Carl Cox: The superstar DJ who went from raves to racing

Carl Cox is a self-proclaimed gatekeeper of dance music

He's been a towering figure throughout some of the defining eras of modern UK music.

From acid house and rave to the explosion of UK club culture, Carl Cox is now the self-proclaimed gatekeeper of dance music.

To many, he's still the world's greatest DJ.

But, now in his fifth decade at the top, Carl Cox's mind isn't just on Ibiza but the road racing circuits of Northern Ireland.

In a new documentary for BBC Sounds, the 59-year-old discusses his obsession with motorbikes and why, in 2013, he decided to start his own motorsport team.

It was a far cry from the teenager whose love of two wheels landed him in trouble with the law.

• BBC Sounds: Carl Cox and Motorbikes

"I kind of lost my licence before I got a licence… I was known to the cops," he said, blaming his love of riding at speed without a full licence.

"I liked the idea of going places, touring, having that camaraderie with my friends and getting there and getting back in one piece."

Fast-forward three decades and his initial intention was to manage only sidecar teams - but when the chance came to support one of solo motorcycling's biggest names, he couldn't resist.

With 19 wins, Michael Dunlop is the third most successful rider in the history of the Isle of Man TT

In June 2014, Carl flew from Ibiza and arrived in the Isle of Man with moments to spare before his new headline act, Michael Dunlop, set off from the start line.

His quick word of luck in his ear did the job.

A short time later the Ballymoney man had delivered the first TT win for Carl Cox Motorsport.

The DJ remembers thinking back: "It can't be true that this has happened to us already.

"I almost became a lucky mascot for him in that sense because that year he was phenomenal on everything.

"The history of the Dunlops is rich and deep and for me to be a part of that is incredible."

A pioneer of electronic music

Born in greater Manchester in 1962 to parents from Barbados, Carl spent his early life in south London.

His first love was, and still is, music. Inspired by disco, he bought his first set of turntables aged 15 and started performing as a mobile DJ.

But by the 1980s, influences like the Chicago house scene saw the dance music transform rapidly this side of the Atlantic.

By the end of the decade, rave culture was sweeping the UK.

It was controversial, it was underground - and at the heart of the hysteria was Carl Cox.

Thirty-five years on, he's widely regarded as a pioneer of electronic music.

Carl says that Firestarter by The Prodigy is the piece of music that reminds him most about road racing

But throughout his relentless schedule over the decades, his love for motorbikes has remained.

When work got too busy to watch the action live, Carl and fellow dance music icon the late Keith Flint would spend hours talking about bikes while touring.

The Prodigy frontman would also go on to manage his own team.

Carl said that The Prodigy's hit Firestarter is the piece of music that reminds him most about road racing.

The DJ also opened up about the tragic nature of the sport, his conversations with Michael Dunlop about continuing to race and whether electric bikes are the future of road racing.

You can listen to Carl Cox: Music and Motorbikes now on BBC Sounds.