I set out to do a mix that represents my past, present and future - the records that have inspired me, records i grew up listening to, some of my favourite tracks ive made, brand new music from me and of course the music I play in clubs and producers that rock my world at the moment.

It's a tricky one to balance to make it a coherent journey across the 2 hours. Luckily, I think I've nailed it and am really proud of this musical journey through my brain. It takes in disco, synth funk, techno, indie, big beat, electro, house music and a whole lot more. Lots of exclusives and lots of special edits and mashups made for the mix. Expect the unexpected. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as i did making it. Let me know what you think here on the dance blog.

Alex Metric

:: Listen to Alex Metric's Essential Mix (from Saturday the 16th of April at 0300)

So as new technology evolves, old technology become obsolete! There is no better example of this than in the DJ industry. When I first started DJ'ing I would drag the heaviest box of records around the streets of the UK just to have a selection of 50 track in a set. Now i literally have 100 times that on my USB keyring at all times!!

So what happens to the vast collection of records I gained over years? eBay? I could NEVER do that! Each record holds so much sentimental value, and even as a self confessed 'digital DJ' now, there is nothing quite like the warm analogue pops and crackles of dropping the needle into the wax grooves.

Each week i will be digging out one old gem from my extensive collection of dusty old records ranging from oldskool rave, happy hardcore, hard house, hardstyle, even to the extremes of gabber, to get my acetate fix!!

First up I have one of my proudest records in my collection, an original white label promo pressing of the bassline classic from the original dust masked ravers from the 90's Altern8 with "Infiltr8 202". Feel free to leave a comment with any suggestions, and I look forward to crate digging to try and find it by my fading mental image of the sleeve artwork!

Kutski

:: Listen to Kutski's show (from Sat 16th April at 0100)

What a few days its been, what an amazing few weeks leading up to "A Celebration Of Pete Tong", I'm quite humbled by the way everyone at the station has got behind this crazy idea.

I think the interview with Zane Lowe last night for "The Last Radio Show On Earth" was probably one of the best i have done, it was emotional! The session with Chris Moyles this morning, what can I say? CM has been such a great supporter since he joined the station and he's not a bad dj himself!! All stuff I will remember for a very long time.

Writing this in the studio as we get ready to go live at 7pm for the start of a very unique 12 hour dance marathon I think back to my early days here at Radio 1, the nerves and excitement and anticipation of stepping onto the national stage when I did my first show back in 1991. After 3 years of the acid house and rave movement it felt like the whole country was behind me when I dropped those first few "anthems" on a national & international station as mighty as Radio 1.

There have been so many unique memories; taking the radio station to Ibiza for the first time in 1995, broadcasting from the docks in Liverpool for the millennium which conveniently happened to fall on a Friday night - 31st December 1999! Being part of the Berlin Love Parade, being the first UK dj ever to play the Monument at the end and capturing it for the station, being at the heart of the UK Love parade in Leeds (8th July 2000) to an audience of 250,000, introducing so many amazing bands from live events around the uk, The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, daft punk, Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Orbital,...we were there...so many special memories.

Putting tonight together, curating the entire sweep has been fantastic and a great honour. From rummaging around in my vinyl record store with Rob da Bank, constructing some unique moments for the Essential Mix in my studio, the live extravaganza @ Maida Vale, the mighty hour from the Chemical Brothers, and reliving the international shows I'm very proud of what we have done and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have putting it all together.

It doesn't feel like 20 years.... although don't ask me what's on TV tonight!

We continue lets have it !!!

Pete Tong

It's been a massive week for me getting everything ready for next week's 20th Anniversary Celebrations. On Wednesday evening we recorded 7 amazing acts for the 'tribute session' section of the 12 hour Tong-a-thon. Shingai & Noisette's, Martin Solveig, Kele & Dragonette, Alex Metric, Chase & Status, Chilly Gonzales, Guy Gerber & Groove Armada!

It was an incredible evening and I had to pinch myself to make sure it was really happening. Luckily the geniuses @ BBC Maida Vale recorded it for you all to hear.

I also put the finishing touches to an Essential Mix - my first studio Essential Mix since the opening week of that show back in 1993. I managed to do 2 hours using 95% vinyl. It wasn't the plan but that's the way it turned out and it does have a unique quality about it. I've added loads of mad stuff on top and am very proud of the result - can't wait for you to hear it.

But! There is still one more week to go which means we still have a hot show tonight to talk about featuring Guy Gerber on 15 Minutes of Fame, a wonderful man with a real talent, as well as Chris Lake talking us through his perfect 24 hours. New music comes Miami-style from MYNC, Mark Knight, Axwell, Sharam, Calvin Harris, Guti, Mark Fanciulli, Benoit & Sergio, Pitto, Nadastorm, Stacey Pullen and Marco Carola to name a few, it's going to be big! We are live at 9pm

Let me know what you think of tonight's show!

Pete Tong

Hello, this is Brodinski and I'm really proud to present you my BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix. I tried to go all over the place, picking my favorite stuff from my background! I think this mix is really going all over the place! I know it's a 2 hours mix so i did something different, from another approach, going from my favorite American Crunk anthem, from the past and today, to the Techno, House, Moombahton, Dubstep and even some Jerk. My favourite styles of music are in it - I tried to bring you the best selection of everything! I hope you will like it.

Let me know what you think of it!

Thanks!

:: Brodinski's Essential Mix (available from 0300 on the 2nd of April)