In the summer of 1987 Esteban Lahoz, alongside Antonio Dominguez Rey aka Nelo, DJed at a nightclub called Glory’s, located off the highway between Ibiza`s Old Town and San Antonio, on the site of Hippodrome Can Bufí – a disused dog-racing track. The club had been THE place to be seen in the `70s, but fallen into decline, closed, and then reopened catering to an after-hours crowd. This is where the amnesiacs carried on the party once Amnesia closed. Glory`s lasted less than one season – just 2 months – but the music played – a mix of EBM and new wave – was hugely influential and a key part in the evolution of “the balearic beat”. Esteban very sadly passed away last week. Below are a few words from his former DJ partner, Nelo. 

Words by Antonio Dominguez Rey.

Esteban was from Barcelona. I met him the winter before we worked together in Ibiza at Glory`s. Yes, I met him in Barcelona in the winter of `86. During the summer of ’87 when the club season began, I was DJing at Glory’s with another guy from Barcelona – Paco Carro. But after about 10 days, Paco quit, packed his bags and went home. The owners of Glory’s then suggested Esteban as a replacement, asked me if it was OK if we worked together. The suggestion was that Esteban would play music throughout the night, and then I would play the after-hours session in the morning. I knew Esteban, but nothing about the music he played, but I said yes, that it was fine with me. 

Glory’s only lasted one season, and when that summer ended Esteban returned to Barcelona and, if my memory serves me correctly, he started working with Tony Garrucho aka DJ Tony Verdi, in a club called Verdi. This was a place that was very fashionable – had a big impact at the time. From there Esteban went to a gay club called Satanassa. Although it was predominantly gay, the place again was a big success, and so the crowd in the end was very mixed. All kinds of people went. A little later Esteban joined the popular Belgian new beat group, Amnesia. Argentinian DJ Carlos Diaz was also part of the band at some point. Esteban was involved in their live performances – his photo was used a lot. I don’t know if he was actually in the studio making the music. 

(I think it`s Esteban on drums in this clip.)

In 1989, Esteban was the DJ for the opening night of La Vaca Asesina – the party at KU which would later, directed by Brasilio de Oliveira*, become La Troya. After that, I didn’t hear much about Esteban for a long time. I know that he returned to Ibiza for a few years and worked organizing live events, and parties – he was working as a sound engineer. Later he DJed, sequencing music to accompany screenings of films from the `20s, silent films. Ambient music.

When Esteban and I worked together at Glory’s he span a lot of electro and early house. As I told you before, I played more EBM, new beat and music made by English guitar bands / post-punk, new wave groups. We were very different. Later, with time, Esteban changed. I don’t know if this was was due to my influence, that summer at Glory’s, but he hardened his music. One record that will always remind me of Esteban is Running by The Information Society. 

A big thank you to Leo Mas for the cover photo. 

Notes
*Brasilio de Oliveira, a legend in Ibiza, someone central to the success of KU, also sadly passed away towards the end of 2019.