Don't believe Wikipedia. When it comes to the origin of that infamous singsong Cockney slang phrase, "It's all gone Pete Tong" (Translation: "It's all gone wrong"), the online compendium of crowdsourced information is entirely inaccurate. As Mr. Tong himself will tell you, it wasn't his BBC DJ peers Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley who first brought this sideways slam into popular use. Actually, the ones responsible were the smartass editors who produced millennium-era club kid fanzine, Boy's Own.
Now why exactly was this slag bestowed upon old Pete? Well, simply because he was the biggest DJ in the world at the time.
He'd done everything from witnessed the birth of UK club culture in the mid-'70s to writing about its evolution through the '80s to shaping its worldwide takeover as a London Records A&R exec and BBC superstar tastemaker in the '90s. The man had even begun a career soundtracking and scoring films for big Brit directors like Danny Boyle and Michael Winterbottom.
These days, Tong has settled into his role as EDM's elder statesman, a legend who can take a little friendly abuse. So when you greet him next Wednesday with an overeager "It's All Gone Pete Tong, he'll probably still shake your hand and take your mixtape.
Pete Tong. Wednesday, October 27. Mansion, 1235 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Doors open at 11 p.m. and tickets cost $25 in advance via wantickets.com. Call 305-695-8411 or visit mansionmiami.com.
