Earlier this week, John Summit publicly accused Pete Tong of stealing his ‘Missing’ remix. The dispute between two generations of dance music heavyweights was on full public display, sparking intense debate across the electronic music community and leading Dutch producer Franky Rizardo to withdraw from the project.
The controversy centered on claims that Tong had taken a collaborative remix project and repurposed it into a separate release with Rizardo. However, in a recent interview with Alex Tripi, CEO of the Pete Tong DJ Academy, the veteran broadcaster offered a detailed rebuttal, characterizing the situation as a misunderstanding of standard industry practices.
Clarifying the Creative Process
Tong explained that his intention was never to misappropriate work, but rather to curate multiple versions of a track for his upcoming Ibiza Classics tour. “It’s quite normal when releasing a song to have different versions of the same song,” Tong stated. He noted that he had been in positive, ongoing communication with all parties involved regarding the creation of orchestral arrangements for his live performances.
According to Tong, he had secured necessary permissions from the original artists, Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt of Everything But The Girl, to reimagine the track. He maintained that his goal was to release a variety of interpretations, including an orchestral version, a collaboration with Franky Rizardo, and a version featuring John Summit and Layton Giordani.
Evidence and Industry Protocol
To support his defense, Tong presented a proposal document dated May 13, 2026. The document outlined a strategic release schedule intended to stagger the various remixes, with the Franky Rizardo mix slated for an earlier release and the John Summit version planned for later in the summer. Tong emphasized that the timeline was always open for discussion with the artists involved.
“I’m disappointed. I don’t like being accused of things that aren’t true. If you’ve got a problem, pick up the phone. That’s certainly what I would preach. I’ve tried to call John, I’ve tried to text him,” Tong remarked during the interview.
As the electronic music community continues to weigh in on the dispute, the incident highlights the complexities of collaboration and intellectual property in the modern dance music landscape. For now, the release remains in limbo as the parties involved navigate the fallout of these public allegations.