Dance music personalities don’t come much bigger than David Morales. Bigger or more enthusiastic. One of Brooklyn’s finest sons (and there’s been a few,) Morales has been involved in house music for over 25 years now but, impressively, there’s no sign of fatigue or disinterest.

“Simply put, I love to play music. I don’t think I will ever tire of it” he laughingly opens. “I’ve actually been playing music, in general, for 35 years now. I hate the travelling part, the airports, the delays, the shitty hotels, but as far as making music goes I still love doing it. In terms of DJing, as long as there are great records to play, then I will enjoy playing out. That’s certainly the case right now.”

Morales’ story is the stuff, quite literally, of legends. He was born in ’61 to Puerto Rican immigrants, and shot during his gritty early years on a rough patch of the Brooklyn projects. Dropping out of school after ninth grade, he worked as a cook to support his wildly hopeful DJ ambitions and eventually plugged in to the burgeoning 70s disco scene at cult clubs such as the Loft and Paradise Garage.

It was Paradise Garage titan Larry Levan who first spotted his potential for turntable fame and gave him the necessary momentum for bigger and better things. Morales’ reputation spread like wildfire during the late 70s and 80s; he’d soon spun at all the major Big Apple clubs and was onto remixing and recording with the great and good. He’d become one clubland’s very first superstars.

Larry Levan at the legendary Paradise Garage

Today, Morales has remixed and produced over 500 tracks for artists including everyone from Michael Jackson, U2 and Mariah Carey to Jamiroquai (that seminal Space Cowboy re-work,) Deep Dish and Basement Jaxx. He’s won Grammies, graced Vogue, co-founded Def Mix (the super-stable he shares with fellow heavyweights Frankie Knuckles, Satoshi Tomiie and Hector Romero) and scored huge success with his own material – singles such as In De Ghetto and Needin’ U immediately springing to mind.

So how do you follow that? “Well, I’m right now in the middle of recording my third studio album. I’ve broken the back of it but there’s still a lot to do” he confidently, but matter-of-factly replies. “I’m happy with how things are going but I’m not saying anything else for now. I’d have to kill you!”

Mr Morales has also swung back into the remix saddle, adding his own distinctive house twist to Knuckle’s Baby Wants To Ride (itself an update of Jamie Principle’s acid classic) and singer Celeda’s Believe. On top of that, his DJ schedule remains as chaotic as ever. “I’m actually touring quite a lot” he admits. “There’s the long-running question of balancing studio with tour but I love to play to people all over the world, and soak up new ideas in the process.”

Two of Morales’ biggest gigs this summer will be those at Pacha, Ibiza for Defected In The House’s prestigious summer residency. The first date, July 24, sees him playing alongside David Penn; the second, August 14, alongside the Shapeshifters: “It’s Defected’s 8th season in Ibiza I think. Last year’s parties were out of this world, so it’s fair to say I’m looking forward to playing again.”

So what, then, is it that motivates Morales so? What is it that’s kept him at the top all these years of radically changing trends, tech and artists? “It’s difficult to say. But I started out in the mid-Seventies and was able, I think, to craft a lifestyle. Today, dance music moves very fast and new artists have to accept that; there’s much more of a chance that they’ll be here one day and then gone the next.”

He continues: “Music is one big cycle. It’s funny how people jump from one thing to the next. For me music has always been music. I do what I do and don’t worry about anything else. That all said it’d be good to see more vocal house evolving out of the so-called US-house style – more electronic but still with a strong melody.”

And talking of ‘electronic’, what does Morales think about the music industry’s recent technological progressions – internet, space-age recording equipment, zingy mobile phones? “The music is changing too much” he sighs. “The quality is totally disregarded. Records do not [boldly stressed] sound as good as they did 10 years ago. Never mind 15 years ago. The internet has made it affordable and easy to purchase music at home, even make it on a laptop. I’ve had to evolve with the times; some of the programmes are amazing. But there are advantages and disadvantages. I think the dance scene is still sorting itself out.”

Whatever comes next - “who knows?” – rest assured that Morales, 49, will have pride of place. “I’ve been fortunate to support myself through music” he concludes. “I have definite plans to write and produce new singers; stretch myself in other areas. Retirement? What is that?”

David Morales’ as yet untitled third studio album is due out later this year.

For more on Defected In The House events this summer visit www.defected.com/events/ith/