As interviews with heavyweights go, 50% of this article would probably have been enough. Only, as it happens we managed to chat to both Carl Cox and Eats Everything, and having got both of their attentions at once, decided it was only right to get them to compare notes on their shared spiritual home: Ibiza.Carl Cox is a name that probably means Ibiza in some languages and while using the word 'legend' might make you sound like you're pre-drinking with a university hockey team, it is one of the few terms that stretches far enough to cover Cox's reputation. Eats Everything, AKA Daniel Pearce, might be a generation behind Cox but has quickly scaled similar heights through his bassy selections and distinct take on house music.
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The pair of them are appearing together as part of Manchester's transmission series this friday. The night, appropriately titled Carl Cox & Friends, will be a rare opportunity to catch the pair on the same bill away from the white isle. Together they have a better collected knowledge of the island than anybody. So consider this: Trip Advisor meets Resident Advisor, a B2B A-Z featuring house drops and pin drops. Thump are pleased to present, Carl Cox and Eats Everything's essential guide to Ibiza…
THUMP: Okay guys. Where is the best spot on the island to relax on a day off?
Carl Cox: It can be pretty hard for me to relax on the island, cos I'm pretty well known there now. If I'm ever on a beach, straight away someone will ask for a picture. So, I tend to stay in the villa that we rent every year - we have people over and have barbecues there.
Eats Everything: I really like a restaurant called Amante, where I got married. It's owned by Dave Piccioni who used to run AVULI records back in the day. It is built into a cliff so you go, listen to good music, eat good food, and then you can go down a couple of floors to this mezzanine level outside with loads of beds and bean bags. Super relaxing but not super wanky.What about the best beach?
CC: Years ago when nobody knew who I was I would have said Salinas. It's pretty well known but with all the sail boats going past, it can be so beautiful. It's still quite hippyish which I like.
EE: I think Benirras. I've always been a bit of a sun sceptic: it happens every day, what's the big fucking deal? It's never something I've been massively into. Then on this one monday I was on Benirras beach, drinking mojitos, people were playing bongos, getting stoned. I'm not a big stoner, I smoke weed maybe once or twice a year, and…I fucking hate telling this story…but I got a bit emotional. I sound like such an arsehole but I couldn't help but applaud the sunset that evening. It took me until my 30s to appreciate the sunset.
Carl Cox: It can be pretty hard for me to relax on the island, cos I'm pretty well known there now. If I'm ever on a beach, straight away someone will ask for a picture. So, I tend to stay in the villa that we rent every year - we have people over and have barbecues there.
Eats Everything: I really like a restaurant called Amante, where I got married. It's owned by Dave Piccioni who used to run AVULI records back in the day. It is built into a cliff so you go, listen to good music, eat good food, and then you can go down a couple of floors to this mezzanine level outside with loads of beds and bean bags. Super relaxing but not super wanky.What about the best beach?
CC: Years ago when nobody knew who I was I would have said Salinas. It's pretty well known but with all the sail boats going past, it can be so beautiful. It's still quite hippyish which I like.
EE: I think Benirras. I've always been a bit of a sun sceptic: it happens every day, what's the big fucking deal? It's never something I've been massively into. Then on this one monday I was on Benirras beach, drinking mojitos, people were playing bongos, getting stoned. I'm not a big stoner, I smoke weed maybe once or twice a year, and…I fucking hate telling this story…but I got a bit emotional. I sound like such an arsehole but I couldn't help but applaud the sunset that evening. It took me until my 30s to appreciate the sunset.
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What present shall I bring home for my mum?
CC: I reckon a Space T Shirt. So your mum can walk around getting knowing looks.
EE: Bottle of Hierbas, for sure.Best set you've ever seen on the island?
CC: Loco Dice at DC 10. He used to experiment with house on that terrace. The way he played it, it was offbeat but still had this funk to it. Some amazing DJs played there, but the way he executed his sound always got me out of my villa to see him. He was bloody awesome. There is a reason he is where he is now.
EE: The best DJ set I've ever seen, not just on the island, was Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk. It was on the Space Terrace, late 1990s, just when Daft Punk were breaking through. He looked like the most scared man I've ever seen, no crowd interaction - he was just playing the most chunky, funky French house-disco stuff. He had three decks, spinning two copies of the same record, spinning them back. Then he stopped the music, lent over and picked the mixer up. He took it out of its casing and started unplugging the phono leads, then tapping the exposed leads on his arm and using the feedback as a bassline. Then a kick came in, followed by a hi-hat, then a ride; so every 16 beats something else was happening. The whole place fucking exploded. The best DJ set I've ever seen.Best place for cocktails?
CC: Probably the Blue Marlin. They want to give you the very best in quality. If you have a cocktail there it feels special.
EE: Blue Marlin is rather pricey - but yeah it's a lovely place.
CC: I reckon a Space T Shirt. So your mum can walk around getting knowing looks.
EE: Bottle of Hierbas, for sure.Best set you've ever seen on the island?
CC: Loco Dice at DC 10. He used to experiment with house on that terrace. The way he played it, it was offbeat but still had this funk to it. Some amazing DJs played there, but the way he executed his sound always got me out of my villa to see him. He was bloody awesome. There is a reason he is where he is now.
EE: The best DJ set I've ever seen, not just on the island, was Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk. It was on the Space Terrace, late 1990s, just when Daft Punk were breaking through. He looked like the most scared man I've ever seen, no crowd interaction - he was just playing the most chunky, funky French house-disco stuff. He had three decks, spinning two copies of the same record, spinning them back. Then he stopped the music, lent over and picked the mixer up. He took it out of its casing and started unplugging the phono leads, then tapping the exposed leads on his arm and using the feedback as a bassline. Then a kick came in, followed by a hi-hat, then a ride; so every 16 beats something else was happening. The whole place fucking exploded. The best DJ set I've ever seen.Best place for cocktails?
CC: Probably the Blue Marlin. They want to give you the very best in quality. If you have a cocktail there it feels special.
EE: Blue Marlin is rather pricey - but yeah it's a lovely place.
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Best hotel room?
CC: I think it is a really good experience if you can rent somewhere up in the hills. The villas you can find, and split between people, aren't that expensive and you can have completely your own experience.
EE: Hotel Hacienda. It's in a real far corner of the island, but a beautiful place.Best place to start a night?
CC: I think one of the most underrated clubs on the island, to this day, is Underground. It's such a nice club - I don't know why it isn't on the radar more.
EE: Yeah I really like Underground as well. It's just such a wicked little club, I'm going to play there a few times this summer. Few minutes down the road from Amnesia, perfect place to get the night started.Best place to end a night?
CC: The one and only Space club. I've seen that club develop and I've grown with it. I can't see myself talking about any other club - the history and the memories just go back such a long way. That would be where I had my very last party.
EE: For me, just, juuust, and in full flow, it is the Amnesia terrace. Personally, when it is rolling there is no better dance-floor in the world. The only thing the Space Discoteca doesn't have is the magic when the sun comes up and it gets light.
CC: I think it is a really good experience if you can rent somewhere up in the hills. The villas you can find, and split between people, aren't that expensive and you can have completely your own experience.
EE: Hotel Hacienda. It's in a real far corner of the island, but a beautiful place.Best place to start a night?
CC: I think one of the most underrated clubs on the island, to this day, is Underground. It's such a nice club - I don't know why it isn't on the radar more.
EE: Yeah I really like Underground as well. It's just such a wicked little club, I'm going to play there a few times this summer. Few minutes down the road from Amnesia, perfect place to get the night started.Best place to end a night?
CC: The one and only Space club. I've seen that club develop and I've grown with it. I can't see myself talking about any other club - the history and the memories just go back such a long way. That would be where I had my very last party.
EE: For me, just, juuust, and in full flow, it is the Amnesia terrace. Personally, when it is rolling there is no better dance-floor in the world. The only thing the Space Discoteca doesn't have is the magic when the sun comes up and it gets light.
I'm drunk, what shall I get to eat?
CC: Spaghetti Bolognese will always sort you out. It's carbs and meat. Doesn't have to be the best one in the world, but it is a one stop shop.
EE: Ah that pizza hatch on the main strip - if you can find it when you're rolling out of Space.Weirdest, most wonderful memory of Ibiza?
CC: I think, my 37th Birthday party. I was wearing a blonde wig, a toga and a pair of adidas trainers. It was a long day and a long night for me, and I somehow ended up in an orange grove, trying to sunbathe. I was thinking, "I can get to Space through the orange grove", but just stopped there. I could hear the music but didn't know where it was coming from.
EE: To be honest, staying at Carl Cox's villa. I've probably been to watch him, in my life as a raver, between 50 and 75 times. So to find myself playing his night, and staying at his villa, was amazing. I woke up one morning, was the first one up, and ended up sat in the kitchen with Carl. We just chatted for hours about our careers and swapped records. The next day we watched Austin Powers: Goldmember. Fucking surreal mate.The tune that always saves your skin?
CC: One track I always enjoy playing, and could play any time, is Joe Smooth "Promised Land".
EE: There's not one I always play. Probably Robert Armani, "Circus Bells (Hardfloor Remix)". If you want a track to tear the roof off in peak time, that's the one.Read some more about Manchester's transmission series here.Follow Angus on Twitter.
CC: Spaghetti Bolognese will always sort you out. It's carbs and meat. Doesn't have to be the best one in the world, but it is a one stop shop.
EE: Ah that pizza hatch on the main strip - if you can find it when you're rolling out of Space.Weirdest, most wonderful memory of Ibiza?
CC: I think, my 37th Birthday party. I was wearing a blonde wig, a toga and a pair of adidas trainers. It was a long day and a long night for me, and I somehow ended up in an orange grove, trying to sunbathe. I was thinking, "I can get to Space through the orange grove", but just stopped there. I could hear the music but didn't know where it was coming from.
EE: To be honest, staying at Carl Cox's villa. I've probably been to watch him, in my life as a raver, between 50 and 75 times. So to find myself playing his night, and staying at his villa, was amazing. I woke up one morning, was the first one up, and ended up sat in the kitchen with Carl. We just chatted for hours about our careers and swapped records. The next day we watched Austin Powers: Goldmember. Fucking surreal mate.The tune that always saves your skin?
CC: One track I always enjoy playing, and could play any time, is Joe Smooth "Promised Land".
EE: There's not one I always play. Probably Robert Armani, "Circus Bells (Hardfloor Remix)". If you want a track to tear the roof off in peak time, that's the one.Read some more about Manchester's transmission series here.Follow Angus on Twitter.