Who Is Dave Clarke?

Updated

Dave Clarke is a British techno DJ and producer, born and raised in Brighton, England, who currently lives in Amsterdam. He is best known for the 1994 "Red" trilogy on Bush Records and his 1996 debut album Archive One. If you are looking him up after hearing a track, seeing a tour date, or spotting the Archive One reissue, this covers his background, key releases, and where his music sits.

Background and move to Amsterdam

Clarke grew up in Brighton as the child of a technology-loving father and a disco-soul-loving mother. He has described leaving home young and sleeping in car parks and on beaches, taking low-paid jobs in shoe shops while playing badly paid local DJ gigs to fund his involvement with music. He later relocated to Amsterdam, a move he credits with revitalising his life and work.

Key releases and career timeline

Year Release / milestone Label or context
1990 Debut release under the name Hardcore XL
Early 1990s EPs as Hardcore and Directional Force Belgian techno-rave imprint R&S
1992 Own label Magnetic North on the rise; released "Alkaline 3dh" as Fly By Wire Magnetic North
1994 "Red" trilogy Bush Records
After "Red" Remixes for Inner City (Kevin Saunderson), The Chemical Brothers, New Order, Depeche Mode, Moby, Leftfield, Underworld Various
Debut album Archive One, with hints of breakbeat and electronica —
Mix CDs Techno/electro double World Service outings; one sold nearly 100,000 copies and reached Resident Advisor's top ten mix compilations of the 21st century —
2004 Devil's Advocate album, dark techno with hip hop beats Skint Records
2007 Remixes & Rarities compilation, Album of the Month in Mixmag Music Man Records
Recent years Work with Dutch partner Mr Jones (Jonas Uittenbosch) as Unsubscribe; remixes including John Foxx's "Underpass" and Gesaffelstein —

Why "Red" and Archive One matter

The "Red" trilogy is the release that moved Clarke into a different league and led directly to the remix work listed above. DJ Mag included "Red" in its All Time Techno Top 100 list. Archive One, his debut album, followed and stood out in the techno scene of the time for incorporating breakbeat and electronica. The album has since been reissued — the official site lists Archive One as available now in digital and 6LP boxset formats, with a "Listen Now" link.

What you will find on daveclarke.com

The official site (daveclarke.com) functions as a hub for his music and activity. Based on the site's own content, it includes:

  • Archive One — release information and a "Listen Now" link for the digital and 6LP boxset editions
  • Tour Dates — current live appearances
  • Biography — his own account of his background and career, with a "Read More" link
  • Links to music, latest tracks, and download/share options

If your goal is to hear his music, start with the Archive One listen link; if you want to see him live, the Tour Dates section is the relevant page.