Dr. Alex Paterson (The Orb)

Dr. Alex Paterson (The Orb)

From How To DJ by Listening Dog Media

March 6, 2026 · 55 min · Season 14 · Episode 5

About this episode

Chris Hawkins interviews Alex Paterson about the origins of ambient house and his experiences in the music industry.

Chris Hawkins is joined by Alex Paterson, co-founder of The Orb, for a deep dive into the origins of ambient house and a life spent pushing musical boundaries. From punk gigs and roadie days with Killing Joke to raves with the KLF and the creation of The Orb’s landmark album Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld, Alex shares the stories, influences and chance encounters that shaped his career. Along the way he reflects on sampling, DJ culture, the evolution of dance music and why the spirit of the ’90s still resonates today. How to DJ is a Listening Dog Media production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Chris Hawkins

Guest: Alex Paterson

Topics covered

  • ambient house
  • musical boundaries
  • dance music evolution
  • sampling
  • DJ culture
  • 90s music

Keywords

  • ambient house
  • The Orb
  • DJ culture
  • dance music
  • sampling
  • 90s music

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Orb, Killing Joke, KLF

Books & works: Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld

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