Dave Clarke
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dave Clarke | ||
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| Image:Daveclarke.jpg |
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| Background information | ||
| Also known as | The Baron of Techno, Hardcore, Directional Force | |
| Origin | Brighton, UK | |
| Genre(s) | Electronic music | |
| Occupation(s) | DJ, producer | |
| Years active | 1990 - present | |
| Label(s) | Deconstruction Records, Skint Records | |
| Website | http://www.daveclarke.com/ | |
- For the Canadian politician, see Dave Clarke (politician).
Dave Clarke is a Brighton born Techno Producer and DJ, often given the status The Baron of Techno.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Educated at Brighton College, Clarke ran away from home at the age of 16 after his parents split up. After sleeping rough for a while, a friend offered him temporary accommodation. All that kept him going was his love for music, initially Hip Hop and post-punk (The Damned are a favourite of his to this day). He soon managed to blag himself a DJ set at Brighton club Toppers. The night became very successful and even worried a rival night, in which a young John Digweed held residency. From then on Clarke gained popularity, getting club invites from round the world playing his blend of funky peaktime rave-techno.
In the 1990's he began producing and releasing music using the monicker Hardcore. In 1993 he dropped this name and just became Dave Clarke. Recognition of his talent came in 1994 when a series of EP's with the collective name of 'Red' and his début album 'Archive one' received rave reviews, as they were seen as being innovative and crossing genres, something not common in the Techno scene at the time. After the massive success of the 'Red'-series John Peel gave Dave his well known monicker The Baron of Techno, which stuck with him ever since.[1]
His sense of rhythm and amazingly impressive DJ skills have earned him more respect than most producers. He has a longstanding relationship with visceral, intense Techno, and is considered one of the innovators of the genre. He's an especially big fan of the minimal Detroit Techno sound, focusing on mechanical pulse and underlying Funk. Clarke has continued to remain massively popular, due to his unique dj style of endlessly cutting and scratching during his predominantly funky, dark, elektro-inspired Techno sets (although he sometimes plays purely elektro sets). Clarke's style is both sinister and energizing, and his live sets are rarely a disappointment. This style is evident on his latest two mix CD's World Service 1 and 2. His latest Album The Devils Advocate released in 2004 is a mixture of dark Techno, and hip hop featuring Chicks on Speed and DJ Rush. He also made a relatively experimental John Peel Sessions EP, known as "Directional Force".
Clarke was careful to warn young clubbers of their guinea-pig adventure with ecstasy in an interview in 2001, saying that if you need to take pills to make your night, it must mean that the music being played is lacking in quality. Needless to say, this is a very unusual comment for a major DJ to make, but it is indicative of Dave Clarke's independent-minded attitude.
"Music has always brought me through, even in times when I've had nothing. Music has given me everything and I feel I have to give everything back. I don't know what I'd do without it, it's in my blood and bones, the only constant throughout the whole of my life." (Dave Clarke, 2005)
Since the beginning of September 2006, Dave has been hosting his own radioshow on VPRO , called 'White Noise'.
[edit] Selected discography
[edit] EP's
[edit] Albums
[edit] DJ Mixes
- Dave Clarke Presents X-Mix - Electro Boogie (1996)
- Dave Clarke Presents Electro Boogie Vol. 2 - The Throwdown (1998)
- Fuse Presents Dave Clarke (1999)
- World Service (2001)
- World service 2 (2005)
[edit] External links
- daveclarke.com - official website
- Dave Clarke at Discogs
- Dave Clarke at MusicBrainz
- Dave Clarke at Last.fm
- 3voor12 White Noise
[edit] References
- ^ Dave noted this fact while referring to his own Wikipedia entry during his radioshow White Noise, where he paid tribute to the legendary British radio DJ. The show: John Peel special: "Dear John", aired on October 28th, 2006 on VPRO radio.
