Irvine Welsh to co-write TV series exploring rave culture

It's an underground movement he has explored in many of his best known books.

A boy wearing a gas mask at a rave held at Dalleagles farm near New Cumnock in June 1992. Picture: Allan Milligan/TSPL

Now Irvine Welsh is co-writing a TV series on rave culture, which follows the origin of the dance scene in the late 1980s.

The author, who grew up in Muirhouse, is working on a script with award-winning screenwriter and former music journalist and club promoter, Dan Cavanagh.

The series will be “loosely based” around celebrated DJs Nicky Holloway, Paul Oakenfold and Danny Rampling and “chronicle the beginnings of the rave movement, from the trio’s fateful Ibiza trip in 1987 to the second summer of love”.

Irvine Welsh will work on the script with Dan Cavanagh. Picture: Toby Williams

Provisionally titled Ibiza87, the series is described as “the missing link between 24 Hour Party People and Straight Outta Compton”.

“The house music scene and most importantly, the friendships made, the adventures had and crazy tales swapped, have been a pivotal part of our lives over the years,” Welsh said in a press release.

“Those beats, pills and travels (whether to the other side of the world or across the town) shaped a generation, and the opportunity to construct a drama within this backdrop is a dream come true.”

Oakenfold told FACT magazine he was “very excited” about the project.

A rave take place at Dalleagles farm near New Cumnock in June 1992. Picture: Allan Milligan/TSPL

He added: As you know, it ties in with the 30-year anniversary of our trip to Ibiza and what followed thereafter; the birth of the dance music club and festival scene as we know it today. It’s great to celebrate with this project as well as my world tour this year which is about just that, three generations of dance music.”

A release date for the series has yet to be announced.