Dave Clarke

Dave Clarke usually does his own thing. This techno producer/DJ is known to some as The Baron of Techno, and since the early 90s, he’s been unleashing ruthless, fat-free electro and techno to airwaves and mainstages worldwide.

Clarke may have over 35 years of experience, but he’s far from predictable. Born in Brighton, Clarke ran away from home as a youngster. He took lousy jobs, slept on the beach, and subsidized what he could with pay from local DJ gigs. Clarke began his career as a hip-hop DJ in the mid-80s before shifting towards acid house and rave music at the end of the decade. When the 90s came around, he began recording under various names for Stress Records, XL Recordings, and eventually his own imprint, Magnetic North.

As he spent more time behind the decks, Clarke shifted from popular 90s rave music towards ferocious techno. When he released a series of three 12” dubbed the Red trilogy in 1994, Clarke was catapulted to fame and critical acclaim. He suddenly found himself called up to remix the likes of The Chemical Brothers, New Order, Depeche Mode, Moby, and more. His follow-up album–2003’s Devil’s Advocate–was jam-packed with a dark techno attitude and a hip-hop heart that nods to his early DJ days.

Now a cultural institution, Clarke continues to tour around the world, run his own yearly showcase at the Amsterdam Dance Event, and host two radio shows. His oldest, White Noise, has been running nonstop for 16 years and often spotlights unsigned artists. His newer show, Saga Series, serves as an outlet for Clarke’s longstanding love of alternative, post-punk and new-wave.

In 2017, Clarke released his latest album The Desecration of Desire. Fourteen years after Devil’s Advocate, Clarke melded gothic synth and rich electro to make the album that he says “ignited a flame within me about making music.”

Also a photographer and neo-classical fan, this producer is a true punk, through and through.