Come the UK Bank Holiday Weekend on August 27th, 20 000 would-be ravers, Carl Cox, his sisters and a few of his old school friends will all descend on the usually peaceful plains of Clapham Common in the south of London for South West Four.

For Carl, returning to London to play SW4 is a reminder of the early days of the Sunrise parties and the hardcore rave scene where he first cut his DJ teeth; at that time spinning alongside DJs like Fabio, Mickey Finn and Grooverider.

“The success of those early days means that down the line we’ve been able to get a proper licence to do a dance party in London in Clapham Common which would never have happened a few years ago. For that reason alone, I think SW4 is absolutely amazing. If we have a really nice day it’s going to be undeniable.” says Carl.

While the everyday peaceful green plains of Clapham might stir up images of a Merchant-Ivory flick as Carl tells RA, Clapham Common was playing a part in dance music history, albeit somewhat auspicious, right from the very beginning.

"...[the media] started saying the ravers were pulling off pigeon’s heads and eating them and that we were all doing so much ecstasy, they had all this silver foil from the wrapping on the ground. "

“I did a party many years ago for Sunrise at a place called White Wharf which became very famous because it ended up in the daily news, “ recalls Carl. “Basically they [the media] started saying the ravers were pulling off pigeon’s heads and eating them and that we were all doing so much ecstasy, they had all this silver foil from the wrapping on the ground. It was actually confetti but they had a picture of these kids on the front page and the words “Spaced Out” ”.

So, where did all those supposed pigeon-biting ravers head afterwards? Yes, you guessed it. Claphham Common.

“We had a radio station called Centreforce and we would tell everyone to tune into it in their cars and listen to one voice, one music. The whole park would be rocking with people having a great time and THAT is my last memory of Clapham Common”.

Carl will be hoping to add further memories of great times at Clapham when he follows on from Sasha and John Digweed on the main stage at SW4.

“Musically it’s going to be quite interesting and for me - a challenge, “ admits Carl. “Sasha takes everyone on a journey. He takes ages to get everyone going but eventually you get a really good tune and realize, ‘All right, we’re going to have a good time’ ”.

“John kind of picks it up a bit more. When he plays with me in the car park [at the opening and closing of Space] he really plays his sound and doesn’t compromise. I have to follow him both times when he is rocking it and I just think, “Damn! I have to work here”. It’s great for people to see that we can work together, that I’m not so far on the other side of the coin that I’m not able to complement these DJs”.

Carl Cox goes south by South West Four

Still it's unlikely there'll be any twiddling of thumbs when the big man takes to the stage. “ I’m just going to see the people and go “Wakey, wakey”, " says Carl, laughing. "One record and it’ll be done. I think that’s a saving grace because everyone knows what John does, everyone knows what Sasha does and everyone knows what I CAN do”.

It’s that same kind of first-track energy-bursting performance which Carl has been trotting out at his various Carl Cox & Friends dates around the globe as he moves closer and closer towards a totally performance-based live set. So what then does he think about computer-based performances like Sasha and Ableton Live, Richie and Final Scratch?

“It’s a 21st century performance. I can’t knock it because it’s another musical outlet based on electronics. People feel the vibe, the energy and they dynamics of it, which is really cool and great. But from my own perspective I couldn’t do it because people have always seen me move and jump around and interact with the crowd. I’m on the mic, I’m talking to people, doing gestures, hands in the air.”

"It’s a 21st century performance. I can’t knock it because it’s another musical outlet based on electronics. People feel the vibe, the energy and they dynamics of it, which is really cool and great."

Referring to his set at the Exit Festival in Serbia last month, Carl says, “There was point when I was playing Renato Cohen’s “Pontape” and “Just Kick” and I couldn’t see one person standing still. I was adlibbing on top of that as well. Now if I did that off a computer it wouldn’t be the same.”

“People do like to see someone perform something. From an electronic point of view or from a live guitar point of view, they like to see it, ” but warns Carl, “It can become too insular with all the machines around. OK. You’re going live but where’s the performance?”

Londoners won’t be needing to ask that question at SW4 if Carl’s sell-out gig back in April at Heaven is anything to go by; Carl intent on giving something extra special back to his London fans and in particular, the 1000 people who were turned away at the door on that night.

“Everyone was just so happy for me to come back to London. It showed a lot of love from people who still want to hear Carl Cox in London. So it [SW4] is going to be really really nice. Even my sisters are going to come. They’re like, “Oooh, you’re playing in Clapham? We’re going to come”. A lot of my old school friends who I don’t really get to see, are also coming.”

For the 20,000 others who’ll also be hoping to catch Carl Cox in action at South West Four might we suggest going easy on the aluminum foil.