Fantazia Press Enquiries

We welcome coverage of Fantazia past parties, current events, albums & merchandise by other websites and the wider music press.    This page contains some quick facts and quotes that may help you.

Below are some higher resolution images at 300dpi suitable for press use.  This is on a limited use license for articles and not resale.  If in doubt please ask:  Contact Fantazia.
 

Key Facts

The Big Bang video went to no 2 in the charts, knocking Take That & U2 videos
Boy Georges first Dance album was Fantazia House Collection 2
Over 1 million flyers were printed for Fantazia One Step Beyond the UKs largest single arena rave ever.
James Fantazia appeared on a Central Weekend debate in 1992, hosted by Nicky Campbell. 
Fantazia staged the rave on an Inspector Morse episode
Fantazia have sold over 2 million records worldwide
The girl on the House Collection 2 cover is Jo Guest.
James Fantazia was only 22 when he founded Fantazia
Fantazia The Big Bang was supported by Aids charity The Terrance Higgins Trust
In 1997 Fantazia teamed up with Lynx Inca do a 12,000 people event at the G-mex
Summertime caused a 5 miles long tail back on the M23, as seen on ITN News at 10

Useful Links to pages on the site about Fantazia

/Biography/profiles.htm
/Biography/profile2.htm
/Biography/timeline.htm
/Biography/timeline2.htm
/Biography/facts.htm
/Event%20info/gmexint.htm
/Biography/jpinter2.htm
/Biography/jpprofile4.htm

Quotes about Fantazia:

James (Fantazia's Founder):
“I’ve got so many great memories but there’s one that always stands out. We’d done a massive party for 16,000 people in Bournemouth and it had been amazing. Towards the end of the night the police had said to me ‘please can you help us out and stop everyone from heading toward the beach.’ That was probably the last thing they should have said to me! Three hours later the beach was absolutely packed with people dancing in their sunglasses, jumping about on deckchairs and blasting out tunes from their ghettoblasters. Brilliant.”

Louise Smith:
“For me it has got to be Fantasia Big Bang! They had Mikey B and Carl Cox playing and their set changed my taste in music forever! I was 14 and from that moment I knew I needed to get as much of this music as possible! I still own my Mikey B tape and a few years ago I managed to get both sets onto a CD format. I still listen to them about once every three to four weeks and I know all the MC lyrics off by heart!”

Russell Chantler:
“My favourtie memories of Fantazia are the cutting edge, ahead of the crowd mix compilations albums. The House Collection series will always have a special place in my heart. I loved every album and it introduced me to the clubbing scene. Jeremy Healy and Allister Whitehead remain firm favourites from that time, and the sheer excitement of listening to those compilations is something it will be hard to replicate. But I'm really excited about the Club Classic album that is about to be unleashed upon us!”

Billy Duncan:
“Back in 1993 when Fantazia came over here to Scotland for the Big Bang event I was lucky enough to ticket. It still seems like only yesterday but time passes quickly as you get older! It was one of the best parties I’d been to and I can’t wait for Fantazia to come back up here again for their Into The Wonderland gig at the Braehead Arena because I know the music is going to as awesome as it was back then. Long live the old skool (I mean Fantazia!).”

From Fantazia Ibiza Party In 98:
"Best night in Ibiza? Must be the brilliant Fantazia at Privilege, my advice? Go to Fantazia!" Denise Van Outen - The Sun

Dan Prince, Mixmag:
"Fantazia grabbed the glory right from under Manumission's noses".

Undisclosed:
"I've never seen the island more excited than on the evening of Saturday August 22nd 1998. Here for the first time were the mighty Fantazia set to steal the Ibiza crown from Manumission with undoubtedly the most lavish party of the Summer. And boy what a night. Starring DJs Jeremy Healy, Danny Rampling and Allister Whitehead rocking the shit out of it in the newly constructed DJ booth slap bang in the middle of the enormous stage, an amazing dancing horse and rider dressed as the devil, some of the most outrageous fancy dress costumes I've ever seen and to cap it all Miss Denise Van Outen wiggling her arse in the VIP lounge, I for one can't wait for their new weekly run next year. Just what the doctor didn't order..."

By TJ on Fantazia Summertime:
The first impression was unbelief, it was almost like going back in time to the days of old, who remembers Sunrise, Biology Etc? This definitely is as close as you could get in this present time of raving to finding out what it used to be like. If you can just image between 12,000 and 15,000 ravers in an open air stadium with a walkway around a raised dance arena. The raised spectator stands outside all of this gave a magnificent view of the whole rave.

DJ John Waddiker from the night played Bowlers headlined by Carl Cox:
The place was packed to the rafters & the noise was stunning. Fantazia seemed to have transformed the whole feel & vibe just by their presence. I remember it being one of the most impressive nights at Bowlers & it certainly stands out as one of the highlights of my residency. I remember playing K Klass' "Rhythm Is A Mystery", which was one of my favourites & still is. The noise from the crowd almost drowned out the sound system.

DJ Tom Wilson Scottish Radio(RIP):
"Memories? Well Fantazia, Big Bang was my first "big" event. I'd been plugging the gig on my dance show on Forth FM for weeks before it and building it up.

I really can't remember much about it as I'd built it up so much that I was incredibly nervous! I DO remember standing up there in front of 12,000 people at the SECC in Glasgow with my hands shaking so much I couldn't mix! I think I did a lot of "chop" mixing that night! I only remember ONE tune I played! That was Love Decade and So Real, thousands of happy people with their hands in the air was something I'll NEVER forget!

Errol Old Skool - Re Januarys Fantazia The Legend Returns Scotland party:
I'm really struggling here! It was the best night that I've had for nearly a decade, and trying to think of one specific moment is really hurting my brain! Impossible to choose one moment............the whole night was fantastic

Fantazia Return of a Legend from 1997 by Mixmag:
"After the heady days of rave, many thought the era of one nation under one roof was long gone. 1997 proved everyone wrong with a series of packed one-off parties incorporating house, drum n'bass and underground garage. Clubbers flocked in their thousands to Fantazia....... the boys are back in town...."

Independent newspaper review:
Everyone seemed to be in attendance, sprinklings of sports celebs, soap heart throbs and assorted beautiful people. Combined with the high turnout of media luvvies and industry big wigs, the VIP enclosure was throbbing with kisses and goodwill. More importantly, Joe Public turned up in force to make the atmosphere truly bumpin. Encouragingly Fantazia 97 was brimming with youthful exuberance, the event was a definite success. Alistair Morgan

One Step Beyond - World Largest single arena rave 30,000 1992:
25th July 1992, Castle Donnington, Race Track. This was the big one, in the height of the Summer Fantazia brought together over 25,000+ people, to stage the Worlds Largest Rave at that time. At the famous motor racing track the stage was dressed as a Castle with a giant inflatable dragon which appeared in the middle of the night to breath smoke at the stage.