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Dave Pearce Official Press Photo 2Dave Pearce is one of the UK's most in demand DJs, living and breathing dance music since childhood. Once described by Heat magazine as "The People's DJ", he's worked tirelessly to share his passion for dance music with as many people as possible. He devised, created and presented one of BBC Radio 1's most popular radio shows Dance Anthems, has sold over 1 million compilation albums, presented shows on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music. In 1996 he created the first ever dance show for the 140 million listeners to the BBC World service, presented shows on ITV1 and MTV and currently performs in clubs worldwide.

Dave has achieved a prolific career in the media and music industries.

He launched his own label NuLife Recordings with BMG and scored numerous hit records including the No 1 Rui Da Silva-Touch me, Ian Van Dahl-Castles in the Sky and he even turned Victoria Beckham into a UK garage star with her No 2 Truesteppers collaboration Outta your mind.

He won a British Independent Film Award for his soundtrack to the movie SW9, is featured on Public Enemy's highly acclaimed album It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and was the first big name British DJ to launch a weekly residency in Ibiza (which lasted for 10 years). He has written music columns in 2 national newspapers, presented his own dance music series "The Dance Years" on ITV1 and presented radio shows both sides of the Atlantic.

Most recently Dave has become synonymous with trance music and electronic dance music (EDM) which has seen him DJ in clubs and festivals across the UK and Europe, scoring a number 2 album in 2009 with Dave Pearce Trance Anthems 2009 and a string of top ten albums. He hosts a weekly podcast of new cutting edge music on iTunes "Trancecast" which showcases up-and-coming producers and DJs from across the world. Summer 2012 sees Dave return to one of Europe's biggest superclubs BCM in Mallorca, the Greek Islands and Tenerife. He is constantly touring the UK and has played for clubs and festivals including Creamfields, Global Gathering, Coloursfest, Planet Love, Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem and the Ministry Of Sound.

So how did he start out?

Dave started DJing on a popular South London pirate radio station whilst still at school. Aged 16 he was running his own pirate radio station. By 17 he was DJing in Bombay, India to an international jetset Bollywood crowd. Dave joined BBC Radio London in the early 80s & created the BBC's first Hip Hop show & a weekly dance show. Following the closure of Radio London he landed a daily early evening slot on BBC GLR. It was there that he hooked up with the team behind London's cutting edge pirate station KISS FM who were campaigning for a licence to be the UK's first dance radio station. Dave signed up to the campaign, resigned from the BBC & became the Drivetime presenter when the station was finally awarded the licence. After moving to the Breakfast show, Dave was poached by BBC Radio 1 where he presented a variety of shows including Early Breakfast before landing the Drivetime show & creating a new programme Dance Anthems which ran for 11 years.

1980s

  • DJ Studio 29 Bombay (Mumbai)
  • US coordinator for BBC TV's Behind the Beat interviewing the likes of James Brown, LL Cool J, Salt N Peppa, Larry Levan
  • Creates BBC's first hip hop radio show "Behind The Beat" BBC Radio London
  • Creates Thursday night funk fantasy radio show BBC Radio London
  • Presents simulcast shows with BBC Radio London from WBLS in New York
  • Creates a new night time strand for BBC Radio London Nite FM. Brings in Pete Tong and Giles Peterson
  • A@R director Urban records/Polydor signs UK's biggest selling Acid House album Urban Acid
  • Introduces Def Jam Tour 1986 London show with Public Enemy, Eric B & Rakim, LL Cool J,
  • Introduces Raising Hell tour London show with Run DMC and Beastie Boys
  • Features on Public Enemy It Takes A Nation Of Millions
  • Creates Hip Hop Connection phoneline which then becomes magazine
  • Hosts new nightly show on BBC GLR

1990s

  • First DJ signed to Londons new Kiss 100FM. Drivetime presenter then breakfast host.
  • Hosts Kiss across America from Washington, Detroit and Chicago
  • Launches underground rave label Reachin' Records
  • Promotes Raves at Astoria in London
  • Signs to BBC Radio 1
  • Creates Dance Anthems
  • Signs 5 album deal with Universal
  • Presenter Drivetime BBC Radio 1
  • Scores first Gold Disc with Dave Pearce Dance Anthems 1999
  • Launches UK Dance anthems national tour
  • 5 top ten albums
  • Creates Radio 1 dance parties
  • Launches Ibiza residency at Eden Ibiza
  • Launches Mallorca residency BCM Mallorca
  • Columnist Dance Bizarre - Sun News[paper Bizarre Column
  • Hosts Radio 1's live outside stage into the Millennium (First DJ on Radio 1 in the Millennium)

2000s

  • Presents and writes The Dance Years ITV1
  • Weekly Column Daily Star
  • Gold album Sales for Euphoria mix CDs
  • Wins BIFA for Soundtrack to SW9
  • Plays Millenium Dome New Years Eve for Ministry Of Sound
  • Creates NuLife Recordings for BMG
  • Signs as artist to BMG for mix albums
  • Quits Radio 1 & takes Dance Anthems to BBC 6 Music
  • Presents Dave Pearce top 100 Dance anthems on MTV
  • Gold album sales for Dave Pearce Trance Anthems CDs 2008 and 2009
  •  Very Best Of Dave Pearce Dance Anthems goes gold
  • Launches The Dance Years compilation series for Ministry of Sound
  • Launches Delirium albums and club night with Ministry Of Sound
  • Presents Dance Series for BBC Radio 2
  • Quits Eden Ibiza to launch events in Zante and Greek islands

More

  • View and download press photos - click here
  • Download this biography in PDF or Microsoft Word format - click here
  • For journalists requiring more detailed background history please contact Dan Slipper - click here
  • View and buy Dave's albums in the Discography section - click here