for advertising events.
"You can cross-promote with the artist and share videos from previous performances to encourage people to buy tickets for your show."
Mr Hooker is holding an event in Jersey on Sunday 7 April.
'Re:Sound Music X Watersplash takeover' is taking place at the Watersplash from 15:00.
You can find out more HERE.
A ten-minute clip of ravers enjoying Beresford Street's The Venue in 2000 was aired on ITV and Channel 4.
It was produced by Rapture TV, a digital satellite service that combines electronic dance music and extreme sports programming, as part of its 'Trainspotters' series.
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