Harvey - Beats In Space - WNYU Radio Show - Jan 2010

Biography of Harvey

Harvey's musical career officially began at the tender age of thirteen when he was enlisted as a drummer for a punk band whose other members' average age was 24. The band was a favourite with Radio 1's John Peel, being featured on his infamous 'Sessions' show. Harvey's progression into DJing came about after a trip to New York where he was inspired by the emerging hip-hop movement. He felt that 'cutting up' breaks was an extension of drumming and so purchased his first pair of Technics, brought them home and practised.

A graffiti 'bomber' and part of the gang who named themselves TDK (Tone Deaf Crew) they were later to gain notoriety as TONKA Hi Fi. It was as the DJ for the crew that he forged his reputation as an eclectic programmer of music, throwing outlandish, sometimes weekend-long, parties in their native Cambridge as well as Brighton, London and on the festival circuit. Having already been in love with hip hop, electro and disco the sound he had emulated after his trip to New York he inevitably alighted on house and garage too, and began playing more parties in London. Clubs like Solaris and Freedom were all after the Harvey sound.

Harvey further cemented his reputation with his own night 'Moist' at the Gardening Club. It was here he brought over some of the greatest New York DJs including Larry Levan, Francois Kevorkian and Kenny Carpenter all of whom were still relatively unknown and unheard of in this country. Playing his fabled six-hour mix of disco, house, garage and dancefloor friendly rock records, a sound he has carried through to his later residencies, notably the celebrated New Hard Left at the Blue Note. He was the first British DJ invited to play at the Ministry Of Sound and later became resident on both Friday and Saturday. This resulted in his only mix album to date 'Late Night Sessions'.

Harvey is today one of the most respected DJs in the world. His appeal crosses many genres of music and clubbing. His DJ talents are in demand throughout England, Europe and the world. He has a solid following in places as far-flung as Singapore and Japan where there is a record store named after his lo-fi Black Cock record label. He lives in Venice Beach, Los Angeles and spends (maybe too) much of his time surfing.

Harvey has released tracks under various pseudonyms on labels such as Mo' Wax, Dorado, Ministry Of Sound, Skint, Grayhound and Junior Boys Own. He has produced and remixed tracks for Garth & ETI, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies, Ian Brown, Stereo MCs, Electronic, The Police and Cornershop as befits his eclectic style. He also regularly provides the soundtracks for various fashion shows including those of Calvin Klein. In 2005 Harvey's focus is on penning his first eagerly awaited artist album. The Map of Africa concept album was co-written & produced by Harvey & Thomas (Wicked/Tonka/Rub n Tug). Meanwhile he has become a partner in an intimate Honolulu club/art space called '39 Hotel', setting up his own system there and playing his marathon six or seven hour sets, the ideal setting in which to see this mercurial eccentric.