Whilst most of the world may claim ignorance on Brit DJ Fat Tony, for those of us who ‘grew up’ in London’s best queer clubs pre the AIDS Epidemic you will not only know of him, but also know why he lays claim to being the worlds best DJ.
Now aged 53, Fat Tony (real name Tony Marnach) is the subject of a short documentary from MixMag that talks about all other ‘firsts’ he had in his outrageous out-of-control life. Such as the fact that when he was 16 years old he was given his first line of cocaine from Freddie Mercury; and that he befriend a 13 year old Kate Moss in a club and supplied with alcohol; and that he became bestsies with Boy George. The list is seemingly endless but is topped by the fact that he has estimated that he blew at least $1 million in drugs before he got sober on 2007.
Tony delights in the fact that he was always very annoying, loud and precocious and could (and did) blag his way into anything like DJ’ ing and and partying into all the best clubs in London and NY. His influence on the successful House Music is unquestionable, but whether he was ……. or is ….. the least bit likable as a person is hard to judge from this film.
Boy George thinks he is, but than he has reason to do so. It was Tony who persuaded him to get sober all those years ago.
Now Tony is partnered and extremely successful with a client list that reads like a who’s who (well if that’s if how you rate the likes of the Beckhams). There is still a brashness to him though, and you get a glimpse of the tattoos on his hands. One reads ‘arrogant’ and the other ‘hypocrite”.