Episode #11
Pez Tellett: When The Dj Was Everything | S02 Ep11
Before Spotify, playlists and algorithms decided what we listened to, there was one person who could make or break your Saturday night: The DJ. This week on The Gen-X-Perience Podcast, Stacey Jackson and Roy Basnett are joined by Liverpool DJ and broadcaster Pez Tellett for a nostalgic trip through the rise of DJ culture - from the underground dance floors of the 1980s, through the huge club scene of the 1990s and into the very different world of DJing today. Pez was there as dance music itself was changing. In the mid-80s he was part of Liverpool’s emerging club scene as DJs experimented with soul, funk, electro, rare groove, hip-hop and the new sound that would soon become known simply as house music. He went on to become part of Liverpool’s celebrated club culture, with sets associated with venues including The Buzz and Club 051, alongside a broadcasting career that included Radio City. Archive mixes featuring Pez from those clubs are still being listened to by nostalgic clubbers decades later. Together, Pez, Stacey and Roy reminisce about the records, the clubs, the personalities and the nights out that defined a generation - and how completely the way we discover and consume music has changed. Because for Gen X, music wasn’t instantly available. You waited for the radio to play the song. You went into record shops. You discovered tracks on the dance floor. And sometimes the only person in the room who knew exactly what that incredible record was… was the bloke standing behind the decks. There are plenty of brilliant anecdotes along the way, a healthy dose of Liverpool nostalgia and, naturally, the usual Gen-X-Perience detours. From vinyl and packed dance floors to streaming, social media and algorithms, this is the story of how the DJ went from being the person in the corner playing records to becoming a cultural force in their own right. And the big question: was clubbing simply better when the DJ was everything? This is Pez Tellett: When the DJ Was Everything | Ep11 S02. Hosted by Stacey Jackson and Roy Basnett. Produced by Laura Basnett. Classic Pez Tellett club sets can also be found in the Liverpool Old Skool archive. Follow @thegenxperiencepodcast on Instagram and TikTok.
