Greetings!
Welcome to the first installment of King Street's new Artist Spotlight supplement to The King Street Chronicle, where we will be highlighting legendary talent that have been previously released on our label and who are coming to an area near you to tear up local dance floors. And who better to kick off this special extra than Mr. Kerri Chandler! For the first time in 5 years in NYC Kerri's playing in the newly renovated Sullivan Room on Friday, March 30th. The man behind the legendary "Bar A Thym" (Nite Grooves) track and the legendary Atmosphere EP will be DJing along with playing keys, vocals, live sequences and much more. Kerri along with King Street's own Jason Hayer and Scott Richmond of Satellite Records & Phil D (Jellybean Soul), will deliver what promises to be an unforgettable night of amazing music.
Scott Richmond had a rare opportunity to interview Kerri about his incredible history that we'd like to share. Check this out...
Q & A with Kerri Chandler by Scott Richmond
Kerri Chandler has touched just about every dance music lovers life - if they haven't played or heard his records, then someone they love has been influenced by him. He's created hundreds of tracks and remixes. In 1991, Atlantic Records signed his debut single, "SuperLover/Get It Off" and the rest is House Music History. Despite his success, Kerri Chandler has always remained true to the spirit of the underground. He created the tracks such as the "Atmosphere E.P." on Shelter Records and the seminal "A Basement, Redlight and A Feeling" album on Madhouse back in the early 90s that helped set the flavor and direction of house music. More recently he created "Bar A Thym" released on King Street, which could be considered the biggest track of the last five years - it was the one track that you could hear literally every DJ of every style whether they be house, techno, progressive or everything in between - it was one of the highlight of Derrick May's set. How many tracks can you say that you heard John Digweed, Roger Sanchez, Louie Vega, Danny Tenaglia, and Jeff Mills all play? Lately he's released new tracks and remixes on NRK, Grei Matter, Freerange, Max Trax and Bigga Sounds - and that's just in the last couple months.
Tell us about how you got into DJing. When and where did you get started? What were you playing?
My father (Joseph Chandler) and my uncle (Arnold Chandler) are DJ's so I was very young running around room to room being influenced at my grandparents house. My uncle had his set up, and my dad had his. I was about 8 when it really made me want to DJ. At about 9 or 10 I got my first real Technics. I had to wait a whole year before I got the next one. I put the first one away until I got the second one and a mixer for Christmas, cause I wanted them to match perfectly. But I used to look at it everyday in the closet and just play with my dad's set on the sneak tip. He busted me playing on his set one day, and instead of being angry, he watched me and took me to the club he was playing that weekend. I warmed up for him every weekend since in the 10:00 to 11:30 slot. They had me stand on record crates cause I was so little. My nickname was "Little man." I was about 13 years old. I was playing Disco and R & B. They would hand me records and I would just mix them, I could ride a record no problem, I used Technics SL - 1800's and a Clubman One On One mixer at that club. It's really funny cause as I grew up, I found out that the majority of my family are DJs. One of my favorite DJ's is my baby cousin Jessica, her dad is my uncle Arnold, and he's got tons of history, gear and music too.
Did you have a mentor or someone who inspired you to get into DJing and producing? What were your influences?
Again I have to say it was all of my family growing up, it was music, music, and then more music in my house from both sides. Between the singers, and my Dad having musicians playing jams in the club or on our front lawn, any reason was a reason to have throw a party. My birthdays were always adult birthdays. They would start like a child's birthday party, but then end up like a 4:00am adult mad discotech. So that's all I knew, I was always exposed to it. Then on my mother's side of the family, there was always a piano in the house, my Grandfather was a Jazz singer, so it was fun to hear his stories and work with him. The first song I did with him was "She's Crazy" and "I Loved You" with Calvin "Grampa" Reed Sr. I have so many multi tracks I have done with him that one of these days I'm going to do an album. He passed away about 10 years ago and I miss him. He and my grandmother used to sit at the piano and she would play and he would sing. Her favorite song to play was "After You've Gone". I played it on the piano at her funeral. Then the most fitting song that day was with my younger cousin Aaron, who I can't wait to work with again, he sang "Grandma's Hands" and I played piano. He kind of sounds like Seal, but a little smoother. It's cool now that he's older and we can get to really hang out. He's running a music publishing company. Also both my sisters sing as well, my youngest sister India was signed to MCA before they went bust right before her album was about to come out.
What is your mission when you create a new track?
It's just my life story. You can tell where my life is just by listening to my tracks. I never force an idea I just use what's around me as an influence. From day one "Get it off" (is short for get it off of my mind) someone killed my girlfriend at the time, "To my daughter Kerri" (which is about my daughter) to Computer Games EP (I find myself overloaded with all my computers, Playstations, Xboxes, on the hunt for a WII, I have a Dreamcast, An Atari 2600, Intellivision, Odyssey, 3DO, challenger 2p, Pet 2001, C64, Collecovision - I'm such an old school gamer, but my favorite these days is a game called Impossible Creatures)
You've had an amazing prolific career. How many records and remixes have you made? What are your favorite tracks and remixes that you've done?
I used to say, I must have a record for everyday of the year, now I must say there has to be about two. I went to discogs.com http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kerri+Chandler and I had a great laugh because even with all the records that are there, believe it or not, there are still some missing. I really lost count it's been about 20 years worth of me getting into play. I can tell you my first record House record was "Get it off". But my first records were jazz and hip hop, Express records and PJ Records in 86-87.
You have recently launched the label Max Trax and Digital Soul. Please tell us the concept behind them?
Well it's really Grei Matter and Max Trax, Digital Soul is my production company. They are where I wanted Madhouse Records to go if I started it over again. Also, I wanted something to leave my children, and it's named after them. It's their middle names; I figure I will take better care of how I handle the music if I know it will be handed onto them.
You also work creating new technology that is production, DJ and performance related. Please tell us all about that.
I have been doing all sorts of things when I played out, the more studio-like it is, the better for me. I wanted to become an engineer so that's what I went to school to do, but the music took off, so I kind of combine them both. I have built virtual turntables that work like minority report, to a laser sampling keyboard system. I just kind of go where my imagination takes me, nothing feels impossible, it's just about how technology can be used to my advantage.
What other new music projects are coming our way you?
I am going to definitely push for another Monique Bingham Record, and A Computer Games LP. I'm shooting a video right now for my next Release on Max Trax called "Brand New Sun," and I'm mixing a the new compilation album for Southport Weekender.
What producers and labels are inspiring you right now?
I'm very proud to say Dennis Ferrer. He is my brother and I am so glad that he got his thing off the ground. Arron Ross, Phil Asher, Monique Bingham, Spen, Pope, Maw, Blaze, Jovonn, Dj Gregory, Rork, Franck Roger, Deeply Rooted House(DJ Deep), King Street, Terry Hunter, Roog, Rose, Miri Ben Ari, Bougie Solitaire, Soul Central, Liquid People, Jon Cutler, Matty, Jerome, Bobby and Steve, Greg and Shane, Gavin, Spinna, Sounds of Blackness, Sara Shamsavari, Lady Bird, DJ Lea Lisa, DJ touch, Adam Scott, Jazzy Jeff, Roy Ayers, Arnold Jarvis, Chris McCray, Tears of Velva, Master Kev, Byron Stingly, Byron Burke, Marshall Jefferson, Larry Heard, David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, Ultra Nate, Dan Charnas, E-man, Freddie Turner, Robbi.. But honestly, I can keep going on and on, I have way too many friends and I'm always influenced by all of them everyday.
I understand when you DJ it something more than just mixing tracks together. Tell us about how you perform.
I try to bring more of a live remix element into it. It is as simple as me playing keys over it, or more gear so I can do live remixes on the fly, or more band members - Horns, Percussion, Vocalist, or Lasers and virtual gear. I just try to do when and where my imagination and the club's budget allows. If the promoters let me, I rebuild the club half the time, but its what I love to do.
What are your favorite places/venues to play in the US? In the rest of the world?
Club yellow, Sub Club, Sir Henrys (well everywhere in Ireland), Latvia just recently was great, Singapore, Southport Weekender, all of France. Hell I really have a great time everywhere; I have lots of favorites for different reasons.
It's been a while since you played in NYC. What are you looking forward to in gracing the decks in NYC?
Well I'm sure I will see lots of my friends and my family that I haven't seen in years, I'm just going to go into it like just if its one big house party, cause really that's all I'm doing and they already know how crazy I am.
BIG Thanks to Kerri Chandler & Scott Richmond for this insightful interview! Also be sure to check out Kerri with Monique Bingham at Scotland's Sub Club on April 7th and of course the Southport Weekender's 40th Anniversary in May! Stay tuned for more features of amazing artists, DJs, singers, producers and remixers from the Artist Spotlight... Until next time, see you on the 4 to the Floor!
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