Dave Lee aka Joey Negro headlined Ultragroove last Saturday, his driving set rocked Cabaret Voltaire, as you would you expect from a DJ/producer considered to be one of the founders of the UK house scene. Best known for sampling disco cuts which ultimately led to the creation of the term 'disco house.' Joey has been an innovator and creator of house music for more than 20 years, yet his DJ sets are as fresh as the variety of electronic music he creates.
After 200 productions and a string of hits including the UK chart anthem Must Be The Music, he's back with a new project, the debut album of his underground house pseudonym Akabu. The Phuture Ain't What It Used To Be is the new future sound of house music. I decided to ask him a few questions...
So what's been happening the the world of Joey Negro?
Djing, travelling, studio, running the label, the usual stuff I guess.
What has been the highlight of the year so far?
Not sure really, the Suncebeat and Vintage festivals were very good.
What do you think has changed in the world of house music over the last 20 years?
Musically records like tensnake Coma Cat sound very similar to the beginning of house music, so in a way things have come full circle....but a lot has happened inbetween.
What do you think the effect of music reality TV shows have had on the music industry?
It's just another marketing tool for the major labels. If a few talented people get a break from it, who otherwise wouldn't have got a deal, then it's a good thing. The song choices for the winners is often very, very predictable, but a lot of people like predictable. No one forcing the public to watch the shows or buy the music.
Your own project, 20 Years Of Joey Negro has a good mix of your underground and commercial successes, looking back over the last 20 years what has been the most memorable moments?
I guess getting on Top Of The Pops a few times before it disappeared was a childhood dream come true.
What prompted you to collaborate with Grant Nelson and DJ Spinna?
I just wanted a fresh take on the tunes, I'm too close to them to do anything radical with them.
You have released a quite a lot of vintage stuff this year, from Backstreet Brit Funk to Locked In The Vinyl Cellar. Did you want to educate the masses or kindly share some of your musical inspirations?
I like doing compilations of old stuff, partly to share the music with other people and to help justify still shelling out large sums for old records.
Who inspired you to become a DJ and artist and what was the defining moment when you thought, 'This is what I want to do.'
There was no moment, just a general love of music and lack of any ability to do anything else.
You've had commercial successes throughout your career, did you set out to do this or did it just happen naturally?
I tend to think best big tracks happen naturally, but that's not to say you can't force it, in fact, you have to force it from time to time, especially for follow ups. The most successful acts are ones who can summon up that magic to order.
When in the studio do you have a road map to what you want to create or do you just go with your gut feeling?
Really depends, you've got to have some sort of plan but you've also got to be prepared to think on your feet if the ideas don't work as well as you expected.
Your most recent release Akabu The Phuture Ain't What It Used To Be is a quality house album. Were you consciously pulling all these elements together - soul, funk and acid house?
When I make an album I just try and make ten to 15 tracks which sit together well. I don't want them to sound too similar but also need a uniformity that makes it sound like an album. You have to be prepared to abandon tracks and start of new ones as the project moves forward.
The Phuture Ain't What It Used To Be has some interesting titles. Is this Joey's acid house rebellion or have you come full circle?
After doing the last Sunburst Band album which is all live instrumentation, I wanted to make something more electronic and modern. It's not deliberately retro though I did draw on the old deep house sound of the late 80s a bit. Some of it sounds like the first stuff I was doing, like Masters Of The Universe or the first Joey Negro record Do It Believe It. It's the same person making it so I guess that's not to surprising.
Who are the new breed of house producers you think are worth listening out for?
Tensnake is making some good stuff. I think Nicolas Jaar is an interesting new guy.
What's your current top tune at the moment?
The Oliverwho Factory – Nighlights (Planet E).
What was the first record you ever bought (no matter how embarrassing)?
Sweet, Blockbuster.
Do you still use vinyl or CDJs and other technology?
I still buy vinyl, but as for Djing I use CDJs.
Is using a computer to DJ wrong, or is it just a matter of preference?
Nothing is wrong, providing you consistently play good music that suits the crowd/club/situation.
Has MP3 changed from the days of shopping for records, is it too accessible?
It makes it easier to get together a collection of tunes quickly and removes the social element of record shopping. Still, you can't acquire good taste or programming skills from an Mp3.
For more information please visit the following web sites:
JOEY NEGRO: www.joeynegro.com or www.myspace.com/djjoeynegro
AKABU: www.myspace.com/akabumusic (includes album preview)
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