Ellis Dee

Ellis Dee is one of rave’s most respected foundational DJs, with a career in DJing and music production spanning over 35 years. To this day, many still respectfully refer to him as The Captain.

He was just 15 when he first stepped behind the decks, playing at parties and small venues. A couple of years later, in 1987, the UK woke up to the rise of Acid House—a new sound that would ignite a cultural revolution.

Even in those early days, Ellis Dee recognised the transformative power of the music—and everything that came with it. Instantly drawn to the movement, he became a key figure in shaping its formative years. At the dawn of the Acid House era, he and a group of like-minded friends launched Rave in the Cave, an underground party held in a South London garage. The notorious event ran for six months before being shut down by the police.

By the following year, Roy had fully embraced his DJ name, Ellis Dee, and was rapidly building a reputation as a master of the dancefloor. Around the same time, he landed a two-year residency as a pirate radio DJ on Sunrise Radio. In 1989, he expanded into music production, teaming up with future Breaks pioneer Rennie Pilgrem and Nick Newton as Rhythm Section.

Ellis Dee was also one of only two resident DJs for the legendary World Dance Organisation, alongside ex-DMC champion and Drum & Bass icon DJ Hype.

By the early ’90s, he was headlining the most iconic raves of the era, including Telepathy, Raindance, and Fantazia, performing alongside legends like Carl Cox, Grooverider, Slipmatt, and RatPack. His mixtapes from these events remain sought-after classics.

During this golden age of rave, he also launched Ellis Dee Project, delivering anthems like Rock to the Max and Desire. However, in 1994, the UK rave scene took a major hit with the introduction of the Criminal Justice Act, which drove the movement underground. Undeterred, Ellis Dee continued his journey, touring Florida with Breaks guru Rennie Pilgrem.

As the rave scene faded, Drum & Bass took center stage—and Ellis Dee transitioned effortlessly. He became one of the UK’s most recognised D&B DJs and co-founded Collusion Records with DJ Swan-E. Around this time, he also produced and remixed Where Did I Go Wrong for UB40.

By the late ’90s, his focus shifted toward Breakbeat. He launched the Point Breaks label alongside his partner Syrus, while still running Collusion Records. He also reunited with Rennie Pilgrem, releasing tracks on Pilgrem’s TCR (Thursday Club Recordings) label—including a 2003 remix of the critically acclaimed Hedonizm album.

From Acid House to Jungle, Hardcore, Drum & Bass, Breaks, and most recently, Rave House, Ellis Dee has ridden every wave of club culture.

Today, he splits his time between DJing, music production, and running a classic car garage. His deep understanding of club music remains as sharp as ever.

In Ellis Dee, the rave spirit still lives on.