“The Groove Is Always the Truth”: A Conversation with David Harness
David Harness
For decades, David Harness has been shaping dancefloors with a signature blend of joy, soul, and unapologetic funk. From his early days in the Bay Area to global stages in London, Lisbon, and beyond, David’s sound carries weight—not just in its musicality, but in its message. It’s music with lineage. It’s spiritual, sexy, sometimes political, and always rooted in groove.
Whether you first heard him at Club Universe in San Francisco, Mighty Real poolside at the Phoenix Hotel, or deep in a Sunday evening set alongside Tedd Patterson, David brings with him a nuanced understanding of what a dancefloor can do—and what it means. His selections are as expansive as the communities he plays for, and his approach is all heart.
Ahead of his return to Pines Party’s iconic closing set, I caught up with David for an affirming conversation about his Bay Area roots, early New York connections, production journey, and the beautiful challenge of playing for a crowd that keeps evolving.
Sainte Francis:
Let’s start with your roots in the Bay. Your sound has become synonymous with the soulful, politically conscious, and celebratory spirit of that scene. How did growing up and coming into DJing there shape you?
David Harness:
I started DJing in the early ’90s—around ’92, ’93—while I was living in Monterey. I grew up there. My dad was military, and he retired in the area, so I guess I’m what you’d call a military brat. I always wanted to move, but San Francisco became home. It's always going to be home.
House music has always been the culture here. Especially in gay Black communities, there was a real heartbeat to the music. San Francisco had its own version of what New York was doing, and there was something distinctly West Coast about it. A bit freer, a bit funkier.
Back then, we relied on the East Coast for new records. I remember calling Movin’ Records in New Jersey and talking to Abigail Adams—she’d tell me what Tony Humphries and Frankie Knuckles were spinning. I’d say, “I’ll take it. Whatever they’re playing—I’ll take it.”
Sainte Francis:
What did those early club days look like? Where were you first playing?
David Harness:
My first residency in San Francisco was at a club called Tilt on Wednesdays. Then I moved into Sound Factory—this was Sound Factory SF—and eventually Club Universe, which was the Saturday night party at Townsend. I was there for seven years, and that’s really where things took off.
At the same time, I was doing radio shows—like Your Mama’s House with Pete Avila and MC Foxxee Brown. All of that helped build visibility. Then I got picked up by F&G DJ Trade, the booking agency that had Frankie Knuckles and “who’s who” of the house music culture. That’s when I started playing overseas—Italy, the UK, Ministry of Sound. But I always kept one foot in San Francisco. If I wasn’t there, I was in L.A., holding it down on the West Coast.
September 11th changed the game, like it did for a lot of us. I focused more on home again. But now? I’m back out there. It feels good to be seeing the world again.
Sainte Francis:
Did the San Francisco sound resonate abroad—or did you feel like you were bringing something new to the table when you played internationally?
David Harness:
It’s both. I always bring my flavor, but I also want to move the floor. Sometimes that means adapting. I could be on a mission to play all purple records, but the room wants pink that night—you feel me? So, I find the middle. I blend the purple with the pink. [laughs]
That approach is really what shaped my style. It’s why my crowd is so diverse. In San Francisco, you’ll see the burners, the queer kids, the white boys, the Black kids, the girls. And I play for all of them. It’s about bringing my Blackness, my joy, my history—while still meeting people where they are.
Sainte Francis:
Is there a particular Bay Area sound to you? Something unique that’s come out of that scene?
David Harness:
I think sometimes we get pigeonholed. People think gay club = circuit music. But there’s so much more. For me, I try to carry the torch of the original sound—the one that’s been here all along. The real house music.
We’ve got disco roots, obviously. Sylvester, Patrick Cowley. But we’ve also got funk. Tower of Power. Con Funk Shun. And all of that makes its way into how I play and how I produce. It has to be funky, it has to be soulful—and yeah, it’s got to have a little sissy in there too.
Sainte Francis:
Who are some of your biggest influences, both in the booth and beyond?
David Harness:
Oh, there are so many. Frankie Knuckles was a dear friend and a major influence. Always will be. Tony Humphries. Louie Vega. Danny Tenaglia. Of course, my brother Tedd Patterson. Quentin Harris. Ms. Honey Dijon. Derrick Carter. All of them.
They each brought something different—something local, something personal—to their sound. That’s what I try to do here in the Bay: take what I learned from them and make it mine.
Sainte Francis:
You’ve had a long career as a producer as well. What did that transition look like for you?
David Harness:
It started through Billboard Magazine, actually. I was a chart reporter for San Francisco, so I had relationships with a lot of labels and promo folks. That was my entry point. The first big break, though? I got asked to do a McDonald’s commercial remix. It was corporate—real cheesy sounds—but I could beat match anything, so I said yes. That opened the door.
From there, I was like, “You should try remixing something real.” And I did. Eventually, I got into it heavy. Built a home studio. Just fell in love with it.
I had a producer partner for a while—Chris Lum. We released stuff under “Harlem Music” for a while. If he hadn’t stepped away, I probably would’ve stayed the guy who just brought the ideas. But when he left, I had to learn how to do it myself. And I’m glad I did.
Sainte Francis:
Your productions really balance soul and drive—seduction and stomp. Is that intentional, or just what comes out of you?
David Harness:
It’s both. I come from the gay community: we like it funky, we like it raw, and we like it beautiful. We want a groove, but we want seduction too. I try to bring that into every track. The groove is always the truth.
When I produce, I’m thinking about what I want to play on the dancefloor. Sometimes it needs to hit harder. Sometimes it needs to be soft and pretty. But always, it’s got to move you. I want people to feel that it came from somewhere real.
Sainte Francis:
What’s 2025 been like so far? What’s been filling your time and spirit?
David Harness:
It’s been packed, in the best way. I just released my latest Mighty Real Poolside compilation on Moulton Music. This one includes 11 remixes, edits, and retouches I did to tracks in the label’s catalog. That’s available now on Traxsource and all platforms.
I’ve also been doing the Mighty Real party at the Phoenix Hotel here in SF for over a decade. That’s always a highlight of my summer.
And I just played for Grace Jones in Napa Valley. That was a moment. I was nervous as hell. But it was beautiful. Big crowd, big energy—and I ended up hanging out with Grace in her dressing room afterward for 30 minutes. I’ll never forget it.
Sainte Francis:
You’re also heading to SunceBeat and some gigs in Europe, right?
David Harness:
Yep! I’m doing a boat party and beach party at SunceBeat in Lisbon with DJ Spen, David Morales, Louie Vega, Anané, Terry Hunter, all the family. Before that, I’m playing a private event in London. Then I’m back in the States to play Outside Lands on the Dolores Stage in August.
I’ve also been working on projects with Inaya Day, Crystal Waters, Kenny Bobien, Jeremy Joshua, and Craig C from Denver. Lots in motion.
Sainte Francis:
And now, you’re returning to close Pines Party with Tedd. What’s it like coming back?
David Harness:
I’m laughing because the first time I played Pines; I was set on what I thought would work—and it didn’t. I felt like a fish out of water. I thought, “This crowd is not feeling this.”
But then Pines Party asked me to come and play with Tedd last year. And Tedd’s one of my dearest friends. We talk at least twice a week. We share music like baseball cards. So, when we came in together, we knew we’d have each other’s backs.
And that set last year? It was magic. We piggybacked off each other, read the room, and just had fun. We were shady behind the decks, kiki’ing, laughing—it was pure joy. And they loved it. When they asked us back again this year, it was an easy yes.
We’ve got folders ready. Disco, classics, deep stuff, big room, and yes, a little bit of filth. We’re bringing it all.
Sainte Francis:
Last words before Pines?
David Harness:
Just gratitude. For being asked back. For being part of something as iconic as Fire Island. It means a lot—especially as a Black queer DJ who doesn’t always see himself reflected in those spaces. But I get to go in, be myself, bring my full aesthetic, and be embraced. That’s what it’s all about.
Catch David Harness at the Pines Closing Party on Sunday, August 3rd, 3-8pm with Tedd Patterson.
