Irvine Welsh Plots TV Drama About Electronic Dance Music

LONDON: Fulwell 73 is developing a new drama series loosely based on the exploits of superstar DJs Danny Rampling, Paul Oakenfold and Nicky Holloway, all of whom are attached to the project.

The series, Ibiza87, will be written by Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting, Filth) and Dean Cavanagh. The story begins in 1987 and follows as a group of friends from South London went from virtual nobodies to world-famous DJs, introducing the world to acid house and balearic beats, ultimately beginning the Electronic Dance Music revolution. Ibiza87 will follow the rollercoaster highs and lows, drug-fueled excess and untold riches through to the rivalries, violence and arrests of an important period in British music culture.

Ibiza87 is produced by Leo Pearlman at Fulwell 73 and executive produced by Josephine Rose for Sony Pictures International.

Pearlman said: “This is the story of a youth culture movement that swept a nation and eventually the world, the wider cultural impact it had and the legacy it left behind. Our aim is to make anyone who lived it look back with misty eyes and anyone who missed it wish they’d been along for the ride and in Irvine and Dean we have the perfect writers on board to achieve that goal.”

Welsh commented: “The house music scene and most importantly, the friendships made, the adventures had and crazy tales swapped, have been a pivotal part of our lives over the years. Those beats, pills and travels (whether to the other side of the world or across the town) shaped a generation, and the opportunity to construct a drama within this backdrop is a dream come true.”

Oakenfold added: “I’m very excited about this project. As you know, it ties in with the 30-year anniversary of our trip to Ibiza and what followed thereafter—the birth of the dance music club and festival scene as we know it today. It’s great to celebrate with this project as well as my world tour this year, which is about just that, three generations of dance music.”