Kerri Chandler Exclusive Live Interview

Kerri Chandler can be thanked for creating the Deep House sound that surrounds us today. House music pioneer, electronics engineer, producer and DJ, Kerri chats to BBM about his life on the decks and in the studio that began at the age of 13. BBM caught up with Kerri on a blustery winter afternoon in Shoreditch, London, ahead of his Australian tour.

Afternoon Kerri, how are you?
I’m really great thank you, I have had a very busy year – it has been manic but I love it! And I am very excited to go over to Australia.

You’ll be hosting the Boiler Room in London this evening, what do you find so great about the Boiler Room?
I think what it is, is that, for showcasing the new label and artists – it seems to get people talking. James (Madtech) is very excited and he tells me about the amount of viewers and the important following. The last time I did it, I had a lot of fun and everyone had a really cool evening. Although it’s very strange as the crowd is behind you!

So, what did you originally think about the Ibiza scene, as I noticed you had not been a part of it until the last few years? How did Circo-Loco persuade you to give it a shot?
Well, Circo-Loco had been trying to get me to play for a while but then they closed. I went to check out one of their parties in Italy, I just didn’t think much to the deeper House scene over in Ibiza. When they hired Tony Humphries at DC10, I thought it was interesting. So I went to meet Andrea (Pelino) in Italy who spoke of DC10 and said “it is just a red room, great sound system and some top DJs but no one commercial and just a really pumped crowd.” From the minute I started playing there, I have never had to change anything I do on stage and I felt part of the support structure and the family of Ibiza. As planes flew over us as we played outside, the emotion was special and deep and so I began playing the wildest, deepest House and Disco to see how the crowd reacted. I then played in London at The Arches with the Circo-Loco DJs and I was sold. That was four years ago.

You have been playing since you were 13 in New York and the TriState area; do you remember the first time you stood on stage over here in the UK?
‘Ministry of Sound’ was my first gig in London when I was 18. I have always played New York and so I was fine playing here. It was all set up the same as the ‘Paradise Garage’ so I felt right at home and a lot of the singers from New York were here too. From the first to the last record, it worked and I never looked back.

What was your inspiration to become so involved with the House scene?
I needed a release for some stuff I was going through. My girlfriend at the time Tracey was out for her birthday and was coming to meet me later around the corner at my club. Her ex-boyfriend took her behind the building, he didn’t like the idea of us getting married, he raped her and killed her, leaving her behind the building. I had to get it all out of my mind. The first record I made after that was called ‘Get It Off’ and it literally sounds likes someone scratching away the record, as my life had been taken away. It’s not about the money, I always put my life story into what I do; my music shows what kind of day I have had. I love it when people put out how they feel inside; it is the same with all of my singer friends as it provokes feelings and thoughts, which is Deep House. Arnold Jarvis’s song, ‘Inspiration’, came to my studio on the first day as he left the hospital where his friend was dying in hospital as he had cancer. His friend was still upbeat and happy and it inspired him. So I played live and he started making things up, I put a basic track and started playing piano over the top of it. That whole 11 minutes, that was his story. I went back and listened to it and we were amazed how deep it sounded as he sang about his friend. As he sang ‘Inspiration’ I copied it, doubled it and put it where it fit. That was it. That is the song.

What changes you from being a producer, to an engineer?
When engineering, as I am a technical nut- it is my job to get the best out of the sound and let it flow. As a producer I have to dig in to someone and get the gut feeling from my artist. I want to bring out the best from whoever I am working with. I do not ever say ‘do this, do that, sing this’, I want to know what that person has been through. If that is your release, it worked for me. It is our generation of Blues and the Jazz and the Soul and life’s struggles.

So, tell me about the creation of your labels, MadHouse and MadTech? Why did you choose to remix the ‘Voyeur’ track?
When I meet the person, I always ask what they want to do and [what] turns them on. I went through so many crazy deals and managers when I was young and I want to see the scene growing. I wanted to bring in the next generation. So we brought in youngsters like the Martinez Brothers. So I started MadHouse again, I then put MadTech together for the younger generation to be able to and be free with what they want to do like I did. MadTech is new House and experimental. I will make a mix like I did with the Voyeur music for the same reason.

It is crazy how music is sometimes produced nowadays, what does your future look like and what do you look forward to the most throughout your Australia tour?
I am going to keep my eye on MadHouse and MadTech; I like to see how the artists develop. As long as I have the energy and my health I will keep playing, my dad even still DJs! I am looking forward to Australia; I have met a lot of people through Facebook who are coming along and I have heard it is a stunning setting.

By Frankie Salt

Watch this exclusive face to face interview with Kerri Chandler here

Check out the BBM Dance Music Podcast Featuring So Called Scumbags.

More info: www.pignwhistle.com.au

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