Published
Mon, Nov 14, 2022, 14:45
- Also a revered record collector, Parkes curated several influential compilations that helped popularise rare groove.
DJ and record collector Dez Parkes has died.
Fitzroy Anthoney Facey, director of The Soul Survivors Magazine, broke the news via Facebook on Saturday, November 12th. The cause of death remains unclear.
"It's with our deepest sorrow that we inform you of the death of our beloved friend, the legendary Dez Parkes, our brother in music who sadly passed away today," Facey wrote. "The family are still processing this massive loss so please respect their privacy at this sad time."
A beloved DJ and highly respected record collector, Parkes will be remembered as a trailblazer of the UK's rare groove scene, which centred around British DJs playing obscure American import records, most of which were funk, soul or R&B.
Parkes began DJing at Soho venue Whisky A Go Go in the '70s, before teaming up with Trevor Shakes to launch Spats, the UK's first club dedicated to underground boogie music. In 1987, he was approached by RCA Records to curate Rare, a series of compilations responsible for kickstarting the rare groove revival. He went on to mastermind a handful of other notable compilations, including Motown Rare Grooves, The Best Of Pleasure and Mastercuts.
Parkes was a familiar face on the London pirate radio scene, playing on stations such as WBLS, Dance FM and Laser. He also cofounded the label The Underground Family.
Revisit a 2020 radio interview with Parkes, and read some social media tributes.