In February of this year, Ibiza legend Tony Pike passed away at the age of 85.

The founder of the (in)famous hotel Pikes Ibiza, notorious for its excess through the 1980s that continues to this day, Pike was renowned for his cavalier lifestyle.

He was even dubbed the “ringmaster for 30 years of celebrity debauchery”, as his hotel was the favourite hangout of icons like Freddie Mercury, George Michael, Grace Jones, and Julio Iglesias.

Pike sold the hotel back in 2008, and in 2017, released his autobiography, Mr Pikes: The Story Behind The Ibiza Legend.

Around the same time, at the age of 83, he was interviewed by VICE about the hedonistic heyday of his hotel. Although the audio is very poorly mixed, and the language often crass, the short interview does offer some insight into the life of an Ibiza legend:

For more on his backstory, here’s Mixmag:

Pike eventually found himself arriving in Ibiza on the recommendation of an Australian buddy Pete Middleton. He arrived on June 1, 1978 and never left. He bought a derelict finca with no running water, sanitation or electricity for 6m pesetas (approx. £32,000) the following year and Pikes Hotel opened on July 4, 1980 with two rooms and food so bad (cooked by Pike) that he couldn’t charge for it. Alongside his wife Lynn and two sons, Pike built most of the hotel himself (frequently without planning permission).

I’m not sure he would be such a revered figure in today’s climate, but there’s no doubting that he will remain an Ibiza icon.

[sources:vice&mixmag]