Submitted By: Mo`

Genre: House

Date of Set: May 6th, 2005

Filesize: 79.60 MB

Total Downloads: 4

Dave Lee is the real name of the DJ, remixer, artist, writer and producer most of us know as - Joey Negro. Dave was born June 18, 1964 in Isle of Wight, England and his interest for music started in the late 70's when he started collecting Soul, Disco and Funk records.

Dave grew up in Isle of Wight and his late teenage years he spent selling ice cream and sorting onions - to make money to buy records. In 1986 he moved to London and got his first 'real' job in a Record store called Smithers & Leigh. In 1987 Smithers & Leigh was closing down and Dave got a job in a record distribution company called Rough Trade Distribution, where he started up their dance department - Demix and was working with labels like Rhythm King and Big Life.

After 1 successful year with Demix he started own record label in 1988 - Republic Records, probably UK's first soulful house label. It was on Republic he released his first own production; M.D.EMM - 'Get busy'. He had the label running for about 3 years and he released most of his early work on the label.

The best of his own work was, in Dave's own opinion, 'Forever together' by one of his alter ego's Raven Maize. One funny history around this track is that Dave pretended it was by a just-released prisoner, fresh out of jail, which led to much speculations and built up a hype around the song. Actually the song is a cover of the classic Exodus' song 'Together forever'.

On the Republic label he also released some classic songs he licensed from US labels, songs like 'You're gonna miss me' by Turntable Orchestra, 'Reachin'' by Phase II and 'Take some time out' by Arnold Jarvis.

In 1991 he released his first record as Joey Negro - a name which is now said with great respect within the music business. The first song under his most know alter ego was 'Do it believe it' and was released on the US House label - Nu Groove. Dave tells me he made up the name to sound like a New York Hispanic, because he thought it sounded more exotic to the English audience. Joey Negro was born.

It was about the time of the second Joey Negro single Andrew 'Doc' Livingstone and Dave Lee became partners. Andrew had played keys on some of Dave's work and they had became buddies, so it was quite natural for him to ask Andrew become partners when the workload got too much for one person. Together they leased the Unit 3 studios in Camden, North London, where most of their excellent remixes and productions was done. Some of the highlights include Thelma Houston's 'I need somebody tonight', Diana Ross' 'Love hangover', 'Girls & Boys' by the Hed Boys [another of Dave's alias'] and the UK # 1 Pop Hit 'Relight my fire' by Take That.

Both Dave and Andrew tells me they have had some brilliant times at Unit 3, but they haven’t worked together for some years now. Because when their studio lease expired and the landlord wanted to increase the rent by over 50% - the two friends decided to go separate ways. Dave have set up a new studio in Islington, North London, and Andrew have set up a studio at home - to be able to spend more time with his baby girl. They still speak a lot and is still very good friends, even though they don't work together.

Musically Dave and Andrew have a similar taste in music and both see Disco music as a great inspiration. Dave is now more into using real instruments (Rhodes, live bass, etc) and is into full songs. While Andrew is more into using filters and messing up samples and more electronic sounds. Or as Andrew say himself 'I am trying to develop the disco-ey sound in the same way that Georgio Moroder or Francois Kevorkian took it to a new level.'

Andrew has released some records on his own and his most famous track is a tune called 'Bamboogie' under the alter ego Bamboo. This tune got to # 2 in the UK Charts and was based around a sample from KC & The Sunshine Band, an idea Andrew got from seeing a Budweiser advert on TV. You should look out for some great Disco-House 12' singles he released under the name Lifeforce a couple of years ago.

Mark Moore, one of Dave's long time friends told me the following about his friend; 'Dave Lee is one of the most passionate producers I know who is also one of the most interesting and interested. He is down to earth and at times a bit of a party animal too! He's friendly and reliable and would bend over backwards to be helpful.'

But Dave has also made recordings under many other alter ego's, except for the most famous Joey Negro he has used names like; Swingtime Dee, Raven Maize, Doug Willis, Mistura, Z Factor, Foreal People and Sunburst Band just to mention a few.

He have explained that he's not making up all these pseudonyms because he would be shy or something, it's just that he releases so much stuff all the time that he thinks the different names would be a great way of keeping track. Then he use the name again if he's about to release something new in the similar vein. By the way - the name Doug Willis he got from a character in the TV-soap - Neighbors.

The latest couple of years Dave have been working a lot with former Disco diva Taka Boom, she have been singing on most of his latest releases. For example they made a cover of the old Patrick Adams act Rainbow Brown's Disco classic ''Til you surrender'. Dave and Taka released it as 'Surrender' under the name Rainbow Connection. They gave this great classic a new up to date sound and one funny detail is that Taka actually happens to be best friends with the singer of the original - namely Fonda Rae.

But... besides the fact that she is best friends with Fonda Rae, Taka also happens to be the sister of the famous and legendary Chaka Khan. In fact - in 2001 Dave re-released this track ['Surrender'] again, but this time under the name Prospect Park.

In 1997 Joey and Taka released a single called 'Can't get high without you' on Dave's own label; Z Records. In the fall of 1998 the song was remixed and re-released on the US DJ Eric Morillo's new label - Subliminal Records. DJ's all over the world loved the song and the success of this double 12' single pack was soon a fact - and in the last week of October, the song is # 1 in the Billboard Dance / Club Play Chart. The song comes in 8 mixes, Joey Negro has mixed two of them himself, the Philly World Mix and the Sessomatto Dub. Other mixes are done by Eric Kupper, The Constipated Monkeys (Jose Nunez and Harry 'Choo-Choo' Romero) and The Trunkids (Halo Varga and Angel Alanis). One funny detail with this release is that it has a special thanks to Maria Granditsky on the label. Maria was the one who put Dave and Taka in touch with each other, my dear friend Maria is most known to us Net surfers as Miss Funkyflyy.

The success of 'Can't get high...' was huge in the US and the song was crowned the 1998 Dance Single Of The Year in the American ASCAP Writer's awards.

In late 1998 Dave also released a whole album called Here comes the Sunburst Band under the name Sunburst Band. The vinyl copy is a 3 LP set and the album include 12 songs - some really good funky-disco-house tunes like; 'U make me so hot', 'Big blow' (which always give me associations to Jimmy Castor's 'Bertha Butt Boogie', but actually is a cover of the Manu Dibango song with the same name), 'Master Rocker' and the title track of the album 'Here comes the Sunburst Band' which sounds influenced by Chic's song 'Chic cheer'.

In the beginning of 2000 Dave released, as Joey Negro feat. Taka Boom, a track called 'Must be the Music'. This is NOT a cover of the 1981 classic Secret Weapon track on Prelude Records. It's just the title that's the same. Actually the track uses pieces of another Prelude classic - Sticky Fingers' 'Wastin' my love'.

Late summer of 2000 - Joey Negro returns with a more commercial but VERY slamming remake of the Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards [Chic] written Norma Jean classic - 'Saturday'. As always it's very uplifting Disco-House at it's best and this release will be a sure floorfiller. Promotional copies of the song appeared in radio top lists and DJ charts long before it's official release. This top tune is released on Yola Records, a sub-label of the legendary Azuli label in the UK. The double promo 12' comes in Gridlock and Solar remixes to satisfy every dance floor. The Solar mixes are by Dave as well as the Original Club mix that's available on another 12'. The idea of covering this song was suggested to Dave by Incentive Records, who also are involved in this release. Make sure to check this record out!!!

During summer 2001 Dave released a excellent cover version of the Silver, Platinum & Gold track 'I got a thing'. This track was released under his Foreal People alias and is credited to Foreal People feat. Taana. This Taana is no less than the famous WestEnd Records Diva - Taana Gardner.

In the first part of 2001, it's time again for another Joey Negro album. Azuli released the CD - Back to the scene of the crime. Another great CD with stuff Dave have been working on and with, either as a remixer, artist or producer.

Included in this CD is the track that probably is Dave's biggest hit, Jakatta - 'American Dream'. This track samples music from the film American Beauty and it's told the Ministry label payed a LARGE amount of money in a bidding war to get the rights to this song - and it seems to be well invested money since it's a huge worldwide HIT.

Throughout 2001 and 2002 Dave keeps himself busy releasing stuff under various of his alias', where Jakatta is probably the most widely know 'act' - scoring hit after hit for Dave and the Ministry of Sound label. Dave also brought in famous UK artist Seal as singer of the track 'My vision'. But besides Jakatta, Dave also released other great stuff on his own Z Records, stuff like 'Sweet magic' by Mistura feat. Taana Gardner, the 'Full frontiera' EP by Nova Frontiera and others.

In April 2003 he released the Jazz'N'Groove remixes of the Fonda Rae Disco classic 'Over like a fat rat' (credited to Community feat. Fonda Rae) on his Z Records. A great remix of this extremely hard-to-find original...

As a Remixer Dave's famous for his Disco-House sound and he has done remixes for stars like M-People, Diana Ross, Pet Shop Boys, Sister Sledge, Lionel Ritchie, Sheena Easton, Artful Dodger and the Brand New Heavies... the list could go on and on and on... Dave is credited with over 200 releases as an artist and producer/remixer - So I won't even try to list a complete 'Remixology' here.

Of the releases Dave's been involved in, he's most satisfied with the mixes of Diana Ross' 'Love hangover', Benjamin Diamond's 'In your arms (We gonna make it)', 'Philly groove' by DJ Romain & Danny Krivit and Inner City's 'As if I am'. Of his own work he likes 'Can't get high without you' under his Joey Negro alter ego and his Sunburst Band album - 'Here comes the Sunburst Band'.

But Dave has never been very keen on making real commercial tracks just to make money. He has been working on some, but there have always been other, and in Dave's opinion - more exciting - projects coming up that he has chosen instead. Most of his projects probably just ends up selling a couple of thousand records and he's more satisfied with that than the idea of making a commercial track just to make lots of money. That's just the way he is.

Dave was also among the few DJ's who was asked to remix songs for the Red, Hot & Dance album. For that special AIDS benefit album he did a remix of Crystal Waters' 'Gypsy woman', you remember the song with this 'La-di-di La-di-da' in the beginning of the '90s.

Dave makes his excellent remixes with a nice Disco touch, often with a little sample or snippet from an old Disco tune... For example he used Jupiter Beyond's 'River drive' in his own 'Love fantasy', Gibson Brother's 'Oooh, What a life' in his 'What a life' (actually this is a cover of the Gibson's song) - and in one of my personal favorite Joey Negro remixes - Nikita Warren's 'I need you' he sampled the great - but unknown - Disco stomper 'You got me dancing in my sleep' by Frisky. That remix is really a killer !!!

When Take That was recording the late Dan Hartman's 'Relight my fire' it wasn't really surprising that they had Dave and Andrew to produce it, to give it the right Disco touch. Dave also did the 12' remix (of course). Critics said 'The magic touch of Joey Negro and Andrew 'Doc' Livingstone has given a touch of class to this cover...'. And - this was actually the first time this club classic became a hit in the UK!!! But 'Relight my fire' isn't the only Disco classic Dave have produced for other people. As the great Disco remixer and producer he is, Dave was hired in 1998 to produce 911's cover of the Bee Gees' classic - 'More than a woman'. This cover became a # 2 pop hit in the UK that year and did well in many countries all over the world.

Dave have been asked about the difference in producing for a group like Take That or 911, compared to doing a track of his own and he replied; 'Doing a track like Take That is so hard because basically you have the man from the record company in the studio telling you what they want it to sound like. Unfortunately, those kind of people find it very hard to articulate what they want musically. They just keep saying things like 'I want it to sound bigger... can you make it sound bigger?''

And he continues; ''Relight My Fire' was a really tricky one to do because we had to do it three times. We did it first time and they decided they didn't like Robbie Williams doing the vocal so we had to do it over again. Then they decided that they wanted to bring Lulu in so we had to do it once more. It was hard work but it was well worth it financially.'

Next question was (of course) how many remixes it would take to make the same money as one production. Dave answered; 'It's hard to say. When you are doing a remix there are all kinds of cost that go with it. Not only is there the studio time, there is also the expense of anyone I might like to bring in, like a bass player. I didn't earn too much from 911 because it wasn't such a big hit, but 'Relight My Fire' was a massive hit all over Europe and went onto a 'Best Of' album which sold loads... I think it would probably be about fifteen remixes to one Take That sized production.'

Beside all his great remixes and studio work he's also a highly regarded and popular DJ. He plays mostly US vocal Garage and the work by other remixers like; Masters at Work, Blaze, Todd Edwards and Tommy Musto among others. He usually also use to mix in some classic Disco tracks between all the garage tunes.

What most people don't know - is that Dave actually is one of the worlds most devoted Disco connoisseurs... I most definitely know, since I've had the great opportunity of speaking to the man in person by phone a couple of times. We have also faxed and e-mailed each other a lot and Dave has made me this great tapes with lots of hard to find and obscure disco tracks plus that he have recommended me lots of other great disco music. I'm still trying hard to get hold of all the stuff he have recommended. And he does have a HUGE collection to choose from, he estimate the collection to some 10-15 thousand records...

Disco tracks he doesn't know of, or have - ain't worth having, and his unbelievable knowledge of Disco really goes beyond my wildest imagination. He really knows all the obscure disco tracks you can think of, plus lots of stuff you've never even heard of. But he do love to spend lots of time and money in second hand stores trying to find 'new' stuff he didn't know before.

Because of his great knowledge it's not surprising he was one of the guys selected to pick out the songs to the Master Cuts' 'Classic DISCO' CD. Some of the great songs on this album is Tamiko Jones' 'Can't live without your love', Sylvester's 'I need you', Tracy Weber's Larry Levan mixed top tune 'Sure shot', Coffee's 'Casanova' and Francine McGee's instrumental Disco orgy - 'Delirium'. After compiling the Master Cuts CD he said 'If I had been allowed to choose songs freely it most definitely would had been more obscure 12's, but I'm anyhow quite satisfied with the song selection.'

But after that CD he have compiled lots of other Disco and Disco-House records, like Disco Spectrum - Real Disco for Real People, Jumpin', Jumpin' 2 and Disco House mixed by Joey Negro... All of these records include lots of obscure and hard to find Disco gems and they're all really worth buying.

Disco Spectrum includes hot classic tracks like 'Bourgie bourgie' - John Davis Orchestra, 'I don't want you back' - Ramona Brooks, 'Feel it' - Revelation, 'You've got that something' - Logg, 'San Salvador' - Azoto, 'Take some time out for love' - Salsoul Orchestra, 'Together forever' - Exodus and many others. You better make sure to read Dave's own liner notes about each track, since those are just as enjoying as all the great music.

In late April 2000 Joey returned again with a new release in the Disco Spectrum series, called Disco Spectrum 2. This is yet another great Disco collection, even if it's not that immediate as the previous - but this grooves by each listening. Just look at songs like 'I want you for myself' - George Duke, 'Music is my way of life' - Patti LaBelle, 'Hooked on your love' - Fantastic Aleems, 'Welcome to the Disco' - Air Power, 'Two hot for love' - THP Orchestra, 'Let me be your fantasy' - Penthouse Orchestra, 'Don't let this rainbow pass me by' - Cloud One and others. A double CD with hours of great Disco music.

In May 2002 it was finally time for Disco Sepctrum 3. Another double CD jam-packed with great classics. This new CD is a little more jazzy than the previous ones, but still great. It's including tracks like BT Express' 'Does it feel good to you' [sampled by Phats & Small some year ago], the track 'Somewhere beyond' by Hi Voltage [Began Cekic bootlegging Quartz and Dan Hartman], Delegation's 'Heartache No.9', 'Goin' up in smoke' - Eddie Kendricks, 'Step by step' - KOXO, 'Can't shake your love' by Syreeta, Denise La Salle's 'I'm so hot' and others...

In the Jumpin' records [Jumpin' 1 & Jumpin' 2] you'll also find lots of hard to find Disco classics - great tunes like; 'Keep on jumpin'' - Musique, 'Disco juice' - Cloud One, 'Touch & Go' - Ecstacy, Passion & Pain, 'Groovin' you - Harvey Mason, 'You've got me dancing in my sleep' - Frisky and 'Mainline' - Black Ivory.

In these compilations it's clear to see he was allowed to choose more freely - these records are fierce! In this mixed party CD, Disco House mixed by Joey Negro, you'll get some more 'current' Disco or - Disco House - which really is Dave's trademark.

Some of the tunes in this compilation is his own work under some of his many, many alias' and some are other pumping Disco House tunes that will keep you dance forever. One of the songs is a cover of the classic Phreek tune... 'Weekend' - now by Fibre Foundation. Other songs are 'Get up' - the Zoo Tribe, 'Over like a fat rat' - Community feat. Fonda Rae, 'I wanna know' - the Bucketheads among others...

In march of 2000 Dave mixed and compiled a CD for X:treme Records called Joey Negro Presents The Voyage - Excursions into early House Music. This double CD include one CD with all the tracks mixed together by our man himself, into an over one hour long House party. The other CD holds all these early House classics in their original full-length versions.

The CD's start out with the track that has given the title to this compilation; 'the Voyage' by Subculture. Other tracks on the CD is 'Take some time out' - Arnold Jarvis, 'Let the music (use you)' - the Nightwriters, 'Luv dancin'' - Underground Solution [which include samples from the Larry Levan, Paradise Garage and West End Records classic; Loose Joints' 'Is it all over my face'], 'What you need' - Soft House Company, 'Holdin' on' - Intense and one of Dave's own all time Top 20 tunes (see below) - 'Alone' by Don Carlos.

As you can see, Dave is still hard working and he is now as busy as he was some 15 years ago... Make sure to watch out for anything with the name Dave Lee or Joey Negro (or some of his other alias') on it - this name really are a true quality stamp for a great Disco influenced music experience. Everything he put his hands on gets this magical fine Disco touch that makes his work stand out among all the 'usual' dance music that's released daily.

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