Well hello to everyone!
How was your week? Fabulous as always, I bet! Or is it just me, being in amazing mood all the time from the moment I open my eyes until I go to sleep? If this is the case and I’m the only one, we have a problem here Huston.
Maybe it’s only because of the place you live in. And that’s a really easy thing to solve. Just jump on your fancy jet and set directions to Ibiza. I swear there must be something going on in the air here. Some weird magnetic force generating only positive energy around that makes you forget about bad things and dive into the hippie vibe of the island straight away…
Or maybe delish ice cold drinks at cool beach clubs are the origin to my nonstop happiness, that might be the case as well when I think about it..
Besides the natural beauty and greenery that will boost you up with energy, don’t forget, that we can have a pretty good fun here as well.
White Island has had always certain something…something almost secret-like. You know the saying “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas” , well I think the same can be applied to Ibiza as well. Those stories and situations that must have happened here and we don’t have a clue, aaargh… (correction, you don’t. I do, but I’d like to see myself as a “doesn’t kiss and tell” type of a girl…at least in some things.
The island has a truly wild reputation, one that has been passed down from one generation to the next. Kate Moss, Freddie Mercury, Bob Dylan, Paris Hilton…they all have their stories. Probably, only half of them is known, but even that’s more than enough in some cases I’d say. Let’s go through the Ibiza party history together.
HIPPIE BEGINNINGS
Everything began in the ‘60s when some of the left-leaning famous faces of that time escaped their homes to be part of a hippie culture emerging in Ibiza. Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell were among the free-love artsy crowd grouping in the island, known as the “hairies” for their liberally long locks.
Don’t think they were just smelling flowers holding hands, they knew exactly how to party, just without the disco ball.
THE WORKSHOP OF FORGETFULNESS
Pretty interesting name to give a club if you ask me, very intriguing indeed. In ’78 Antonio Escohotado converted an old finca into the nightlife destination with a dance floor. Playing a crucial role in introducing new kinds of house music, it welcomed Danny Rampling, Johnny Waler, Paul Oakenfold or Nicky Holloway for instance. This club is still operating today, under a different name though: Amnesia if that rings a bell..
FREDDIE MERCURY’S BIRTHDAY
We all want to experience at least one mind-blowing birthday party, or maybe two or three.. or have an epic celebration every single year. Yes, these days are important and special, for sure. Imagine how special it would be if you have the no-budget situation, the will and amazing location. Just like Queen frontman Freddie. He threw his 41st birthday party in ’87 at the Pikes Hotel in Ibiza. His party went crazy all the way, with endless flow of Champagne, flamenco dancers, a huge firework display spelling his name and over 700 guests including Bon Jovi, Jean-claude Van Damme, Naomi Campbell, Kyle Minogue or Julio Iglesias.
It still has been described as the most lavish excess the Mediterranean island had ever seen. I’m jealous now…
ACID HOUSE
Music is very important topic when speaking about Ibiza. Especially in the early beginnings, when the island only started to rise in this area. Origin of house music is tracked back to Chicago, if you haven’t heard, and when it reached Europe, the night scene latched on immediately. Acid house, a receptive trance-like music style, leading often to hours of dancing, made its first appearance in ‘80s in Ibiza, and from then on, the island has decided to stick with it apparently.
KU/PRIVILEGE
Ku was a massive nightlife destination that used to be ‘the’ place in Ibiza throwing up the elaborate and extravagant parties driving in major stars and designers, such as Grace Jones, Valentino Garavani or Jean Paul Gaultier. Former creator of the golden era of this club, Faruk Gandji, reminisces about the good times spilling the beans: once he was in the changing room with many naked girls, when all of a sudden Enrique Mujica (Spanish Minister of Justice) knocked on the door.
Faruk invited him in, but after some time when the minister found himself surrounded by 25 nude girls, all of them staring at him, his face turned red and ran off exclaiming “no, no, no, no, I can’t!”. Yes, these things happen in Ibiza (well I’m sure that most of the time without running off though) Later in ’95 Ku became Privilege, following the philosophy of most spectacular parties on the planet.
FYI it’s said to be the largest nightclub in the world, hosting approx 10 thousands people, so bring a GPS when you’ll go.
MANUMISSION
If you haven’t studied latin by any chance, this term means freedom from slavery. Manumission parties/movement changed the landscape of Ibiza’s nightlife in ’94. It allowed to experience the entire entertainment, mixing music, theatre, performance art and shows. Some clubs in Ibiza take the example and entertain not only with a hot DJ or cold drinks, but also with the extravaganza around.
Although Manumission parties ended in ’09, you never know what’s going to happen next season…
CATWALK SHOW
The island became popular destination for the model elite as well. Some enjoying their free time with the closest, some hazardously posing on the rocks for next Harper’s Bazaar editorial and some hunting for gentlemen with a yacht in their pocket. Linda Evangelista, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Cambell or some of Victoria’s Secret Angels have been spotted here. And then, there’s Kate Moss, a frequent visitor, who did find herself dismissed from the DJ stage at Amnesia when she tried to spin in ’08. Didn’t she get the Ibicencan sacred rule: DJs are gods here?
THE OLD RULES
The way things were done before was really different, the openings and closings were free for everyone for instance. I’m not the one to complain, thanks to the island grey eminence I have very good relationships with, I’m very welcomed everywhere. It’s just for you guys to know that only few years ago, you didn’t have to hire a concierge to get your tickets with a VIP table.
That ship has sailed though! Club owners and party throwers didn’t have to ask for permits, the party went on and if anyone complained about the noise, they just had to pay a fine or manage to get them to take it back. There wasn’t the same competition going on, when one of the clubs organized a party it did so in a way that did not interfere with other parties in other clubs so everyone could go to all of them.
That’s great actually, I wish this would stay the same. Despite that, there was certain amount of rivalry between clubs, they just used to solve things differently than with whose line-up kicks ass more. Back then it was much simpler, they would just cut club’s generator cables or slash the tyres on an owner car. Pretty easy and much more fair in comparison with today’s backstage scheming.
Anyways, Ibiza party scene has been very happening till today. Let me tell you, the openings I went to this week were crazy and this is just a beginning!
I wanted to wish you fab party time, Freddie-like, but I don’t think all of you can handle that. So instead I’ll wish you having a blast that you consider being appropriate. You don’t have to be upset that you’re not the perfect party animal, as I mentioned before, Ibiza has lots of faces offering something for everyone.
Talk to you next week!
XX
Your MISS GOSSIP