Detective Instinct: the Quest for the Source of the Essence of Tong

The lyrics to the Fall song Dr. Bucks' Letter (http://annotatedfall.doomby.com/pages/the-annotated-lyrics/dr-bucks-letter.html) are notable, among other things, for the inclusion of a section apparently read out of a magazine interview with the DJ Pete Tong.

Cheer myself up

Put the radio on, get the magazine out
And read about "The Essence of Tong"

Checklist:

I never leave home without:     

1. Sunglasses - I wear them all year around, and seem to need them more often, it’s a habit

Music - cassettes, CDs

3. Palm Pilot - it’s my lifeline. I think it’s my P.A.’s computer, she rules my diary and I download it

4. Mobile phone

5. Amex card - they made such a fuss about giving it to me but I spend more time getting it turned down!

I was in the realm of the essence of Tong. 

Ever since the song was released, nearly 20 years ago, Fall fandom has been agog to know if the interview was real and, if it was, where it came from. Well, mainly Fall fandom has been entirely indifferent, but it has kept me busy. 

After years of painstaking research, I have traced the interview.

It appeared in the Autumn 1999 issue of Hot Line, the "complimentary magazine for Virgin Trains passengers", issue #8 (p. 82).

Here it is:

Update: In September 2019 I was interviewed about my search by the Magculture blog. Listen here: Magculture. My bit is from about 10:55.