Few artists represent the true spirit of progressive house like Anthony Pappa. A Melbourne native with Italian roots, he has spent more than three decades shaping the sound of dance floors around the world from the early days of Global Underground to his iconic Balance mixes.
After a summer of touring and an unforgettable set at Balance Croatia, Anthony now returns home to Australia to perform alongside Hernán Cattáneo at Sydney’s Aura Nightclub. Ahead of this long-awaited show, we caught up with him to talk about what “rave” really means, how the progressive scene took root in Australia, surviving long-haul flights, and why phones don’t belong on the dance floor.
Kouzelná: Since this interview is for rave.cz, I’d like to start with a simple one: what does the word “rave” mean to you personally?
Anthony Pappa: The word “rave” to me means a gathering of like minded people that go to an electronic music event to dance and have a good time.
Do you remember the very first rave party you ever attended? What impression did it leave on you?
I got into electronic music and started DJ’ing at such a young age that I didn’t even know what a rave was at the time. For me, my love for this scene has always been — and still is — all about the music.
The first time a friend took me to a nightclub, I was 15 years old. He knew the guy working on the door, so he managed to get me in even though I was underage at an over-18s nightclub. I was impressed with the setup — the lights, the sound system, and how the whole place looked.
While my friends were enjoying the night, I remember standing next to the DJ booth the entire time, watching the DJ play. I was more fascinated by what the DJ was doing than the club itself. I was watching and studying every move, learning and taking it all in.
It was a great first experience, and it reinforced my desire to be that guy — the DJ — playing the music and making people dance.
You have Italian roots — what do you miss the most from Italy when you’re away from home?
I was born in Melbourne, Australia. My father was born in Italy, and my family on both my mum’s and dad’s sides are originally from Italy. My grandfather moved to Australia from Italy when my dad was just a young boy.
After the Second World War, people were given the opportunity to leave Italy, with the main destinations being the USA, Argentina, or Australia. My grandfather chose Australia. As Italians often have large families, I now have relatives in all of those countries.
Because of this, I was entitled to dual nationality, which means I hold two passports – Australian and Italian. Having an Italian passport allowed me to live in the UK for 20 years when it was still part of the EU (European Union).
I have a house in Sicily, so I travel to Italy every year, and it serves as my base during long European tours. I don’t miss it much because I’m there often. The food, fashion, and culture in Italy are all incredible – so what’s not to love?
I recently watched your interview “Music and Football 1:1 with Anthony Pappa” on YouTube, so I have to ask as you not that long ago played shows in Liverpool and London. Did you manage to catch a football match while you were there? And speaking of footy .. did you ever play yourself, or do you just enjoy watching it?
I was in Liverpool and London for a short time and the schedule didn’t allow the time to get to see a match. I have been to a few matches over the years when living in the UK. I’m not a massive football fan. When it comes to sport l prefer Golf and more so to play it than to watch.
Coming from the Czech Republic, where drum & bass is the most popular electronic genre, I was surprised how incredibly strong the progressive scene is in Australia (which I personally absolutely love). Why do you think Australian crowds connect so strongly with progressive house?
I’ve played some amazing events over the years in Prague, including Roxy Prague. While drum & bass is more popular there, the crowd also really appreciated progressive.
The reason Australian crowds connect so strongly with the progressive scene is because we’ve always followed — and been influenced by — the UK movement. I was playing this music from the very beginning, introducing local crowds to the sound I believed needed to be heard.
My main DJ influences were Sasha, John Digweed, and Dave Seaman. The sound those guys were playing truly resonated with me — it was the music I connected with on a deeper level.
These DJs from the UK have been coming to play in Australia since the early ’90s, when the progressive house movement first began. I was constantly pushing and playing this style every week — four nights a week at various clubs — for many years. Because of that, the progressive sound in Australia has always been part of our scene; it’s just continued to evolve into what it is today.
One of the highlights of the summer for the global progressive community was definitely the Balance Croatia Festival. Even my colleague from rave.cz attended and wrote a beautiful report about it. How was the festival experience for you as a DJ?
Balance Croatia was truly amazing. It was more than just another festival — it was a celebration of our scene. What made it special was the community coming together from all over the world to show their love and appreciation for the music we’ve all supported for most of our lives.
It was also incredible to have so many artists and friends all in the same place and to be able to catch up with everyone. DJs are usually so busy with their touring schedules, so it was great to see many of them arrive at the festival a day or two early. It gave us the chance to hang out, talk, and support each other. I really enjoyed that aspect of what the festival brought — a true sense of connection and togetherness.
You’re based in Melbourne (and I have to ask .. do you ever hang out with Carl Cox? 😅). With all your international gigs, how do you personally survive those very long flights and do you have any secret hacks for staying fresh on tour?
Yes, I’m based in Melbourne. I try to catch Carl when he’s playing in town if I’m also around, but it’s not always easy since our schedules, tours, and travel plans are both so busy. Carl is an amazing DJ and a genuinely nice guy.
I’m a very good traveller — the long flights don’t really bother me, and I sleep well on planes, which definitely helps. My advice for long flights from Australia to Europe or North America is to arrive a day earlier before the tour starts. It’s important to rest and get acclimatised, and I find I can usually do this within a day.
My tip for beating jet lag when flying back to Australia is to try and arrive at night. I usually take an Emirates flight from Europe that lands around 11 p.m., and I’m home by midnight and straight to bed. I wake up in the morning feeling good, on the right time zone — it works for me every time.
Recently there’s been a growing discussion around the movement “No phone on the dance floor.” I even ran a small survey with Czech promoters and DJs about it, and it’s something I’ve been asking artists too. What’s your personal take on this idea – should phones stay away from the dance floor?
I can understand why people want to use their phones in a club. I think it’s fine to capture a moment or two so you have a nice memory of the night seeing your favourite DJ. But once you’ve done that, put your phone away — enjoy the music, dance, and be present in the moment.
What makes you happiest about being a DJ and producer right now and what’s the hardest part?
The happiest part for me is being able to share my music with people around the world. I feel very fortunate to do a job that I love and am truly passionate about — one that puts smiles on people’s faces.
The hardest part is being away from my family. I’m currently on a 65-day world tour, and it’s a long time to be away from my daughter. It’s a big sacrifice that we all have to make, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our loved ones.
If you weren’t making music, what do you think you would be doing instead?
It’s hard to say, as I’ve been playing music since the age of 12. Before DJing, I was a drummer and had been studying music theory and drumming since I was 4. So, one way or another, I think my path was always going to be with music.
Looking back on your career so far, what’s been your proudest moment and maybe one that didn’t go as planned, but still taught you something valuable?
There have been so many proud moments and achievements along the way that it’s really hard to choose just one. Becoming a top-level DJ takes many years — it doesn’t happen overnight. You have to work hard and build your way up from the bottom, and along the way, you’ll be proud of certain milestones: your first club residency, your first track, your first mix CD compilation, or the first time you play in different countries around the world.
All of these moments are important when they happen, and each one comes at the right time. You never stop — always keep your eyes forward, stay focused, and keep working hard. Things will happen in due time. We never stop learning, and through years of practice and experience, you discover what works and what doesn’t. Always stay true to your beliefs and strive to be the best version of yourself.
Thank you, Anthony, for the interview and your time.
If you’d like to catch him live down under, there are several chances coming up:
- 24 October – Il Brutto, Auckland (NZ)
- 1 November – Return to Rio, Aura Nightclub, Sydney
- 3 November – Interstellar Festival, Victoria
- 14 November – Summerloop, Brisbane
More tour dates and details can be found on his facebook profile.