With last weekend's Space Closing Party marking the official end to the Ibiza season for 2005, clubs and promoters can finally step back from the grueling week-in week-out promotion and craziness of the past three or four months.

For some, the next few months will be a time to drink to their successes; for others, it will be a case of pondering what went wrong and rethinking things through before the New Year comes around and programming for the 2006 season begins.

Without a doubt one of the biggest winners on the White Isle this season was the We Love team, whose flagship event, We Love...Sundays at Space went from strength to strength with the unveiling of the new covered terrace.

But surprisingly, We Love's Thursday night Viva/Fundacion residency, which looked like one of the best new nights on the island with its formidable line-up of both Steve Lawler and Sasha, didn't quite turn out as expected.

For the We Love production team, the masterminds behind the Homelands festival in England and more recently, We Love...Sounds in Sydney, the unexpected hiccup is a blemish on a formula which has otherwise proved to be immensely popular with clubbers and music-lovers.

RA had a chat to We Love's Darren Hughes shortly after the Sundays at Space Closing Party. In this upfront and candid interview, the former Cream and Home boss gives a glimpse of the future of We Love, reflects on the new terrace at Space, the highlights of the past summer and the disappointment of having to pull Sasha from the Sundays at Space line-up on his birthday.

"I've always had a strong relationship with Funktion One but I've not come across one that sounds as good as that. It's a great room, not just great; it's a special room."

So how was We love...Sundays at Space this year?

In one word. Awesome.

[Because of] the impact of the terrace being covered and no-one knowing what effect that would have. Obviously the terrace has got a strong heritage but I think things needed to move on. The club still has another terrace which is like a smaller version of the same thing but yeah, there was a lot of uncertainty and excitement, which is the reality when you run building projects. Unless you understand how they come together - and I don't - you'd be amazed how over the last few days everything comes together for everyone.

Alas, we missed the first four Sundays as we started on June 19th and the new covered terrace didn't open until the week of July 17th. But July 17th was a special day; it was a shock really, how fantastic the room was.

What are your thoughts on the new covered terrace?

For me, it's just not the room, it's everything. The Funktion One sound system that's in that room is the best I've heard of a Funktion One sound system in any room. I've always had a strong relationship with Funktion One but I've not come across one that sounds as good as that. It's a great room, not just great; it's a special room. I have to say that most people, especially DJs, agree with me.

It has just given Sundays a real boost up the arse, a new dimension, the whole thing. The only problem I have now is that all the DJs want to play on that. We've kind of kept the music policy of what you'd associate with the Space Terrace say 5, 6 or 7 years ago on the old terrace, kind of hands in the air, big tune moments but it's the inside more so [where no-one wants to play].

The key thing I've learnt this summer is that the music policy needs to be, in hindsight - I say hindsight because I didn't know this when I was programming it - but there does need to be a clearer distinction between the policy on the terrace and the policy inside next year.

One of the benefits of the covered terrace is that cos it's soundproof it has allowed us to go all night. So there have been benefits in lots of different ways.

We didn't have the crushing mid-summer we used to have before when everybody wanted to be on the terrace. At midnight the terrace used to close and some people would leave and some people would come but that didn't happen ever [this year].

We had Fatboy Slim for the penultimate party on the 18th of September and the closing party with Danny Tenaglia but the numbers at any hour in the evening and in the early hours of the morning reminded me of how packed it felt when we didn't have it.

Nice problem to have! (laughs)

This year you had some new residents, like Nic Fanciulli. How did that work out?

He played five times and he'll probably play seven or eight times next year. The biggest hit for me in terms of development as a resident was Paul Woolford, who's going to be a weekly resident next year.

The combination of the two styles, Paul and Nic's, really worked. Each complemented the other really well and played different enough to be able to be programmed together. That's been the real highlight of the summer. Paul pulling it together and Dan Ghenacia working it as the new resident. Nobody suspected it but that is where I want Sundays to go.

Yeah, there seemed to be quite a few good reports about Dan Ghenacia.

His music is fantastic. It's not as easy to like but I do think he has a unique style and next year, what we'll do with Dan, is he'll probably play on the terrace as many times as he plays inside. But anyway with Nic, Paul and Dan it's been fantastic. It's worked for them and worked for me.

"We just wanted to do the terrace with Steve but it was difficult. If we'd have turned down a residency with Sasha he'd probably have wanted to go to Pacha so we did it."

So, We Love Sundays at Space was again a huge success but what about the Thursday night Viva/Fundacion residency with Steve Lawler and Sasha which was quite a different story.

Yeah, I was approached by Pepe the club owner back in December/January to, I guess, be partners in a new night at the club. I'd been in discussions with Steve since last year since it was time for both him and I to move on.

Pepe had approached us with this idea for the terrace so with the chance of the terrace being able open all night, it was perfect to have Steve. The night was going to be centred around Steve and we switched the name to Viva without the We Love name any way in the mix. It was going to be produced by us but nevertheless Viva was the name.

A few months later and after more talks, Pepe said he wanted to try and open the inside as well. At the same time I also knew that Sasha wanted to do a party in Ibiza so that's what we did.

We launched the night towards the end of July with Sasha starting July 28th for a 5-week residency but alas, I can't give you the same reports as I gave you for Sunday.

What do you think are the reasons for why it didn't work?

There are lots of different reasons why I didn't work. One, the reality of starting a new night on the island was always going to be difficult. Two, the success or the appeal of the terrace was naturally going to draw people towards Sunday and the strong nights like Matinee, which is Saturday in the daytime, and Carl Cox's night.

So what it did was strengthen those nights. As soon as we tried to put the emphasis on the launch of something new, it went the other way instead of playing to our benefit.

It's almost like each night now, there is a key night that is difficult to go to. On Mondays there are quite a few now. Manumission is obviously the biggest but Cocoon, DC-10 - they've all got a part to play.

So on Thursday Cream has always been the biggest thing in terms of that side of the market. We thought that the market we were appealing to was going to be big enough but to be really honest with with you, from the very beginning, both Steve, myself and Fritz, Pepe's partner, were not as hungry as Pepe, to be fair and truthful, about opening the inside.

We just wanted to do the terrace with Steve but it was difficult. If we'd have turned down a residency with Sasha he'd probably have wanted to go to Pacha so we did it.

It was difficult right from the beginning. The terrace worked with Steve, but after two weeks of doing the inside, we realised there was no way that we were going to have the appeal to be able to justify it. So Sasha went on to the terrace the following week and the last two weeks he decided it wasn't working enough to keep continuing.

From a clubber's perspective I think it seemed like he just didn't turn up...

It wasn't so much that he didn't turn up. He decided, after conversations with his management, not to continue his Fundacion residency inside.

Obviously the appeal of the terrace was still there, that was still the strongest room because it was so new. So even though it was Sasha it still didn't have the magic like when he played on Sundays.

He played once on the terrace, felt uncomfortable, like he was almost impinging on Steve and decided not to do the last two weeks. In hindsight I didn't like the decision at the time but I think it was the right decision to make.

He also didn't play at his scheduled appearance at We Love...Sundays either, right?

Yes, he was supposed to play on September 24th but without getting into any politics, let 's just say that by then we hadn't really got to the point of...say, being on the same line.

I took him out of Sunday because he'd pulled the two Thursdays. Since then we've kind of talked and got the relationship back on track but I was incensed that the decision was made so quickly.

It was a shame really cos that weekend was Sasha's birthday, and he's played there on his birthday forever. Hopefully that will be addressed next year.

But it wasn't a case of him not turning up. I pulled the date.

"I took him [Sasha] out of Sunday because he'd pulled the two Thursdays. Since then we've...got the relationship back on track but I was incensed that the decision was made so quickly."

So do you think you will continue doing the the Thursday nights at Space next year?

It remains to be seen. We've only just finished. Steve is keen to have conversations about it and under the right conditions, with Pepe and Steve, then maybe.

If we do continue, what will happen, well what I know will happen, is that there will be a night on that terrace...If it's not with Steve, the other alternative is just to have something more localised, no international guests, no big names, just a real Ibiza, lot's of local DJs.

Something smaller, perhaps more like the Monza night at Penelope?

Monza has done well. That come out of the blue. They were programming the terrace at Cocoon up until this year and decided to do their own thing. They have a particular musical direction. I'd want to be a bit more varied but their idea is that simple really. It's almost the antithesis to Sundays, the antithesis to the big name DJs. I'd like to do something like that, without the pressure and high costs and build organically.

Ibiza in general is so big and so expensive and I would prefer in all truthness to do that night [Thursdays], not just with Steve. I think it should be wiped fresh, we should start clean and put on a night cheaper than anywhere else because the costs are lower. Then we would be seen to be giving something back and of quality; something different and that would be good.

The other night I went to the Underground Closing night. It's a club/bar space. They don't charge on the door. It has a couple of residencies, and one on Wednesday night, called Superfreq.

Essentially, I'd like to do something more akin to that night, where there is just like a token door charge. Essentially if the club was mine, if I owned the club, then that's what I would do. Alas, I don't. So I just think the best thing for us to do would be to put on something that would be an alternative to the big clubs.

I talk about big names and Sunday does still have big names. I hope, what that has done over the years, is diversify and allow emerging stars to come through. Steve has come through. Tiefschwarz. Tiga, the big names in production, Groove Armada.

You know Groove Armada played three or four years ago; they had a name and an act but they didn't DJ. This year we had them do the residency which was on the one scale. We also had Dan Ghenacia come through so Sundays isn't just about the superstars.

We are still trying to push the boundaries in terms of balancing quality music with appeal, whereas Thursday I'd like to do something that is just about fun by stripping away as much of the business aspect as possible.

So more of a grassroots approach. In many ways it seems like what you want to do in Ibiza is again a reflection of what happened in the UK, where clubbers moved on from the big name nights, superclubs and brands.

Yeah I do think the superclub is era is literally over - and the superstar DJ, in my opinion, is over. There are very few [of those] DJs, and the ones that do pull the huge numbers, are not the ones I'm interested in because their sound is single-dimensional, young, whatever ie. Tiesto, PVD. No disrepect to them as DJs but it ain't my world.

"There have been lots of highlights but really the unveiling of the terrace on July 17th will be a hard day to beat."

What then was the highlight of the 2005 season? What was the best party?

I have to say July 17th. It may not have been the biggest in terms of attendance or whatever but...the energy in the club once that room was revealed!

When Norman [Cook] played and did his thing of course that was another highlight. Danny Tenaglia's two performances were great. Tiefschwarz as a guest have probably been my favourite DJs. They played 4 times this summer. Hopefully it'll be double that next year. There have been lots of highlights but really the unveiling of the terrace on July 17th will be a hard day to beat.

Is there anyone you wanted to get this summer but couldn't for whatever reasons?

Yes. The one key person was Miss Kittin, simply because of the relationship she has with Cocoon. However she was there on the 17th to hear Tiga because they're old friends and the communication I've had with her since then is that next year she will definitely convince Sven to let her do a party. If she wants to do one I'll be happy because she wants to play the terrace.

There are a few others but for me she's the key.

Richie Hawtin is another, almost equally as much as Miss Kittin but not quite - just because of her style. I can't tell Richie what to play. I know he wants to play Space but he's really tied up with Sven. And you know, I'd want Sven Vath to play at Space on Sundays too.

As for techno, that's not something which is turning me on but I think if Miss Kittin played, she'd play what would work and I think Richie would do the same. I think Sven would as well. Like what Cocoon has done really.

Sven fell out with Space a couple of years ago. Because of that, he set up his own residency so he doesn't feel the need to do them any favours.

I've tried to mend that relationship since he didn't fall out with me. I've tried to work on it that relationship without jumping all over him but for whatever reasons it hasn't happened. But I think that room is now strong enough to appeal to everyone.

It's been a mixed season for you this year in Ibiza but care to make any comments about that article in The Independent which declaring the party was over in Ibiza?

It was a one-dimensional view. Almost like he stepped off the plane for 10 hours and saw the things he wanted to see and didn't see the things he could have seen. You can't just dip into the culture. You've got to be here.

It was ridiculous. It was short-sighted, badly written, ill-informed and it was wrong.

He might have been writing about a certain part of Ibiza but you've got to tell the whole story.

"We relaunched the We Love website in June and are starting to finalise a few deals on the DVD/CD/record side of things... I'm developing a management agency, which I should have done a long time ago..."

Aside from Ibiza, what else is happening with We Love. Last month you also released the We Love...Homelands DVD. Any plans to launch a label or compilation series?

I've got lots of plans.

The DVD, is bound in a book, and as a product itself, is fantastic.

We relaunched the We Love website in June and are starting to finalise a few deals on the DVD/CD/record side of things. I'm also developing a partnership with a few different people. I'm developing a management agency, which I should have done a long time ago; developing We Love as an alternative to a superclub brand.

You've mentioned in many interviews that you don't want We Love to become a brand as such. Will you be trying to keep it more like a family?

I only want it to be associated with things that are already good. I learnt a lot from my experience at Cream and at Home, which went from very high to very low.

So even though I am going to push the business forward, what I'm going to try not to do, is create a brand.

We use the words We Love to endorse Sundays at Space cos that is magic. I want We Love to be endorsing something which is fantastic, not the opposite, like the old nineties way,

I hope I can be successful enough but still look like a family. It may grow to be bigger but I will still have my feet on the ground.

In Sydney especially, we've got a partnership with Ben Korbel. We put on an event back in June with 5000 people and that's something we want to move on. That's the kind of model we want. The next event we put on with them will be in June next year, which will be under the guise of We Love...Sounds on the Queen's Birthday Holiday in Australia, the second Sunday in June. There'll be a DVD which will have a similar format to the We Love...Homelands one, everything will tie in together.

But in about 4 or 5 weeks time we'll be announcing a few things.