Joey Negro Biog
Joey Negro is the most well-known pseudonym of master British DJ/producer/remixer Dave Lee. Under a plethora of other monikers including Jakatta, Akabu, Doug Willis, Raven Maize, The Sunburst Band, Sessomatto, and Z Factor, Dave was one of the first artists to incorporate disco samples in house music when he began his production career in 1990. Indeed, he was in the studio making credible and outstanding British House music when many luminaries around him were still busy getting to grips with their decks. In 2010 little has changed and Dave is widely regarded as one of the most commercially successful and in-demand artists on the global scene.
A producer first and foremost, Dave uses his DJ’ing talents as a sound-bed for tweaking his musical creations to perfection. His work ethic is legendry, having been involved in well over 200 productions, countless albums and a healthy stack of hit singles. Through releasing tracks such as ‘Must Be The Music’, ‘Make A Move On Me’, ‘Can’t Get High Without You’ and Jakatta’s ‘American Dream’ and ‘My Vision’, Dave has established himself as a true professional who keeps getting better. Widely considered an expert in all things funk, soul and disco-related, Dave is also a helpful ‘consultant’ depended on by radio and TV producers world wide.
Born on the Isle of Wright, Dave grew up on the south coast of England during the late 70’s and early 80’s listening to local radio stations and the sounds of Earth Wind & Fire, Heatwave, Shalamar and The Jacksons. A lack of good quality music at the time encouraged Dave to seek inspiration in the record shops of London. This soon led to a job at London vinyl store Smithers & Leigh where he first heard the revered house classics ‘Jack Your Body’ and ‘I Can Feel It’, sounds that were major inspirations for him to produce his own records.
Following the closure of Smithers & Leigh, Dave joined Rough Trade Distribution where he was charged with setting up its dance music arm, Demix. It was here where Dave started working with the Rhythm King label, which had had a number of hits with acts like Bomb The Bass, S-Express, Cookie Crew and Beatmasters.
His experience in advising other labels led to Dave establishing his own imprint, Republic Records, in 1988. Now defunct, Republic is today remembered as the UK’s first soulful house label releasing classics such as Phase II “Reachin” and Turntable Orchestra “You’re Gonna Miss Me”. This was also home the first Dave Lee production, M.D.E.M.M.'s ‘Get Busy’, which reached 88 in the UK charts and 18 in the club charts. His most successful work during this time, according to Dave himself, was ‘Forever Together’, released under his Raven Maize alter ego. Dave created hype by licensing the song to NY label Quark and created a story of an ex-convict who played in a steel band in Disney Land, even using a computer-enhanced image of a friend sporting an afro as a press shot.
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