Family Life

Born 16 April in Eastbourne, East Sussex, David-H TheBongoman is the youngest of three children. Raised in a household filled with music and dancing, his parents’ love for artists like Nat King Cole, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Big Band jazz legends such as Stan Kenton and Count Basie left a deep impression. From an early age, David was drawn to rhythm, often found tapping on any available surface. He fondly recalls using his mother’s knitting needles to drum on kitchen pots and pans, unknowingly laying the foundations for his future.

Recognising his natural musical ability, David’s parents enrolled him in a local marching band, the Show Stars, at the age of seven. With a snare drum almost as big as him, he travelled across the UK with the band, performing in parades and shows.

School Life

David’s musical path gained momentum at age eleven when he met Mr David Cane-Hardy, the Head of Music at Ratton Comprehensive School. Mr Cane-Hardy saw David’s talent and encouraged it through school productions and orchestra performances. David began playing percussion with the Ratton Players and even performed congas in their production of West Side Story. By thirteen, he had purchased his first drum kit—a Pearl Maxwin—funded by washing dishes in Eastbourne’s hotels. Over time, he expanded it into a seven-piece kit.

Under Mr Cane-Hardy’s mentorship, the Ratton Players toured the East Coast of America and northern France and recorded a live album before David turned sixteen.

Growing Up

In the 1980s, David was immersed in the era’s vibrant pop scene—drawn to artists like Tears for Fears, Michael Jackson, George Michael, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Ultravox. He joined synth bands that covered hits from Simple Minds and Duran Duran. In 1986, Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley’s Jack Your Body sparked David’s love for House music. Soon, he frequented Eastbourne and Brighton’s clubs, waiting for the DJs to transition from pop to Acid House.

By 1991, he’d discovered the underground rave and hardcore scene, attending illegal parties until sunrise. London’s Crazy Club at the Astoria and TRADE at Turnmills became his regular haunts-TRADE, in particular, would become a landmark in his journey.

Influences and Early Releases

Inspired by the UK’s burgeoning rave scene, David began producing music. In 1992, he released his first white-label EP, Engram, through Bizarre Management and Vinyl Solution. Two years later, he relocated to London, living in Crouch End and Finsbury Park before settling on Gray’s Inn Road.

Answering an advert in Loot magazine led him to Mark and Clayton, founders of Trouble-On-Vinyl and Renegade Hardware. Together, they built a studio in Vauxhall called Mixing Lab. David used studio downtime to record his tracks, then cut them to dubplates for TRADE, where DJ Tony De Vit would play them live.

TRADE was also where David met DJ Tall Paul, resulting in collaborative studio sessions.

Producer

David established his imprints—Planet 10 and Indalo Records—securing a distribution deal with Mo’s Music Machine. He gained airplay from Kiss FM and support from DJ Pete Wardman. EMI’s Dave Cross signed David’s breakout club hit Passion (remixed by Tony De Vit) in 1996. That summer, Ruth Rothwell of Universal Music Publishing signed the publishing rights to Passion and introduced David to Victor Imbres of Gimme Luv (Alcatraz) fame.

David collaborated with vocalist Antonia Lucas on a new track, So Pure, and their act ‘Subsola’ was born. BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong signed So Pure to Ffrr, with further remixes by Ferry Corsten released through Purple Eye in the Netherlands.

Remixes

David's remix work grew extensively under the alias ‘Pure Seduction’. Favourites include Out of the Blue by System F and his track Passion, featured on Danny Rampling’s Love Groove Dance Party compilation—selling over 60,000 copies and earning a BPI Silver Disc Award.

Percussion: Becoming ‘TheBongoman’

David left London for Brighton in 1999 and began playing percussion at The Pussycat Club in the legendary Zap Club. He made an impression without a mic or amplification—only a smile and his congas. That night, his live energy earned him repeat bookings and set the stage for TheBongoman persona.

His signature technique of playing bongos with reversed drumsticks was born from necessity. On New Year’s Eve 2002, after injuring his hand just days before accompanying BBC Radio 1’s Dave Pearce at the Brighton Centre, he switched to playing with sticks to avoid pain—discovering a revolutionary new sound and performance style. Ironically, a moment of adversity sparked a trend now mimicked by many live percussionists.

Ibiza and International Success

In 2003, a holiday to Ibiza changed everything. After accompanying Ray Davis at Eden’s opening party, David was invited by promoter Tony Hannan to play at Kanya Bar. By the end of the season, he was living in Ibiza. He had secured residencies at Tonic (Eden and Space), Manumission (Privilege and Space), Four-04 (El Divino), and Superfreak (Underground), plus guest spots at Cream (Amnesia) and Circo Loco (DC10).

A chance encounter with Mr C - frontman of The Shamen and co-owner of The End and Superfreq—led to multiple collaborations across Europe and the USA. David credits Mr C as a pivotal influence and treasured friend.

LGBTQ+ Scene and Major Residencies

David’s performances with The Sharp Boys (renowned LGBTQ+ remixers of artists like Madonna and George Michael) led to a decade-long residency with the Orange Group in Vauxhall, London—playing at clubs like Fire, Area, and Lightbox.

He was a regular at London Pride and Brighton Pride, thanks to introductions by Paul Kemp and others. A highlight was a five-year bi-monthly residency at Heaven for the legendary Monday night party, Popcorn.

Another significant chapter began when DJ Fubar and Ray Davis introduced David to Mark Nordwind of The Syndicate Superclub in Blackpool—then the UK’s largest nightclub. He performed there every Friday and Saturday for three years, accompanying some of the world’s biggest DJs.

Success and Recognition

David has performed in some of the UK’s and Europe’s most iconic venues. Memorable sets include live broadcasts from Radio 1’s LGBTQ+ Pride in Regent’s Park, the Essential Selection Winter Tour from The Syndicate, and Pete Tong’s live broadcast from Manumission at Privilege.

In 2012, after a successful tour of Malta, David co-founded WRONG! , a hedonistic after-hours club at Union in Vauxhall—still going strong in 2023. Here, he began fusing DJing with percussion, pioneering the ‘Percussion DJ’ concept with digital drums and controllers.

European Snow Pride

Since 2017, David has been a celebrated performer at European Snow Pride in Tignes, France—one of the world’s top LGBTQ+ ski festivals. Though he missed the 2020 and 2024 editions due to injury and the COVID-19 pandemic, he remains an ambassador for the event and looks forward to returning in 2025.

Advocacy and Neurodiversity

As a proud neurodivergent individual, David has faced discrimination related to his disabilities. Despite the challenges, he continues to advocate for the celebration—not the stigmatisation—of neurological differences and mental health conditions.

Thank you for taking the time to read this biography. More stories, performances, and music are yet to come…