Born in Dartford, educated in Rochester and inspired in his teens by the underground soul scene of the late seventies (and the music of the time…by the likes of Funkadelic, James Brown & Evelyn “Champagne” King) Pete’ first DJ job was at a wedding. He was 15 years old. A natural born entrepreneur, he began promoting local bands, booking gigs in a nearby town hall and – as part of the Kent ‘Soul Mafia’ – playing black soul & dance music in every club that would give him a gig. After leaving school, he bought a Transit van and set up his own sound system.There are few individuals in the world of dance music who can claim the kind of influence Pete Tong has had over the last twenty years. As the voice of Radio 1’s prestigious dance programming, Pete has held a commanding presence over the industry for more than two decades. His unique position has earned him a reputation as the global ambassador of dance music. With an unparalleled ear for new talent, Tong has become the leading tastemaker of the electronic generation. While he’s known publicly as Pete Tong the DJ, behind the scenes, he’s an industry icon.