DJ Pierre

DJ Pierre is the stage name of Nathaniel Pierre Jones, a house DJ and producer from Harvey, Chicago, born in 1965. He is closely associated with Chicago house and acid house, and is regarded as one of the key figures in the development of acid house through his work in Phuture.

Phuture and the rise of acid house

He forms Phuture with Spanky, whose name is Earl Smith Jr and who acts as founder and technical producer, and Herb J, whose name is Herbert R Jackson Jr and who plays keyboards. The group discovers the distinctive “squelch” sound while experimenting with the Roland TB-303 bassline synthesizer, and this becomes central to acid house.

Phuture’s track “Acid Tracks”, first titled “In Your Mind”, is first played in the Music Box in Chicago in 1985 or 1986 and is later rerecorded at Trax Records with production by Marshall Jefferson. It appears in 1986 and is widely treated as an early acid house release. The group’s 1987 EP Acid Trax is also often described as a foundational acid house record.

Other names and recordings

DJ Pierre records under several aliases and project names, including Phuture Phantasy Club, Pierre’s Pfantasy Club, Photon Inc, and Phortune. Under these names he records a number of underground tracks, including “Your Only Friend (Cocaine)”, “The Creator”, “String Free”, “Got The Bug”, “Box Energy”, “Dream Girl”, “Mystery Girl”, “Fantasy Girl”, “We Are Phuture”, “Slam”, and “Spank Spank”.

His work under Pierre’s Pfantasy Club includes collaboration with Felix Da Housecat.

Later career

After leaving Chicago, DJ Pierre works with Strictly Rhythm from 1990 and also briefly serves as A&R manager there. He later records for Chilltown Entertainment, and he remains active as a DJ and producer. Other tracks associated with his later career include “Generate Power” by Photon Inc, “Follow Me” by Aly-Us, and “The Horn Song” featuring Barbara Tucker.

Style and legacy

DJ Pierre is linked to the earliest development of acid house and to the wider spread of Chicago house. His work with Phuture and related projects helps define the repetitive, hypnotic sound that becomes identified with the style. He also maintains that he is anti-drugs, which is reflected in “Your Only Friend (Cocaine)”.