Just before his gig with Nick Warren on a yacht for Miami Music Week, Hernan Cattaneo joins us for a conversation about the history of his residency at Pacha in Buenos Aires, bringing artists like Sasha, John Digweed, Darren Emerson, Paul Oakenfold, and Nick Warren to Argentina for the first time, what makes progressive house crowd in Argentina so special, and how he helps give other artists exposure on his label and radio show.
Originally aired on May 12, 2022. Transcribed by Juan Aristizabal.
Super Progressive: Look at where we are. We’re on this yacht in Miami for Music Week. We’re just so excited to learn about the history of progressive house all around the world. The same way we hear about Sasha or John Digweed, we also hear about Hernan at Clubland Pacha.
For context: Clubland, located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was an iconic venue in the late 90s and early 2000s, known for its central role in the global dance music scene. It was part of the internationally recognized Pacha nightclub brand, a global symbol of nightlife and progressive house culture. Hernan became the resident DJ at this venue, which became a cornerstone of Argentina’s growing progressive house scene—an influence that is still deeply felt today. This fusion of Clubland and the Pacha brand was so iconic that the venue became widely known as Clubland Pacha.
In 1996, you became the resident of Clubland Pacha in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a city that became home to progressive house music in the country. What was the magic of that venue, and what was it like to play in front of your audience and help cultivate Argentina’s progressive house scene? It’s still, to this day, one of the best scenes in the world.
Hernan Cattaneo: It is, it is. Well, thank you for the interview first. I’m happy to be here talking to you guys, and I’m extra happy that you guys are doing all this work because progressive sound is our sound, it’s our flag. So it’s nice to see all the people pushing it. Back in the day in Argentina, there was a small scene. Pacha opened the club in Buenos Aires in 1993. The first three or four years were not so good because they had a more European kind of club culture, and it was too far ahead for Argentina, at least for mainstream Argentina. I mean, of course, there have always been people in the underground who were involved and understood everything, the people who traveled as well, but it was very different for the mainstream. So at the beginning, it was tough.
Super Progressive: And then, as you say, in 1996, it wasn’t yet called Clubland. The name Clubland started in 1998, but 1996 was the moment when Pacha, for the first time ever in Argentina, existed as a club focused solely on the music, the DJs, and the sound systems. Before that, clubs were promoted by models and public relations and that VIP kind of thing, which is fine, I don’t mind that, but we never saw the focus being put on the music. They spent more money on a VIP kind of luxurious experience rather than one that embraced the music as a raw art form and especially the producers. But then, in 1996, Pacha broke this pattern by introducing, for the first time, a club made by and for true lovers of the underground scene.
Hernan Cattaneo: Yes, that is all true, and instead of having a bodyguard at the front door deciding who enters and who doesn’t, it was a club that anyone could enter—made for the people. You pay the ticket, you enter, and you enjoy the music. That may sound obvious to some, but in South America, it hasn’t always been like that. Clubs, as I said, were all about that VIP kind of thing. So, Pacha changed that way of functioning and became an instant success. It took a while to gain financial success, but from the club’s point of view, it was incredible because all they cared about was the music and they trusted that it would eventually bring other things as well. I was lucky enough to be the resident DJ at that time, where they started having the biggest names in the scene every weekend. Sasha, John Digweed, or basically any top DJ from all over the world coming to play week in, week out. Check out some of the DJ mixes recorded in this huge venue,
The scene was really small, and there weren’t many people working around, so I was also in charge of sometimes picking them up at the airport. So I got to know these guys, who were my idols, and suddenly I was taking them for lunch or dinner and, of course, playing with them and sharing music. For me, it was an incredible time to grow and build relationships with these guys.
Nowadays, things have evolved, and we’re enjoying the biggest moment for the scene. We have amazing clubs, sound systems, and DJs all over the place. You also have to add that one of the biggest assets of the scene’s success in South America is the Latino spirit. We are Latinos; we maybe look European because most of us came from grandparents who were immigrants to South America in the early 20th century, following the First and Second World Wars. So we all have this kind of mixed culture. When there’s a party, we all clap, scream, and dance like crazy, and it creates a very special atmosphere that reflects our energy as part of Latino culture. There were far fewer festivals back then than we have today, so the excitement and enthusiasm of the crowd were unparalleled. Even today, when a big rock band wants to make a video, like the Rolling Stones or Madonna, they record it in Argentina or Brazil because they know that when they put the camera on the crowd, they’ll capture something that they don’t get in other parts of the world. It’s not because it’s better or worse, it’s just the way we express ourselves. And for club music, that is amazing.
I think that’s part of why Clubland was so successful. The international DJs playing incredible music, all the Global Underground guys, all the Renaissance guys—they had this incredible crowd every weekend. People were super, super loyal, and events filled up very early. I was mostly warming up, but always warming up for a full crowd. And there is something special about Pacha in Buenos Aires because it was located right along a river. They had to obey a different set of rules and limitations than the ones in the city. If Pacha were in the city, it would have had to close four or five times, but there were a lot of things Pacha could get away with on the riverside that helped make it such a big club in such a legendary place.
Super Progressive: One word that Dave Seaman and Sander Kleinberg used to describe the Argentinian audience is patience. And when it comes to progressive house music and constructing a journey, the patience from the crowd allows you to bring them up, but then bring them back down, and elongate and dramatise this whole experience
Hernan Cattaneo: I think this comes out of respect. In Argentina, we have a very good culture of warm up DJs. Warmup DJs here play super slow, respecting who’s coming next and understanding that the DJ coming after is the star of the night. You have to set up the first part of the night, knowing you’re not the main DJ. People here understand that too. They don’t expect you to be banging at 1:00 AM—they know that will happen at 5:00 AM. This gives DJs incredible freedom to do whatever they want.
I was surprised to find it wasn’t like that in Europe, for example, where people enter the club expecting higher-tempo music right away. I think that’s like eating dessert before the main plate—there’s no point in it. In Argentina, we’ve always understood this. One reason could be that, in the ‘80s, DJs in clubs would play all night long. It was just one DJ from the first record to the last. So, if you wanted to keep the crowd’s energy for six or seven hours, you had to start slow and build progressively.
We were playing in a progressive way long before we even knew the term. I’ve been a DJ since I was 12, and I’m 57 now, so this has been my whole life. The first time I heard about UK progressive DJs was Darren Emerson in 1992, with his GU stuff, Paul Oakenfold, and all those guys. But the way I was playing before that was already progressive, just because, in my mind, it was the right way to do it. It’s common sense.
Super Progressive: It’s like progressive is more of an approach and a philosophy to music than just a genre or sound.
Hernan Cattaneo: I’ll tell you exactly why I think that is. If you hear me or any of these guys, we don’t stick to one style of music in six or seven hours. I just came back from Stereo in Montreal, where I played 14 hours on Saturday. Imagine, 14 hours! I played a lot of styles of music, with ups and downs. But the way you mix it, the progressive way of mixing, is what makes it work. Techno, deep house, progressive, trance, slowing it down, whatever you want to play in between—it all fits if you mix it in that progressive way.
I have always had massive influence from people like Frankie Knuckles, but also Laurent Garnier. They had different styles, but both knew how to play long sets. I didn’t go to university for this; my university was going to the Sound Factory Bar in New York to hear Frankie Knuckles. He’d play alone all night, starting with the first record when the club was empty and ending with the last one, where nobody would leave until he said, “This is the last record.”
For me, that was the way. I’ve always felt progression is the most important thing, even more than the music itself. The same music, when played in a progressive way, will make a much bigger impact than if you play it differently.
Super Progressive: Definitely. It’s almost become like a myth at this point. DJs like Paul Oakenfold started coming to Argentina, and the story goes that you befriended these guys and became the first South American resident in Europe. My question is, were you apprehensive or nervous about leaving everything behind in Argentina to go to Europe for Cream?
Learn more about Cream, a legendary nightclub in Liverpool, England, renowned for its groundbreaking role in the UK’s rave and electronic music scene, especially in the 1990s.
Hernán Cattáneo: Well, yes and no. You have to keep in mind that when that happened, I was 30 years old. As I said before, I started playing at 12, so I already had a lot of experience. I knew how to DJ, and I knew I could do it well. That wasn’t a problem. What I doubted was whether Europeans would be interested in me for more than six months.
In 1998, Paul came and heard me play. We played together, and he offered to take me with him around the world. For that, I had to move to London. I was leaving behind the best club in South America, where I was the resident every week. It was probably the best job for a DJ in all of South America, and I had it. Leaving that behind wasn’t easy.
But I mean, I didn’t doubt it because I was going to England with a Polo shirt on but because I felt like it couldn’t get any better. I told the owner of Pacha, “Listen, I have to go. Paul is offering me the chance to tour with him, and I can’t pass this up. But please, in a few months, if they send me back to Argentina, keep me in mind.”
I thought, okay, I’m leaving this residency, they’ll have to find another DJ, and when I come back, I won’t be able to just step back into the same spot. I’d have to start all over again, working my way up the ladder. At the time, I expected to go to England for six or eight months. But instead, I ended up coming back to Argentina 15 years later, married with kids, and as a completely different person.
Super Progressive: Yeah, that’s amazing. During this period, in 2002, you released one of our fans’ all-time favorite mix compilations, Perfecto Presents: South America.
Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.
What I’m curious about is that our fans love hearing the little details behind the stories of creating these mixes. This came out in 2002, at a time when the art of the mix compilation, just before the internet era, was at its peak. What do you remember about putting that mix together, and how much work did it take?
Hernan Cattaneo: The main difference, and something that’s difficult for younger people to understand, is that this was vinyl only. You had to mix it, record it, and not make any mistakes, or you’d have to do it all over again until it was perfect. You had to actually practice a lot. Back then, as you mentioned, the world wasn’t as connected as it is now. Sometimes, getting the license for a track was a challenge. Luckily, I had Paul Oakenfold and his Perfecto label supporting me, and they helped me in an incredible way.
I remember calling people and saying, “I’m working with Paul Oakenfold,” and everyone was willing to help me. That support was invaluable. But at the same time, I felt a lot of pressure. I was aware that, at that time, there weren’t any South American DJs making an international impact. The global scene was mostly dominated by Europeans, especially English and German DJs, and some Americans and French. But almost no one from the third world was making it big.
I was proud to represent South America, but I also knew it was a huge responsibility. I had to deliver, because if I didn’t, people might dismiss South American DJs altogether. Argentina, in particular, has faced many challenges. Our country has beautiful people, but we’ve experienced difficult times almost all our lives—politically, economically, and socially. There has never been a period of three straight years where everything went right. There’s always been some kind of crisis—whether it was a war, economic collapse, or something else.
I knew I had a great opportunity to give a break to the DJs behind me. If I succeeded, it would open doors for others. Thankfully, that happened. It took time, of course, but by around 2006 or 2007, you started seeing a lot of international DJs from Argentina performing at festivals in Europe and the US. Doors opened for many DJs.
I wouldn’t say I’m responsible for it, but what I do know for sure is that many kids in Argentina saw what I did and thought, “If Hernán did it, then I can try it too.” Before that, it had never happened.
Super Progressive: It’s so Inspiring to me because this desire of yours to open up doors for the next generation and to give the next generation of DJs and producers exposure with the platform you have has never left. And that’s the cornerstone of Resident.
Hernan Cattaneo: Well that’s the idea. Yes. I’m glad you said that.
Super Progressive: Yeah. So, what is it inside you, and what is it about this culture that always pushes you to give back?
Hernan Cattaneo: Well, I don’t want to get too philosophical, but when I was 11, the first Star Wars movie came out, and it had a deep impact on me. One thing that really stood out when I was young was Yoda telling Luke Skywalker, “Teach what you have learned.” I was young and naive, but that stuck with me. I always kept it in mind.
As I grew older, I became very aware that it wasn’t because I was better than the other DJs in Argentina, but I was the one who had the chance for international exposure and became a global DJ. It could have been any of the others in my place. So, I always thought, “I have to share this.”
I remember back in the day when we had pioneers like Danny Rampling coming to teach us, not just how to DJ but also how to conduct ourselves. One day, I had a conversation with Grand Park, Jesus from the Hacienda in Manchester, and he said to me, “Hernán, remember, it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” It sounds simple now, but it was a valuable lesson.
Danny Rampling also once gave us a bunch of records for free, to us DJs. I remember telling him, “Danny, you’re so generous. How can I repay you?” He smiled and said, “No, no. You don’t have to repay me. If you give it back, it ends there. You give it to someone else, and when they’re done with it, they give it to someone else. And that’s it.”
Those lessons—about helping each other and pushing each other to build a bigger scene—were crucial, especially in a place like South America where things were difficult. Vinyl records were hard to get, and there weren’t big sponsors like Pioneer supporting DJs. You had to do everything on your own, the hard way.
So, of course, if I’m not the one helping young kids, who will? I got exposure, I built a career, I found my place in the world. And years later, when I started the Sudbeat label, it was initially to promote Argentina. But then I thought, “Why just Argentina? Why not promote everyone?”
Sudbeat, Hernán Cattaneo’s record label, has been a pioneer in progressive house since its foundation, particularly in South America. Explore more of its exceptional work and unique sound here.
As traveling DJs, we get the opportunity to meet incredible producers from all over the world—from Alaska to Singapore, every weekend. They have the talent, but what they need is visibility. These days, with so many DJs everywhere, they need help standing out. The good ones need to be noticed. So, whether it’s through my radio show on Saturday nights, my label, or my sets, I try to give them that exposure and push their music.
Just as Paul Oakenfold changed my life by signing me and taking me on tour, I try to help others the same way.
Super Progressive: Amazing. And we know you’re pressed for time. It’s the last question I have.
Hernan Cattaneo: Yes, but you don’t have to hurry. I am enjoying this talk. As you can see, I love talking a lot about it.
Super Progressive: Thank you for that, I can talk about it all day. So after all these years you find yourself still playing, still enjoying it, and now sharing the stage with another legend and also a friend. What is it like, knowing that you have both shared a similar story or came up in a similar era and went through similar experiences, to be doing this together still all these years later?
Hernan Cattaneo: The story with Nick is that he was a star long before I came along. I remember buying his Global Underground CD, his Back to Mine CD. He came to play in Argentina, and we were both excited. He played at the first Cream Fields and then at Pacha. Not only was I a huge fan of him as a DJ, but as soon as I met him, I could tell he was a super, super cool guy. The nicest guy in the business, really. For me, he and Danny Howard are the two nicest people in the whole music business.
With Nick, we had a similar sound, and I think it was about 15 years ago—or maybe a little more—that we did a couple of back-to-back sets together. I think we did one in Lebanon and another in Argentina. It really worked well. We both felt great, and we could tell the crowd was enjoying it in a special way. I enjoy my own shows, and he enjoys his own, but when we are together, there’s something special that happens.
Super Progressive: Chemistry.
Hernan Cattaneo: Exactly. He comes, and people enjoy it so much. Since then, we became really good friends and have shared the stage all over the world, many times in many countries. One funny thing that people don’t know is that we never, ever talk about music.
We just go with the flow. We don’t play the same music, but we play similar styles. So, I’ll probably play records that he would like, but he wouldn’t play the same ones for me. It always works really well, and we trust each other. I think that’s the most important thing in a back-to-back. What’s the point of doing a back-to-back if you don’t enjoy each other’s company? Otherwise, there’s no point. With Nick, I know that he’ll play the right three records, and when it’s my turn, I’ll do the same. It’s that chemistry that happens sometimes, but not with everybody—only with him. As I said, he’s a dear, dear friend, and I love him dearly. I hope we continue doing this for many, many years.
Super Progressive: Yeah. Well, we just want to thank you so much for coming on. It hasn’t even been a year since we first interviewed Paul, and to think how gracious all the DJs of this genre are in sharing the story of this journey and this music with us… We’re just really grateful, and we know everyone will be super excited to see this. So, thank you so much.
Hernan Cattaneo: No, thank you, man. And let me say thank you to Paul, because Paul was the one who took me from Argentina to the world. He changed not just my DJ career, he changed my life. I am forever grateful to Paul. Not only because of all that he did for the music scene in general, but also for what he did for me.
