Roy Davis Jr.
A Phuture member in the 1990s, a Strictly Rhythm scout and the producer of “Gabriel” with Peven Everett: the Chicago house career of Roy Davis Jr.
- Chicago house producer and DJ, born Roy Davis Earl Jr. on 27 February 1970.
- Member of Phuture from 1990 to 1997 and A&R scout for Strictly Rhythm.
- Best known for “Gabriel” with Peven Everett, No. 22 in the UK in 1997.
Roy Davis Jr. learned house music from the Chicago generation that invented it, then carried it into the late 1990s with a vocal record that crossed over in Britain. “Gabriel”, made with singer Peven Everett, is his best-known track, but his career runs from Phuture to Strictly Rhythm, Roulé and Omar-S’s FXHE.
A Chicago apprenticeship
Davis was born on 27 February 1970 and grew up in Chicago. His early influences were the city’s first house producers: Lil’ Louis, DJ Pierre, Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and Marshall Jefferson. From 1990 to 1997 he was a member of Phuture, the group that had made “Acid Tracks” in 1987, and in 1994 he released “Heart Attack” with a Phuture mix.
Strictly Rhythm, Undaground Therapy and Roulé
In the 1990s Davis worked as an A&R scout for Strictly Rhythm in New York while running his own label, Undaground Therapy Muzik, founded in Chicago. As The Believers he released “Who Dares to Believe in Me” on Strictly Rhythm. He also worked with Roulé, the Paris label run by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk: Bangalter remixed his “Rock Shock” as the “Start-Stop” mix. Other singles of the period include “I Got the Music” and “Galactic Disco”, and his work later appeared on Defected, XL and Peacefrog.
“Gabriel” with Peven Everett
“Gabriel” was written and produced by Davis and Peven Everett, who also sings it. Large Records released it in 1996. XL Recordings licensed it in 1997, and it peaked at No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart in November of that year, going on to sell more than 200,000 copies. Gilles Peterson later included it on his Desert Island Mix.
Later work
Davis went on to produce for R&B and pop artists including Eric Benét, Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, Seal, Patti LaBelle, Christina Milian and Morcheeba. “About Love” reached No. 70 in the UK in 2004. His albums include The Secret Mission, Traxx from the Nile, Chicago Forever, Water for Thirsty Children, God Life Music and Destroy & Rebuild, and the compilations Midnight Passion / Looking for Excitement and Soul Electra gather earlier work. In 2011 he produced “Enjoy the Ride” with J. Noize and Kaye Fox, and “All I Do” came out on FXHE, the artist-run label of Omar-S.
FAQ
Who sings on Gabriel by Roy Davis Jr.?
Peven Everett. He wrote and produced the track with Davis. It came out on Large Records in 1996 and reached No. 22 in the UK in November 1997 via XL Recordings.
Was Roy Davis Jr. a member of Phuture?
Yes. He is listed as a member of Phuture from 1990 to 1997, after the original trio had made “Acid Tracks”.
What label does Roy Davis Jr. run?
Undaground Therapy Muzik, which he founded in Chicago.
