The
story behind the success of Icon Ibiza
Two
weeks on the island gave Chester merely a hint of what the future would
hold for him – wild nights at Ku (now Privilege) and Es Paradis,
bumping into George Michael at If Bar just hours after he had filmed
the seminal Club Tropicana film clip at Pikes Hotel and experiencing
some of the most beautiful beaches, spectacular sunsets, picturesque
countryside and mightily impressive ancient cities in the world.
Ibiza held a powerful magnetism for Chester, who returned to the island in 1988 – the famous summer of love – to witness DJs such as Alfredo (‘Blew my head clean off!’ he says) inspire the birth of Balearic beats and Acid House. A return visit in 1989 was imminent and it was this trip that inspired Chester to return to Ibiza in 1990, bringing with him 20 DJs including Dean Thatcher, Steve Lee, Orde Meikle, Michele Soma, Terry Farley, Rocky and Diesel (who went on to become XPress2) and bands The Farm, 808 State and A Man Called Adam and last but not least, a Channel 4 film crew.
The result? A Short Film About Chilling, the now famous documentary covering the first wave of British tourists, DJs and promoters hitting the island on a clubbing holiday, cited as 'the greatest TV show ever made about dance culture'. To this day the film is one of the most popular youth culture shows on British TV and director Angus Cameron went on to work with Guy Ritchie, while the talent in the film obviously became some of the most prolific dance music artists of our time.
Following the success of this, Charlie became involved in a party called Mad On Mondays with Tommy Mac, where he co-hosted a night with Dave Beer, Back to Basics and Cowboy Records on the same night Manumission also got involved. Mad On Mondays was eventually taken over by Manumission and the rest, as they say, is history…
While Charlie was busy promoting parties, DJs and the Ibiza lifestyle as a whole, Jo Mills was making a name for herself as one of the island’s most loved and notable resident DJs.
For five years she was weekly resident DJ at the famous Circo Loco at DC10 – where Charlie was promoter – and also graced the decks at almost every major club on the island, including Pacha, Space, Cream and Dance Valley at Amnesia. She went on to become resident DJ for Azuli at both El Divino and Space, was personally invited by P.Diddy to play at his annual Ibiza birthday bash and is currently the weekly resident DJ for Pete Tong’s Wonderland at Eden, where she hosts her own room, The Looking Glass every Friday night throughout summer.
It became very clear that Jo had firmly stamped her own mark on the island when she was awarded the coveted Best Ibiza Electro DJ Award at the M8 Ibiza Dance Awards in 2006. Adding more notches to her DJing belt, alongside Ibiza legend DJ Pipi, Jo mixed the Pacha Millennium CD and with Cirillo, the very first (often cited as the ultimate) Circo Loco compilation.
Recognised by the industry as an all-round Ibiza legend, in 2007 Jo filmed a short video for Ministry Of Sound TV, taking viewers on a tour of her favourite island haunts and she was also interviewed for the upcoming documentary ’And The Beat Goes On’, scheduled to debut at this year’s Ibiza International Film Festival.
Jo’s busy worldwide touring schedule means that in the winter months, the pair spend a lot of time travelling, living out of suitcases and in hotels around the globe, from Dubai and Singapore to Australia, Thailand and more, giving them a real insight into what travellers really want from their valuable holiday time.
The dynamic duo have called Ibiza their permanent home for over ten years now and were married here three years ago. They know all the ins and outs of island living and have more on-island contacts than you can even imagine! Over the years, Charlie and Jo have found themselves being the first port of call for friends wanting advice on where to stay, eat, party, chill out and more when visiting the island, which ultimately led to the creation of Icon Ibiza.
The combination of their insider’s knowledge of the island, a true passion for looking after people and an understanding of what holidaymakers want is what makes Icon Ibiza so successful. Charlie, Jo and the Icon team will confess that they did not plan or design this company to end up where it is today. The company has been dragged along by the want, desire and needs of its clients at a rapid pace. Its original game plan went west very quickly!
Now operating as two companies – Icon Ibiza SL, based in Ibiza, headed up by Charlie and Jo and on hand to cover your every on-island need and Icon UK, the London office run by our good friend Karon, who has over 16 years experience as a booking agent, now turning her talents into helping you book your dream holiday. Between the two, there is no Ibiza holiday fantasy we cannot turn into a reality.
Ibiza held a powerful magnetism for Chester, who returned to the island in 1988 – the famous summer of love – to witness DJs such as Alfredo (‘Blew my head clean off!’ he says) inspire the birth of Balearic beats and Acid House. A return visit in 1989 was imminent and it was this trip that inspired Chester to return to Ibiza in 1990, bringing with him 20 DJs including Dean Thatcher, Steve Lee, Orde Meikle, Michele Soma, Terry Farley, Rocky and Diesel (who went on to become XPress2) and bands The Farm, 808 State and A Man Called Adam and last but not least, a Channel 4 film crew.
The result? A Short Film About Chilling, the now famous documentary covering the first wave of British tourists, DJs and promoters hitting the island on a clubbing holiday, cited as 'the greatest TV show ever made about dance culture'. To this day the film is one of the most popular youth culture shows on British TV and director Angus Cameron went on to work with Guy Ritchie, while the talent in the film obviously became some of the most prolific dance music artists of our time.
Following the success of this, Charlie became involved in a party called Mad On Mondays with Tommy Mac, where he co-hosted a night with Dave Beer, Back to Basics and Cowboy Records on the same night Manumission also got involved. Mad On Mondays was eventually taken over by Manumission and the rest, as they say, is history…
While Charlie was busy promoting parties, DJs and the Ibiza lifestyle as a whole, Jo Mills was making a name for herself as one of the island’s most loved and notable resident DJs.
For five years she was weekly resident DJ at the famous Circo Loco at DC10 – where Charlie was promoter – and also graced the decks at almost every major club on the island, including Pacha, Space, Cream and Dance Valley at Amnesia. She went on to become resident DJ for Azuli at both El Divino and Space, was personally invited by P.Diddy to play at his annual Ibiza birthday bash and is currently the weekly resident DJ for Pete Tong’s Wonderland at Eden, where she hosts her own room, The Looking Glass every Friday night throughout summer.
It became very clear that Jo had firmly stamped her own mark on the island when she was awarded the coveted Best Ibiza Electro DJ Award at the M8 Ibiza Dance Awards in 2006. Adding more notches to her DJing belt, alongside Ibiza legend DJ Pipi, Jo mixed the Pacha Millennium CD and with Cirillo, the very first (often cited as the ultimate) Circo Loco compilation.
Recognised by the industry as an all-round Ibiza legend, in 2007 Jo filmed a short video for Ministry Of Sound TV, taking viewers on a tour of her favourite island haunts and she was also interviewed for the upcoming documentary ’And The Beat Goes On’, scheduled to debut at this year’s Ibiza International Film Festival.
Jo’s busy worldwide touring schedule means that in the winter months, the pair spend a lot of time travelling, living out of suitcases and in hotels around the globe, from Dubai and Singapore to Australia, Thailand and more, giving them a real insight into what travellers really want from their valuable holiday time.
The dynamic duo have called Ibiza their permanent home for over ten years now and were married here three years ago. They know all the ins and outs of island living and have more on-island contacts than you can even imagine! Over the years, Charlie and Jo have found themselves being the first port of call for friends wanting advice on where to stay, eat, party, chill out and more when visiting the island, which ultimately led to the creation of Icon Ibiza.
The combination of their insider’s knowledge of the island, a true passion for looking after people and an understanding of what holidaymakers want is what makes Icon Ibiza so successful. Charlie, Jo and the Icon team will confess that they did not plan or design this company to end up where it is today. The company has been dragged along by the want, desire and needs of its clients at a rapid pace. Its original game plan went west very quickly!
Now operating as two companies – Icon Ibiza SL, based in Ibiza, headed up by Charlie and Jo and on hand to cover your every on-island need and Icon UK, the London office run by our good friend Karon, who has over 16 years experience as a booking agent, now turning her talents into helping you book your dream holiday. Between the two, there is no Ibiza holiday fantasy we cannot turn into a reality.
Officially,
Icon Ibiza came to life in the summer of 2007, with the aim of providing
luxury accommodation and transport solutions to friends, associates
and clients of Ibiza stalwarts promoter Charlie Chester and DJ
Jo Mills.
Unofficially however, the Icon Ibiza story has been transpiring since 1984, when a young Charlie Chester took his first ever plane trip – in fact, his first trip abroad – and discovered the magical island of Ibiza.
Unofficially however, the Icon Ibiza story has been transpiring since 1984, when a young Charlie Chester took his first ever plane trip – in fact, his first trip abroad – and discovered the magical island of Ibiza.
Photos
by Annie Peel/White Ibiza
