Alex Gold’s healthy and extensive career is a testament to house music’s evolution over the past three decades. From witnessing the birth of Ibiza’s legendary club scene to collaborating with icons like Prince and Bryan Adams, Gold has been lurking in the shadows of electronic music’s rise to global prominence. As the founder of Xtravaganza and host of a long-running radio show, his coveted Xtravaganza Mix, he’s shaped sounds, launched careers, and consistently pushed the boundaries of electronic music.
Alex Gold’s healthy and extensive career is a testament to house music’s evolution over the past three decades. From witnessing the birth of Ibiza’s legendary club scene to collaborating with icons like Prince and Bryan Adams, Gold has been lurking in the shadows of electronic music’s rise to global prominence. As the founder of Xtravaganza and host of a long-running radio show, his coveted Xtravaganza Mix, he’s shaped sounds, launched careers, and consistently pushed the boundaries of electronic music.
Connect with Alex Gold on Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud
You have recently dropped a single “A Trip to Tulum”. Can you walk us through the creative process behind this track? What were some of the key inspirations and challenges you faced while producing it?
Last winter, I was working in a studio in Southern California near the border with Mexico, and I was feeling like I needed a little inspiration. I literally thought to myself, “Hmm, I need a trip to Tulum.” So I popped down there for a few days to check out what was going on. I became inspired, and that’s how the track came along. The track, of course, also features some influences of Ibiza.
Can you share a memorable moment or early success in your career that you are reminded of constantly on your path in dance music?
I think the early catalyst for my career was unquestionably my early experiences in the open-air clubs of Ibiza at the time: namely, The KU Club (which later became Privilege) and Amnesia. In those days, neither club had a roof, so you were literally dancing under the stars in the fresh air and moonlight. This was a unique experience back then.
One night in particular springs to mind. It was Grace Jones’ birthday party at the KU Club in June 1989. I was a young, impressionable teen still in college at the time. I remember walking into this tropical paradise of an open-air nightclub and thinking, “Am I really going to play here tonight?” I had never seen any place like this before.
That night, the sky opened up into a subtropical rainstorm, and the bolts of thunder and lightning were like live lighting and sound effects. As the night went on, the grey clouded sky appeared at dawn, and the entire club was still going crazy. This was the year of “French Kiss” by Lil’ Louis. I will never forget this night. The club was packed with celebrities of the time such as George Michael, Sylvester Stallone, Boy George, and Brigitte Nielsen, all going absolutely crazy. I was DJing, and I looked up and saw Grace Jones dancing completely naked on a podium in the rain right in front of me. It was absolute and complete madness.
I was a DJ and part of a promoted holiday to Ibiza with a group of around 400 or so people, and I actually missed all my college exams that year to go on that trip. It was this experience that gave me the name of my record label, club night, and radio show “Xtravaganza”. This word is actually defined in the English dictionary as “a fanciful musical entertainment”.
What or who were the biggest influences, musical or otherwise, that shaped your sound today?
I think Tangerine Dream was a major influence for me, in particular, the soundtrack work they did on the cult classic 80s movie “Risky Business”. Also, Trevor Horn, an early MIDI electronic composer and producer.
Connect with Alex Gold on Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud
Can you share a memorable moment or early success in your career that solidified your path in dance music? Do you think artists of today face similar challenges?
I think having and being involved with two UK No. 1 singles was pivotal – one with Prince (“The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”) and one with Bryan Adams (“Don’t Give Up”). I also released the first-ever track from Armin van Buuren on my label Xtravaganza, a track called “Blue Fear”. And in 2012, I was involved with the official theme tune to the London Olympic Games: Public Enemy’s “Harder Than You Think”. These were all pivotal moments in my career, amongst many others.
Can you share a memorable moment or early success in your career that you are reminded of constantly on your path in dance music?
I think the early catalyst for my career was unquestionably my early experiences in the open-air clubs of Ibiza at the time: namely, The KU Club (which later became Privilege) and Amnesia. In those days, neither club had a roof, so you were literally dancing under the stars in the fresh air and moonlight. This was a unique experience back then.
One night in particular springs to mind. It was Grace Jones’ birthday party at the KU Club in June 1989. I was a young, impressionable teen still in college at the time. I remember walking into this tropical paradise of an open-air nightclub and thinking, “Am I really going to play here tonight?” I had never seen any place like this before.
That night, the sky opened up into a subtropical rainstorm, and the bolts of thunder and lightning were like live lighting and sound effects. As the night went on, the grey clouded sky appeared at dawn, and the entire club was still going crazy. This was the year of “French Kiss” by Lil’ Louis. I will never forget this night. The club was packed with celebrities of the time such as George Michael, Sylvester Stallone, Boy George, and Brigitte Nielsen, all going absolutely crazy. I was DJing, and I looked up and saw Grace Jones dancing completely naked on a podium in the rain right in front of me. It was absolute and complete madness.
I was a DJ and part of a promoted holiday to Ibiza with a group of around 400 or so people, and I actually missed all my college exams that year to go on that trip. It was this experience that gave me the name of my record label, club night, and radio show “Xtravaganza”. This word is actually defined in the English dictionary as “a fanciful musical entertainment”.
What or who were the biggest influences, musical or otherwise, that shaped your sound today?
I think Tangerine Dream was a major influence for me, in particular, the soundtrack work they did on the cult classic 80s movie “Risky Business”. Also, Trevor Horn, an early MIDI electronic composer and producer.
In house music circles, New York-based Todd Terry and Larry Levan, and Italian-based Joe T. Vannelli also inspired me a great deal. Joe’s classic track “Don’t Deal with Us” was a major influence for me in 1989. I ended up having a UK top 40 hit with a track called “Liberation” in 1992, which featured the classic piano break from “Don’t Deal with Us”.
Also, having worked with many German labels during the early/mid-90s, I was a regular at clubs like Dorian Gray in and under Frankfurt airport, where artists like the late Torsten Fenslau and Jam & Spoon would spin. These guys really captured that very special melodic Central European techno vibe which helped shape my personal sound as well.
Looking ahead, what are some of the exciting projects or goals you have on the horizon? Are there any new genres, collaborations, or ideas you are looking forward to?
Yes, I’m looking at some collaborations right now, but honestly, I’m just hitting the studio and making some great tracks. I’m very excited about what I’m doing right now, and one of my recent collaborations with an extremely talented singer-songwriter, Gid Sedgwick, is organically growing on Spotify, so I’m excited about that.
Congrats on 25 years of your radio show, Xtravaganza! How do your mixes on Xtravaganza compare to your live sets? What differences are there in your preparation for them and overall sound?
Actually, there are no differences. The show is presented as an hour-long mix, and I guess you could say it would resemble a festival set. In previous times, I was well known for my 3-4 hour sunrise sets. I would say the show is a condensed version of that, always with a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Where can we see you playing next? Are there any venues that will be your first time playing at? If so, where?
At the moment, I’m concentrating on getting my musical releases and catalog up and running again after taking some time out. When it feels right, I will be returning to the live circuit, most likely during 2025.
Thank you.
