Remembering: Bobby. pays tribute to Alex T

On 28th January 2020, we learned the terribly sad news that Alex T had passed away at the age of 25. Alex was the quintessential unsung hero of our scene. He was a clerk at Tribe Records in Leeds, hosted a show on Rinse FM, promoted a party called On Rotation (which was soon to become a label), was a regular at all the festivals as a punter or artist, and was also a really incredible DJ. It’s stalwarts like Alex – with their unwavering enthusiasm and absolute obsession for the music – that make our scene what it is and keep the underground alive. Working relentlessly, often without much financial recognition, purely to make it better for everyone else. Operating in an incredibly modest and humble way, without arrogance or demand for attention. The selflessness of that is so honourable and touching – people like this are the ones we should really be celebrating. The self-effacing musical polymaths who act as the cogs of our community, keeping the wheels turning, and making it a better place for all of us. He would probably be blushing right now because he wouldn’t see it like this. When you’re that far in with the love for something, it is second nature to do what you do. I only met Alex last summer, where we ended up playing an impromptu back-to-back set. I quickly realised how talented he was and we’d been friends ever since. We would share music and he would regularly send me records (“care packages” as we called them… he had impeccable taste). I booked him for a Pleasure Club party last October and he absolutely tore the roof off. It’s still one of the best parties we’ve ever had. I then asked him to be a part of our birthday celebrations by joining us in fabric on 15th February, which would have been his debut. I’d also made the decision that on this night I was going to ask him to become a Pleasure Club resident. The outpouring of tributes to Alex over the last few weeks has been overwhelming, and have also acted as a testament to how loved he was by so many people all over the world. It’s plainly obvious that he was a cornerstone of our community, an incredible source of energy and someone who would always make time for others. He was a funny, intelligent and enthusiastic soul, with a wisdom well beyond his 25 years on the planet. Despite his young age, he made a big impression during his time with us and has left a great legacy behind. Pleasure Club’s birthday celebrations are now dedicated to his memory. For all three parties, we will hold him close to our hearts and celebrate him through the music. Alex was really excited to play at fabric, and he will. During what would have been his set time (12-1am) we will play a recording of his appearance at Pleasure Club from last year. We will come together to celebrate Alex’s life and his unwavering passion for music. fabric will also make a donation to Meningitis Now, a UK charity dedicated to fighting against Meningitis. You can find more information on their amazing work here. In the meantime, the mix we will play in Room Three this Saturday is also available to stream in full below. It perfectly showcases Alex’s musical world, and the incredible skills he had behind a pair of turntables. It’s cruel how life works out sometimes, it can seem so unfair. Times like these bring a deeper understanding to the fragility of life, and act a reminder to be present in every moment. Alex, your memory will undoubtedly live on. The countless lives you touched through the music will go on for eternity, and we will be thinking of you every step of the way. Thank you for everything. Stream: PLEASUREMIX05 - ALEX T