Dave Clarke – “Dance Music Is In Disarray Right Now”

A true techno legend who needs no introduction, Dave Clarke remains an enduring force in electronic music. While his groundbreaking releases—including this summer's Red Remixes—continue to make waves, new music or not, there's always a good reason to sit down and hear his thoughts.

Attack: Dave, thanks so much for speaking with us. I went back through the archives and noticed you were last featured as a ‘Talking Head’ in a 2015 piece on ‘What Makes A Great DJ?' It's been a decade—do you still feel the same about what makes a DJ stand out, or has your perspective evolved?

DC: Of course, I still feel the same way, but many promoters have a different priority now that was already happening back then, but the subsequent VC consolidation of buying up independent promoters (mostly willingly) into bigger organisations, and then those bigger organisations being bought up by even larger organisations plus now being post-pandemic has sped all that up so that now music has dropped in terms of priority.

It's a shame to see how desperate people become for money.

You’ve often been singled out as someone whose work is essential listening. How do you personally respond to such praise from the community and fellow artists?

I honestly try not to think about it; it is lovely to hear occasionally, of course.

A 2003 Guardian feature reviewing Devil's Advocate said that "dance music is in disarray," but your “unbending commitment to brutally funky techno” was paying off. Has the genre ever truly been in disarray, or has it always been a matter of shifting dynamics? What would you change about the landscape to bring it back to what you believe it should be if you could?

Dance music is in disarray right now in terms of honour and respect to counter-culture and clubs, but in terms of profitability, an accountant would be delighted.

I could see and smell changes coming back in 2003, but much more around 2012/13; money was starting to be a main goal for many artists and organisations, with music being less of a priority. The taking the piss out of lamestream EDM artists was an easy target, but some took the piss out of jealousy, and those artists that did change their whole sound to become more lamestream.

[quote align=right text="Dance music is in disarray right now in terms of honour and respect to counter-culture and clubs, but in terms of profitability, an accountant would be delighted"]

Reflecting on your career from the early 2000s, with all that has shifted in music and culture since then, is there anything you would have done differently in that period to prepare for the changes that came?

It is an interesting question; sometimes, my students at the conservatorium would ask me that too. But all those decisions enable you to take the journey and make you who you are today.

In that way even those perhaps I could have been quieter I have no regrets in that regard, I do not find a problem in regretting things, but in my career compromise would have made me unhappy, so no changes at all for me.

It's nearly thirty years at Archive One; what emotions or reflections surface when you revisit the album today? How do you think it fits into the context of your career now?

I hardly thought about it after, say, around 2000. I fought a legal battle to get free from the label, I won that clearly, that was already a lot of energy gone.

So, with Archive One, I became pragmatic on it; I just let my team deal with it, but when I finally had the rights back, I was, of course, very happy.

I believe Skint has done a wonderful job of presenting it physically, and I have met many very happy people on my travels in 2024 because of this re-release. Weirdly, it made more sense to come out for 30 years than the planned 25 years, too, as it truly feels like a stylistic bookmark and, thanks to the remastering, sounds really fresh in a set when I play it.

In regards to context that is strange, I suppose I do not give it deep thought.

You’ve recently released a collection of EPs with remixes from artists like Chemical Brothers, UMEK, and Robert Hood. How does it feel to have such influential names still supporting your work after all these years?

Many of the later remixes were not asked for or commissioned; they just came to me as a sort of celebration. The track they remixed meant a lot to them, so they sent it to me to play in my (and their) sets; that was it. Then, when we went for re-release, some of those remixes could finally be released. That felt like a completion of the circle.

Umek was one of those, as was Mark Broom. The CB’s and Robert were commissioned at the time, I always asked artists I admired. I will always be a fanboy in that way, same with Surgeon, I loved his works, and then I happened to be the very first person to ask him to do a remix. I don’t think about marketing; I'm just a fan.

Brighton played a crucial role in your early years. Could you share your perspective on the origins of techno in Brighton and what impact that scene had on your evolution as an artist?

Brighton is a tough question because while it wasn’t an easy or supportive place to start a music career, it was a wonderfully wide place to learn about music.

One of the first Virgin record shops opened there, followed by Rounder Records. There was a great second-hand vinyl world and also a second-hand hi-fi world. The professional music shops there were great—The Tape Shop and Future Music—and some clubs like Coasters had cool music on Thursdays.

But I had some bad experiences, like an off-duty policeman who was a doorman at a Norman Cook gig beating me up (he showed me his warrant card, so it was not like I could hit him back without consequences). And like many people, a hell of a lot of knockbacks too. However, DJs like Shem (Streetsahead) were inspirational in terms of technique and ability, and Rory in terms of music choice. I learnt that to make it, you have to make it outside the town you grew up in because people seem to want to hold you down.

As for the origins of techno, first there was disco, then punk, new wave, hip hop, electro. For that, Brighton was an amazing place to grow up in. DJ’ing at a Jungle Brothers gig will always be in my memory. But Brighton was not a techno place—more hippy trance techno from trustafarians or good house music and soul music. Techno was a tough cookie to crack down there.

[quote align=right text="I learnt that to make it, you have to make it outside the town you grew up in because people seem to want to hold you down"]

Given your long-standing connection with Amsterdam, would you ever consider returning to the UK full-time? How do you think the UK music scene compares to your current experience in Amsterdam?

Not in the slightest, I get so sad about the lack of infrastructural investment in the UK, how things are so expensive and you pay all that tax and nothing comes back to society, and many obscenely rich people pay no tax there at all. The NHS not being supported etc etc etc. So no, I could not move back in my mind, and I love living in Amsterdam, too.

As for the UK vs NL musically, I have no idea. But I will say the alternative music that comes out from the UK is very good right now and has been for five years.

Choosing a favourite track of yours is no easy task. That being said, are there any tracks from your catalogue that stand out as personal favourites?

My next record ;-)

Aslice’s closure was a huge blow. You’ve been outspoken about the challenges of surviving on music sales—what’s your vision for the future of underground music and its creators?

The idea of Aslice was pure and good-hearted. I felt some of the implementation was not as well thought out though, which is a shame. I tried to be early on it and give it a platform at ADE as I felt it had such vast potential.

The thing is, music is not the prime motivator for the commercial scene now. Some “techno” DJs (not EDM) can earn 200k or more for a set. They do not all choose their music, but a team does. The main objective is to earn money, not give credit, which is our biggest issue—the mindset.

There’s also far too much music being thrown out there now. No charts of DJs mean as much as they did 10-20 years ago. There are very few yearly cult hits that a crowd will cheer on when it comes on. When you realize that, you see that, in a way, the only thing that can happen for the good will be an implosion and a reset.

I do my very best for producers by doing a weekly radio show where they can get paid for a play as it goes out on several FM stations worldwide. I will always try to bring light to those who deserve it, but sadly, in the face of adverse commerciality, I have no magic pill.

This year at ADE, you held your first solo exhibition as a photographer. How was the experience, and do you have any plans for future exhibitions? How does your photography feed into your musical identity?

It was absolutely marvellous and groundbreaking for me. It couldn’t have gone any better. I hope to have more in the future, of course. Photography and my other radio show (The Saga) feed each other directly. It’s the best combination, and I’m so lucky I found two different artistic outputs that feed each other.

AI is a growing concern in many art forms, including photography. Does the rise of AI in art trouble you, or do you think it can coexist with traditional creativity? What are your broader thoughts on AI’s role in the future of both music and visual arts?

Technology is a tool. It can either be used to build or tear down. The technology does not bring me fear, but the people who drive it with bad intent do.

We’re speaking to you just after the US election, and given your outspoken views on politics and its intersection with music, we wanted to get your thoughts. Do you think we're living through a cyclical pattern, or is there a possibility that we might see a more harmonious era down the line—perhaps much further in the future? And, with all of this uncertainty, how do you think music will be affected? Could there even be a silver lining or positive outcome amidst these challenges?

This political shitstorm is fed by the polarization of social media profiting on divide-and-conquer strategies and greedy politicians not serving the population but themselves.

The rise of commercial EDM and the cultural appropriation of the genre techno shows a coincidence of right-wing thinking—a shite entertainment world where no one dances freely, and communication is stifled.

As to where we are heading, well, I don’t feel comfortable talking about it.

Do you find similar joy in being in the studio and DJing as ever? What fuels your continued passion and drive in these two creative spaces?

DJ’ing is instinct, and production is intellect. They feed each other, but my production is very far from dance music these days.

Are there any emerging artists or new music you enjoy and would recommend to your fans?

Always and absolutely! Please listen to White Noise for techno/electro or Saga for alternative.

Final question… If an all-powerful being said, they would erase either the 312 or 313 remixes of “In the Dark, We Live” from history, which one would you ask them to keep?

Probably the 313 mix, as it would force me to play the 312 more often ;-)

Find Dave Clarke on Facebook and Instagram.

Dave Clarke contributed some answers to our new book on techno production which can be viewed here.

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