Silent flight. Ibiza style and the mythical figure of Frankie Wilde. Did a deaf DJ really exist? The world's first deaf DJ

the field must not be empty Frankie Wilde is a fictional character. It's All Gone Pete Tong is a 2004 British comedy film about a DJ who goes completely deaf but manages to return to his profession. The film is made in a pseudo-documentary style, where real famous DJs Pete Tong, Carl Cox, Tiësto, Paul van Dyk and others act as commentators. The main roles were played by British comedian Paul Kay (DJ Frankie) and Canadian comedian Mike Wilmot (DJ Frankie's agent). The original English title of the film “It’s All Gone Pete Tong” is a Cockney rhyme and means “it’s all gone wrong”, and can be translated into Russian as “it’s not the way it should be”. Frankie Wild is the most famous DJ in the club resort of Ibiza. He has a contract with a major record label, his face is on the covers of reputable club magazines, and he is a participant in famous club television and radio shows. Frankie has a luxurious villa on the seashore and a model wife, Sonya, whom he met on the set of his first video clip. He lives by endless parties, promiscuous sex and drug intoxication. All financial and organizational issues Frankie is decided by his agent Max Haggar. One day Frankie notices that his hearing is deteriorating. But the shows are booked long in advance, and the label is demanding new revolutionary records, on which he is working with a couple of Austrian metalheads. So Frankie ignores the sudden problem and continues with his life as before. And yet, Frankie's deteriorating health becomes noticeable to those around him - clubbers drive him off stage, his colleagues criticize him, and his agent is simply furious. Frankie is forced to go to the doctor, who, in turn, states that he is completely deaf in one ear, and will completely stop hearing the other very soon. To preserve his hearing as long as possible, Frankie must immediately give up music and quit drugs. He ignores it and completely stalls. A deaf DJ is abandoned by his agent Max and wife Sonya. Trying to recover, Frankie locks himself in his villa for several months, which he soundproofs and where he only eats and uses drugs. Realizing that this will not help him, Frankie tries to commit suicide by tying fireworks to his head, but comes to his senses in time. Resigned to his fate, the former DJ goes to a school for the deaf, where he meets the also deaf teacher Penelope. She teaches him to read lips, and they begin a close relationship. After a while, Frankie realizes that he can feel music through vibrations from acoustics and an oscilloscope. At home he records a mix and gives it to Max. The agent is completely delighted and persuades Frankie to return to the stage. The public welcomes the return of the deaf DJ with a bang, but he with his own new girlfriend disappears after the first performance. At the end they show Frankie and Penelope with their common child, and how Frankie teaches other deaf children to feel music.

Ibiza- an island filled with all the beauty that our imagination can imagine: the sun is shining all year round on the eternally friendly beaches, and on the most fertile soil of the planet there is a greenhouse under open air. The parties here are Las Vegas-style, and in Ibiza's world-famous clubs the records spin tirelessly 24 hours a day. It was here, on this stunning island, that the spirit of revolution was born.

For more than a quarter of a century, Ibiza has consistently been the second home of mega-DJs and dance music lovers. The delightful Spanish island is where legends are made and myths are debunked.

Frankie Wild- one of these myths is the “deaf DJ”, main character biopic "It's all because of Pete Tong".

Featuring interviews with top DJs - Carl Cox, Paul van Dyk, newcomer Sarah Main and, of course, British legend- Pete Tong (we see his name in the title), the film turned out to be so lifelike, and the acting was as believable as possible. You could swear it's indistinguishable from a documentary. The film claims to be "based on real events", while the name of Frankie Wilde and details from his biography are actually unknown in the world of dance music. Therefore, in fact, the question arises: Is this story true or fiction?

A charismatic British comedian volunteered to answer this question. Paul Kaye, who played Frankie, as well as the director and screenwriter - Canadian Michael Dawes. "This true story" , - said Daus without any doubt before the premiere. "I appeal to discerning viewers and ask them to consider the personality of Frankie Wilde as a truly existing person."

A little later, both conspirators looked at each other hesitantly and burst into laughter.

"This is a true story", - repeated Daus, chuckling. "Someone told us about it, it really happened"- Kay intervened in the conversation. "This is a local myth. Of course, a lot of things are conjectured and fictitious. The story of Frankie Wilde is one of the tales of hedonism".

The Frankie Wild Story is a bold and slightly comic look at the mean-spirited, drug-addicted world of club music, with a mythical DJ who embodies what dance culture is all about.

This is how I described the character Tong:"I don't know anyone like Frankie Wilde"- he said at the beginning, drinking Earl Gray at an after-party the day after the premiere. "DJs are usually portrayed in one manner".
He was silent for a while, remembering all the DJs he knew, then said: “And this image fits a lot more”.

The title of the film comes from a well-known phrase in the UK "It"s all gone bit wrong"("Everything went wrong"). IN in this case Cockney rhyme used: bit wrong - Pete Tong.

In the mid-1980s, Pete Tong was well known in his native Britain. Inspired by the thumping beats of the clubs in Chicago, New York and Ibiza, he helped bring dance music to the masses. Around the same time, fans remade the famous phrase in his honor.

Pete Tong's weekly radio show on the BBC, in which the DJ talks about the latest from the world of club music, is still popular. "I don't take credit for the popularity of my show or the club mega-industry as a whole. I think I just accelerated the process of becoming a DJ by taking on this responsibility."

"People love me for my music, especially when I play what I like"- Tong explained. "For years I've been collecting other people's music and remaking it to make my fans happy."

At the beginning of the film we see a large crowd chanting "Frankie!" while Kay, in the pose and garb of Christ, basks in the glory of a famous club Manumission.

"I decided to make fun of this abundance and luxury,"- this is how Daus spoke about the lives of many modern celebrities (DJs, rock stars, athletes). “For the fact that DJs create mixes from tracks of other artists, they receive obscene amounts of money. And this is just for a couple of hours of work!”

Crowds of people identify DJs with deities who create the mood. But, at the same time, the film shows what the “deities” with cocaine addiction ultimately come to.

The first half hour of the film is devoted largely to music industry, in particular to the club world. As the plot unfolds, the protagonist's extravagance grows, and gradually the influence loud music begins to negatively affect Wild's hearing. And when he becomes completely deaf, his wife, agent and all those whom he considered friends leave him. Former star left alone with silence and drug addiction.

Since the film itself deals with the musical field, its musical design must undoubtedly be on point. And so it is. Through well-chosen tracks it is easy to feel the change of mood in the film. The soundtrack was created by a famous DJ Lol Hammond, dividing the composition into two parts for greater contrast: “day” and “night”. Crazy life in Ibiza is reflected in songs Shwab "DJs in a row" And Orbital "Frenetic". Tracks from The Beta Band And Depeche Mode served as a backdrop to Wilde's downfall, and Penguin Cafe Orchestra "Music for a found harmonium" And The Beach Boys "Good vibrations", on the contrary, to its revival.

"I've always loved musically saturated films, such as those by Danny Boyle and Wes Anderson. In them, the ideas expressed are in perfect harmony with the music,"- said Daus.

The film "It's All Because of Pete Tong" tells the story of the extremes to which celebrities go. This is one of countless stories from the world of music with happy ending: the hero's emotional breakdown was followed by redemption. Under Daus' direction, this pseudo-biography became a worthy film work with many striking visual and sound effects.

Fragments from the film in the video below:

Frankie Wilde. I'm sure you've come across this name before. You've probably heard the most famous tracks. What do I know about him? This legendary personality(in narrow circles). This is a DJ who lived his life in Ibiza, who wrote tracks, was a trendsetter in club music, drank and used for his own pleasure, but at the peak of his popularity he began to lose his hearing. Then he locked himself in his studio, he became depressed and wanted to commit suicide. And then I realized that I could still hear the vibrations of the music. And then he wrote “I need to feel loved”, and when the audience heard the track and was delighted with the masterpiece of a deaf DJ, Frankie disappeared.

It all started with the release in 2004 of the film “It’s All Because of Pete Tong,” which was shot in a mockumentary style and told the story of a deaf DJ. The film left no one indifferent; the impressionable target audience, consisting of young party-goers and musicians, believed in the story without any questions. But where is the fine line between truth and fiction?

I have not yet had time to appreciate the film called “It's All Gone Pete Tong”, for me Frankie Wilde was primarily music. But I will definitely do it in the near future and definitely I will be delighted with the touching filmed story of overcoming oneself and learning simple truths. In many ways, after this film, skeptics became puzzled by the question of the existence of a deaf DJ. And they are still arguing... They say that a group of DJs worked under this pseudonym.

For example, about the previously mentioned composition “I need to feel loved” it was said that the DJ wrote it when he was already deaf. Now it is confidently attributed to the authorship of Reflekt. This is the case with most tracks.

However, many are not ready to accept the fact that this legendary figure is nothing more than a fictional figure. I personally know guys for whom Frankie is not a myth, it’s an idol, it’s best friend. Here's what they write on one resource:
“It’s hard to believe that for one, under-promoted film, they wrote several compilations, three albums (at least), including “Hear no Evil,” which was created after Wilde went deaf, and huge amount tracks, singles and mixes that mention the names of other world-famous DJs!

There is also a version that Frankie Wilde is the prototype of Mylo, the famous DJ... But, as you know, Mylo had an ear infection, which he later cured, and Wilde became completely deaf - he had two holes instead of eardrums! And the film was shot before Mylo got the bug..."


As for me, I don't care so much whether Frankie really existed. And it doesn’t matter so much to me who was behind these masterpieces: a group of people who subtly feel the heartbeat of music, or a deaf but still inspired musician at the controls. Secondly, it definitely adds charm to the story, making it not just history, but a legend. But the legend does not make the music more harmonious; it is already impeccable.

So listen to Frankie Wilde just for your own sake if you like what you hear. Don't listen to music for the sake of beautiful stories, if you don't believe in them. And if you believe, then do not doubt. All the best on this, a hot end to the summer, fiery music and plenty of alcohol! Your Konstantin

Ibiza- an island filled with all the charm that our imagination can imagine: the sun shines all year round on eternally friendly beaches, and an open-air greenhouse lies on the most fertile soil of the planet. The parties here are Las Vegas-style, and in Ibiza's world-famous clubs the records spin tirelessly 24 hours a day. It was here, on this stunning island, that the spirit of revolution was born.

For more than a quarter of a century, Ibiza has consistently been the second home of mega-DJs and dance music lovers. The delightful Spanish island is where legends are made and myths are debunked.

Frankie Wild- one of these myths, the “deaf DJ”, the main character of the biopic "It's all because of Pete Tong".

Thanks to interviews with top DJs - Carl Cox, Paul van Dyke, newcomer Sarah Main and, of course, British legend Pete Tong (we see his name in the title), the film turned out to be so vital, and the acting was as believable as possible. You could swear it's indistinguishable from a documentary. The film claims to be "based on real events", while the name of Frankie Wilde and details from his biography are actually unknown in the world of dance music. Therefore, in fact, the question arises: Is this story true or fiction?

A charismatic British comedian volunteered to answer this question. Paul Kaye, who played Frankie, as well as the director and screenwriter - Canadian Michael Dawes. "This is a true story", - said Daus without any doubt before the premiere. "I appeal to discerning viewers and ask them to consider the personality of Frankie Wilde as a truly existing person."

A little later, both conspirators looked at each other hesitantly and burst into laughter.

"This is a true story", - repeated Daus, chuckling. "Someone told us about it, it really happened"- Kay intervened in the conversation. "This is a local myth. Of course, a lot of things are conjectured and fictitious. The story of Frankie Wilde is one of the tales of hedonism".

The Frankie Wild Story is a bold and slightly comic look at the mean-spirited, drug-addicted world of club music, with a mythical DJ who embodies what dance culture is all about.

This is how I described the character Tong:"I don't know anyone like Frankie Wilde"- he said at the beginning, drinking Earl Gray at an after-party the day after the premiere. "DJs are usually portrayed in one manner".
He was silent for a while, remembering all the DJs he knew, then said: “And this image fits a lot more”.

The title of the film comes from a well-known phrase in the UK "It"s all gone bit wrong"("Everything went wrong"). In this case, the Cockney rhyme is used: bit wrong - Pete Tong.

In the mid-1980s, Pete Tong was well known in his native Britain. Inspired by the thumping beats of the clubs in Chicago, New York and Ibiza, he helped bring dance music to the masses. Around the same time, fans remade the famous phrase in his honor.

Pete Tong's weekly radio show on the BBC, in which the DJ talks about the latest from the world of club music, is still popular. "I don't take credit for the popularity of my show or the club mega-industry as a whole. I think I just accelerated the process of becoming a DJ by taking on this responsibility."

"People love me for my music, especially when I play what I like"- Tong explained. "For years I've been collecting other people's music and remaking it to make my fans happy."

At the beginning of the film we see a large crowd chanting "Frankie!" while Kay, in the pose and garb of Christ, basks in the glory of a famous club Manumission.

"I decided to make fun of this abundance and luxury,"- this is how Daus spoke about the lives of many modern celebrities (DJs, rock stars, athletes). “For the fact that DJs create mixes from tracks of other artists, they receive obscene amounts of money. And this is just for a couple of hours of work!”

Crowds of people identify DJs with deities who create the mood. But, at the same time, the film shows what the “deities” with cocaine addiction ultimately come to.

The first half hour of the film is devoted largely to the music industry, in particular the club world. As the plot unfolds, the protagonist's extravagance increases, and gradually the influence of loud music begins to negatively affect Wilde's hearing. And when he becomes completely deaf, his wife, agent and all those whom he considered friends leave him. The former star is left alone with silence and drug addiction.

Since the film itself deals with the musical field, its musical design must undoubtedly be on point. And so it is. Through well-chosen tracks it is easy to feel the change of mood in the film. The soundtrack was created by a famous DJ Lol Hammond, dividing the composition into two parts for greater contrast: “day” and “night”. Crazy life in Ibiza is reflected in songs Shwab "DJs in a row" And Orbital "Frenetic". Tracks from The Beta Band And Depeche Mode served as a backdrop to Wilde's downfall, and Penguin Cafe Orchestra "Music for a found harmonium" And The Beach Boys "Good vibrations", on the contrary, to its revival.

"I've always loved musically saturated films, such as those by Danny Boyle and Wes Anderson. In them, the ideas expressed are in perfect harmony with the music,"- said Daus.

The film "It's All Because of Pete Tong" tells the story of the extremes to which celebrities go. This is one of countless stories from the world of music with a happy ending: the hero's emotional breakdown is followed by redemption. Under Daus' direction, this pseudo-biography became a worthy film work with many striking visual and sound effects.

Fragments from the film in the video below:

At one time, around this film, not least thanks to competent PR, apparently based on the fact that most people, even those who regularly visit clubs and festivals, unfortunately, are not very well versed in the history of this phenomenon; a cloud of opinions arose that a certain disc jockey who had lost his hearing was indeed a real historical figure. However, in reality, a person named Frankie Wilde never existed. And even if we admit that, quite possibly, the prototype of Frankie Wilde is Nicky Holloway, one of the four disc jockeys who “discovered” that same paradise island in 1987; then it is worth noting that Nicky’s story is much more banal: he did not lose his hearing, but simply, at one time, like the hero of the film, he led a very dissolute lifestyle, and, in the end, due to uncontrolled use of alcohol and drugs, he was forced leave the stage and undergo treatment at a rehabilitation center. Moreover, judging by rumors, his friends Pete Tong and Paul Oakenfold helped him pay for the treatment. After a relatively successful rehabilitation course, Nicky Holloway continued occasional performances, albeit on a much smaller scale. And, of course, his successes in this field are not so significant; even in his best years, he was famous more for his shocking behavior than for his truly significant contribution to club culture, unlike, for example, Pete Tong, who, already in his sixties, remains one of the key figures on the club scene.

Deaf DJ this is something out of science fiction. So the film can't be taken too seriously. Anyway, I would like to ask, why do drugs always appear in any film made on the topic of dance music? This is far from an obligatory attribute of club culture. Among first-tier DJs, there are disproportionately fewer scandals related to alcohol and drugs than, for example, among actors or models. In other words, if the prototype of Frankie really is Nicky Holloway, then why was it even necessary to make a film about such a figure, deliberately distorting all the facts, making him a hero who somehow magically managed to play a set while being completely deaf? In fact, the main work of a disc jockey does not happen at the console at all, it remains behind the scenes. Directly speaking in front of an audience is just the tip of the iceberg. These people spend significantly more time selecting music, listening to new releases, and analyzing new trends, which requires enormous experience and knowledge. And watching such films, the viewer thinks that they just need “talent to turn on the audience.” So people who do not have self-control are unlikely to achieve tangible results in this craft, as, indeed, in any other; And true story Nicky Holloway confirms this fact.

Despite everything said above, the film is far from bad it is quite interesting and funny, and deserves attention; but just how fictional story, without claims to realism. But in reality, you don't need to be deaf to become a legend. If we talk about Pete Tong, it is difficult to find a person who has had such a strong influence on the world club scene; and not least because of his program on BBC Radio1, which he has hosted for over twenty years.

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