Joey Negro: The UK's No 1 Garage Producer

With his latest project Jakatta Presents American Booty, Joey 'Dave Lee' Negro is on course for yet another massive pop hit, following on from the many others he's enjoyed ever since the late 80s (usually under different names). Skruff caught up with him in February to talk about raving, New York and UK garage.

Skrufff: You told DJ magazine recently that none of your tracks have ever been as well received as American Booty, what's made it so popular-

Joey Negro: "It sparked the most interest from a major label A&R perspective. I think it's because there have been so many big dance hits over the last couple of years. Tunes like Black Legend (with a version of Barry White's 'Trouble In Me') came along as an unknown record, went straight in at number 1 then stayed there. 5 years ago that wouldn't have happened, those type of tunes would have made it top 20."

Skrufff: You're closely associated with disco, were you an obsessive disco fan in the 80s-

Joey Negro: "I was, though when I say disco I mean whatever dance music was around then, such as electro, Go-Go, the music of Roy Ayers and Lonnie Liston Smith. It was quite uncool back then, those names might be trendy now, but back then nobody I used to hang around with liked their music. Most of them were more into New Romantic stuff, that alternative dance music I suppose. Not that I hated it all, I do own a few Simple Minds records."

Skrufff: When did you first go to New York-

Joey Negro: "I went through Rough Trade around 1988 because I managed to persuade them to give me my own label. I went out there to licence tracks, though I never went to Paradise Garage. The first time I went there I didn't really know anybody. I went to lots of record shops but didn't go to very many clubs. The second time I remember going to the Tunnel which wasn't very good. I've always felt that by the time I started going out in New York, it had basically passed it's best - the club scene never seemed very good to me. England was definitely more happening."

Skrufff: Were you a big raver during the late 80's summer of love-

Joey Negro: "I wouldn't call myself a massive clubber though I've always gone out. I count myself lucky in a way because `around 1988 and 89 when the big raves were first happening around London, I knew loads of people going but didn't really know what raves were. I was seeing somebody at the time who didn't live in London and I was going to her house every weekend so that stopped me from raving. If I'd taken a lot of ecstasy then, I wouldn't have ended up doing what I'm doing - I think I would have fucking loved it and that would have had a long term effect on my ability to get to work early. It's difficult to say what might have happened but I used to go out to nights like Rage at Heaven."

Skrufff: How much has club culture changed since house first emerged-

Joey Negro: "I notice clubbing being more of a lifestyle. I grew up in Clacton On Sea and I used to go out to soul clubs in the 80s. I remember going back to this club called Oscars once and it had completely changed. It used to be a dreadful club with people getting glassed then became more of a hardcore, rave venue. The atmosphere was completely different; people were dancing and chatting and nobody was going to smash you over the head if you stepped on their toe. People were openly smoking dope and I remember thinking 'This is much better than it used to be'. Clacton is quite a violent place, it's one of those typical seaside towns which fills up with pissed up, lagered blokes who, when they can't pull, are quite happy to kick somebody's skull in."

Skrufff: You're well known for being one of Britain's most accomplished garage producers, what's your view on the UK Garage phenomenon-

Joey Negro: "What I find strange is the fact they call it garage, if it wasn't called garage, people wouldn't ask people like me questions like that. For me, a lot of it is just uptempo R&B. I like some of the tr Tags

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