Pre Retro time, around the mid to late 1980’s Paul Taylor had been playing underground jazz funk, Disco, Tamla Motown and northern soul from the 70’s in the club, he established a unique sound with a unique Balearic feel, right in the heart of Lancashire.
In 1989 RETRO was born. Paul hand picked the best local talent who had been slipping under the radar as the warm up guys. People like Markus Kaye, Rick B (local heroes) and many more were now given the chance to step up and a new wave was born. They quickly became a solid team with a great ear for good dance music.
The crowds kept coming and Angels became more iconic due to it’s unique and different approach. They were discovering their own sound but sticking with great tunes. Paul decided that too much music was being quickly forgotten in favour of the self perpetuating need for “new jocks” to try and create a the “new sound”.
He came up with the theory that so many great tunes were too quickly being shelved that he decided to dedicate Friday nights to lost gems from the great musical era that was 1985 to 1991, when hip hop and acid house was in its prime… and Retro was born, emerging from a music policy devoid of any house genres – a party in its own right.
Angels became so popular that it eventually burst leading to sellout gigs all over the country. When the monumental front doors of Angels finally closed in 1996 (blame Burnley Council) the brand had given credibility to the club classics concept. Retro then quickly made a huge impact on the Balearics, and in particular, as the big success story on the white isle during 2000, bestowed the award of “best newcomer” by Mixmag.
The Retro brand has been firmly welcomed in Ibiza since 1999 with a residency in Eden, Es Paradis and more recently took the roof off Pacha for three seasons with Paul being the main resident on the hugely popular Pacha Classics night every Sunday. During that period Pacha asked Paul to produce and compile a three-CD compilation, which became the biggest selling album in Ibiza’s history and is still selling in large quantities around the world as one of the island’s musical must-haves.
Essential Republik is proud to present an official range of retro clothing, headwear and accessories.
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