Dave Clarke (born 19 September 1968 in
Brighton) is an English Techno Producer and DJ, often given
the status The Baron of Techno.
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 1990s he began producing and releasing music using
the moniker "Hardcore". In 1993 he dropped this
name and just became Dave Clarke. Recognition of his talent
came in 1994 when a series of EPs with the collective name
of Red and his debut 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 success of the Red-series John Peel gave Clarke his well
known moniker "The Baron of Techno", which stuck
with him ever since.
His sense of rhythm and 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 popular, due to his DJ style of endlessly
cutting and scratching during his predominantly funky, dark,
electro-inspired Techno sets (although he sometimes plays
purely electro sets). Clarke's style is both sinister and
energizing, and his live sets are rarely a disappointment.
This style is evident on his two mix albums World Service
and World Service 2. His album Devil's 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 under the name "Directional Force".
In the song "Teachers" by French duo Daft Punk,
Dave Clarke is one of the many DJs mentioned.
His latest album, Remixes & Rarities, was awarded the
title Album of the Month by Mixmag in February 2007.
"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."
Since the beginning of September 2006, Clarke has been hosting
his own radioshow on VPRO , called "White Noise".
In May 2008 there are three concerts programmed in the Netherlands
where Clarke will be playing with the Holland Symfonia orchestra.
Starting from the track "Rhapsody In Red" from his
legendary Archive One album, he will produce some more tracks
in this genre to play together with the orchestra.
