Maxumi caught up with Judge Jules as he rocks the notorious club Eden, Ibiza. Between hosting Radio One and promoting long standing Judgement Sundays all in addition to other activities such as gigs and podcasting, Jules gives us insight in to the busiest season of the year.
Hi Jules, you have 16 weeks of Judgement Sundays and you’re only at the beginning of another hectic (but fun) Ibiza season, do you find that time flies by quickly when on the Island?
JJ: Early season, I shuttle in and out for a couple of days each week. The time flies by as it makes the weeks feel shorter. Before you know it I’m back on a plane travelling out again.
Maxumi is dying to hear how the opening night went, tell us all how the 12th season kicked off.
JJ: We opened a week earlier than last year, this is always a risk but I’m glad to say it was a stormer. The atmosphere was typically fantastic and a really great start to the season.
This year there’s been news of drum “n” bass and dubstep hitting the Island and that Judgement Sundays has the 3rd room of Eden dedicated to the genres, do you think that this will be a permanent fixture?
JJ: It seems to be working well for us so far. Having 3 rooms with 3 different genres just makes sense. We have recruited a new resident for the 3rd room called Ben Commins. He’s a fantastic young mash up style DJ who really throws it down.
Are there any unexpected twists that will make the 12th season stand out compared to other seasons?
JJ: The line up is one of the strongest we’ve had in a while. We are lucky to be welcoming back Ferry Corsten- it’s been a couple of years since his last JS appearance so I’m excited to see him blow the roof. There are so many other DJ highlights that I run the risk of forgetting some key names, but here are a few- Eddie Halliwell, Sander Van Doorn, Howard Donald, Micky Slim, the Squatters, Jon O’Callaghan, Arty… To name but a few.
You’ve been described as “having an ear for a good track”, what corkers should clubbers listen out for this season?
JJ: It’s already been a great year for new music- Above & Beyond have just released a new album ‘Group Therapy’ that’s full to the brim of corking new tracks which I’ve been hammering recently.
Do you prefer to hosting Radio shows or Podcasting?
JJ: You can’t beat a live radio show but Podcasting is great musical exposure too. Since starting my Judgement Sundays Podcast I’ve racked up just over 270,000 subscribers. My weekly BBC Radio 1 show is my main love, being able to showcase new music to the world on live radio is a thrill and a privilege.
Judgement Sundays is one of the longest running club nights in Ibiza, and with every season a success have you felt there might have been some areas of the night that needed improvement?
JJ: Every week I’m looking for ways that we can improve and evolve what we do. One of the keys to its success is the enthusiasm that goes into the night from everyone working behind the scenes. None of us settle for anything less than sheer perfection…
What advice would you give to aspiring promoters looking to host a night in Ibiza?
JJ: Even though we’re gradually pulling out of recession, times are still hard and it really is survival of the fittest. My main piece of advice would be to start of small and try to build up a strong following for your brand, growing it patiently.
Do you think the popularity of Eden is down to the success of Judgement Sundays or are there other factors?
JJ: Eden puts a lot of effort into being a great home for Judgement Sundays. We like to work with Eden on constantly improving the venue, passing on feedback not just from us but from clubbers too. It’s a mutual thing..
If you want to catch up on the latest news and tunes visit www.judgejules.net
