
Doc Martin - Why Headliner Culture Is Killing Clubs
From The Will Clarke Podcast by Will Clarke
April 7, 2026 · 1h 12m · Episode 315
About this episode
Doc Martin discusses the evolution of dance music culture and the impact of headliner culture on local clubs.
Sign up for intellijend now: https://go.intellijend.com/will-clarke This episode was filmed and sponsored by THE LINE LA, Will’s favourite place to stay in LA - for 20% off your stay use code WILLCLARKE at www.thelinehotel.com Podcast Overview: Doc Martin is one of the true originals of dance music culture. In this episode, we go deep on the early LA rave scene, the underground house movement, UK club culture in the 90s, and how the role of the DJ has changed over the years. We also talk about what’s been lost in modern clubbing, why headliner culture has damaged local scenes, the importance of community, and how Doc has stayed relevant after nearly four decades in the game. This is a proper conversation about the roots of house music, what made club culture special, and what the next generation needs to understand if they want to build something that actually lasts. In this episode we cover: The early LA warehouse and rave scene Moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles UK club culture in the 90s Why headliner culture hurt local clubs The difference between EDM and underground DJing Why community matters more than hype The role of warm-up DJs Staying relevant after 39 years in…
People in this episode
Host: Will Clarke
Guest: Doc Martin
Topics covered
- dance music culture
- LA rave scene
- UK club culture
- headliner culture
- community in clubbing
- DJ evolution
- next generation of dance music
Keywords
- dance music
- LA rave
- UK club culture
- headliner culture
- community
- DJ
- underground
- vinyl culture
- music advice
Sponsors
THE LINE LA
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: www.thelinehotel.com, intellijend
Books & works: house music
Places: Los Angeles, San Francisco
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