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This is taken from a local mag, kinda like a Time Out. It's not a music mag and certainly doesn't cater to progressive fans.
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New York based DJ Chris Fortier has held a residency at the legendary Twilo and played alongside heavyweights such as Sasha and John Digweed. Behind the scenes, he is one half of Fade who produced the classic remix?before Tiesto mangled it?of Delerium?s ?Silence,? runs the record label Fade Records, and manages Balance, a booking agency and record pool in the US. He has released Bedrock: Compiled and Mixed under Digweed?s Bedrock label and Balance 007 under Australia?s EQ. We grab Fortier for a chat and find out DJs really do get all the chicks.
OK, first up, what?s with the moody, intense looks of DJs on CD covers? Are you guys suppose to look intellectual, or is that how pissed off you are when a clubber screams at you to drop some R&B or to ?pump it up??
Because we are all intensely deep thinkers, constantly trying to connect telepathically with our audience. Actually, I don?t know why it appears that DJs (for the majority) look somber and without much expression. We aren?t models so looking serious or not smiling might just be the easiest look to do. We are also probably crap at everything else except playing records.
Honestly, do DJs get all the hot chicks?
Yes, we certainly do?get all the hot chicks and all the ?not quite as hot? chicks. Yes, pretty much every girl out there is ours for the taking. It is that intense look we give?it can be quite inviting.
As a DJ (or any creative), do you see a struggle or compromise trying to push your own sound (do your own thing) and at the same time, make it accessible to the John Doe on the floor?
I think there is a struggle there, but it really depends on the kind of person you are and if you are true to the music you believe in. We aren?t just a jukebox up there to play hits, or at least I don?t see myself that way. I have always focused on new music and fresh sounds, so I think that is what crowds expect of me. I think there is always a push and pull with the crowd, especially when they might not be that familiar with you or your sound. But that is the mark of a great DJ: To go into a room and be able to finesse the music in such a way, to hook the crowd into the groove without them worrying if they know the tracks or not. When you can play hours of music no one has heard before and make it go off, that is a huge result.
Well, where?s the line between doing your own thing and becoming self-indulgent?
I don?t really think that DJs as a whole are self-indulgent. Especially the ones that truly care about what they are doing. To some it may appear that they are, but I think many times the idea of self-indulgence might simply be a DJ trying to go for it in a way that is exciting while bringing something new to the crowd that night. Most times it works fine and the crowds are left happy, but I admit with some experimentation, it may not go down as what the DJ had in their minds. On the other side of the coin, if a guest DJ came in and played the same music as the resident DJs, what would be the point of that either?
Ableton Live! (a software for mixing digital music and production), DVD mixers, Final Scratch (a soft and hardware interface for laptops and decks), effects boxes?with all these gizmos, do you foresee a risk that they overtake the DJ or taking the focus from the music itself?
I don?t know if the focus goes off the DJ with all the new gadgets, but there can be some confusion with crowds. Their perception of a DJ changes with whichever format he chooses to play with. It used to be that people would frown on DJs playing CDRs. Then CDs became more accepted and now that laptops have entered the arena more, I can see a switch of mentality when people ask if you ?still play vinyl.? Or some people might think you?re behind times and not making full use of the technologies available. I think whatever format you play, you need to play good music and build atmospheres and grooves. If you cant do that, it doesn?t matter if it is vinyl or Ableton.
So what?s your preference?
I prefer vinyl over it all. I got into collecting records and mixing them because it was fun. Going record shopping, collecting the music that I can reflect on in many years? time is something I enjoy. It is part of what I do as a DJ. I am not interested in collecting file names on my computer?that doesn?t appeal to me. For many DJs that play records, it is the art of achieving the vibe and doing some of the tricks in an old school way that makes DJing fun. And that is what is at the heart of it all?to have fun, not just go to work and treat it as a job!
Now that anyone with a computer can be a ?producer,? do you (as a label owner and a DJ) think the signal to noise ratio is worse these days?
I think in terms of growth, we are seeing more and more music on the playing field. But yes, with cheaper gear and computers, we see more and more people attempting to create music that inspires them. And with the Internet, it is being delivered with ease around the world. For the most part, yes, there seems to be a dilution of the music now with the flood of aspiring producers, but that always happens in any kind of music. Then again, with the Internet, you aren?t just an aspiring musician trying to get a break, hoping a record label signs you. Kids are bypassing that and pushing their music via download sites and other means. Years before, there was a bit of quality control going on with music that would be commercially available. Now we don?t have that and it means double or triple the amount of music to sift through to find what you like. Saying all that though, there are some amazing new fresh ideas getting out there, which is really what we want?to keep pushing the boundaries everyday and expanding our minds with music.
You get flooded with electronic music. What?s the last non-electronica band you caught live and how was it?
The last concert I went to was Prince at Madison Square Garden. He was phenomenal. It was a really incredible show?packed full of guests musicians randomly coming on stage. He was brilliant and made his way through so much of his other songs besides the radio hits.
From what you?ve seen of the global scene, what are the party hotspots you can recommend?
There are a lot these days, Greece is one of the best places around for the last few years. Also places like Romania and Croatia. Italy is brilliant too, as well as Hungary. During the last few summers, these places have become huge stops on the world touring circuit, offering different kinds of gigs such huge outdoor festivals on the sea-sides and of course, in clubs. South America has also become a perennial force. And it?s still booming all over Asia: Mainland China is something that is only now being tapped into as DJ destinations.
It seems the global scene is still quite good despite the superclubs and big parties being on their last legs. What?s your opinion?
I think it looks great. All the things I just mentioned are exciting and fresh. The clubbers in those countries are hungry for club culture. And I feel there has been a resurgence in some countries that have been partying since day one. Music is moving into new areas and fresh sounds are bringing people and clubs back to the intensity they once had.
So when was the last time you danced on the floor instead of being behind the decks? Were there glowsticks involved?
No glowsticks! But I was on the dance floor for hours a few weeks ago at another DJ friend?s wedding. They had brought in these DJs from London and they were amazing. Playing all the right tunes perfectly. It was a lot of fun.
What?s your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? Christina Aguilera? Chopin? Backstreet Boys?
Actually, I?m appreciative of pop music. The interesting thing for me is to see how the producers of these artists are continually borrowing from underground music. It is funny sometimes to hear tracks from Britney Spears and know that her producer was a one-time drum and bass DJ or to hear the influence of house music on someone like Dr. Dre. I wouldn?t say that I buy their albums or whatever, but for example, I do quite fancy Natasha Beddingfield.
If you were to remix a mainstream pop artist, who would you pick?
I have done a lot remixes over the years for bands and artists that had mainstream followings. Most of the people that I see as someone to work with are slightly more left of center though. If I had to pick one, I?d go with someone like Kylie Minogue.
Alright, we want to start up a record label. What?s the best tip you can give us?
Sign and release music you are into. Don?t try to sign tracks you think will sell well or be hits. Go with the music that inspires you and get behind it, full stop. Find an audience for your tracks and work like hell to expose the artists to the audience. And most of all, you need to have a lot of patience. It certainly won?t happen overnight, so believe in what you are offering and let the natural progression take you there.
Can you give us three tracks that exemplify progressive house to you?
Sasha?s ?Xpander,? Bedrock?s ?For What You Dream Of? and Chameleon Project ?Feel.?
::
New York based DJ Chris Fortier has held a residency at the legendary Twilo and played alongside heavyweights such as Sasha and John Digweed. Behind the scenes, he is one half of Fade who produced the classic remix?before Tiesto mangled it?of Delerium?s ?Silence,? runs the record label Fade Records, and manages Balance, a booking agency and record pool in the US. He has released Bedrock: Compiled and Mixed under Digweed?s Bedrock label and Balance 007 under Australia?s EQ. We grab Fortier for a chat and find out DJs really do get all the chicks.
OK, first up, what?s with the moody, intense looks of DJs on CD covers? Are you guys suppose to look intellectual, or is that how pissed off you are when a clubber screams at you to drop some R&B or to ?pump it up??
Because we are all intensely deep thinkers, constantly trying to connect telepathically with our audience. Actually, I don?t know why it appears that DJs (for the majority) look somber and without much expression. We aren?t models so looking serious or not smiling might just be the easiest look to do. We are also probably crap at everything else except playing records.
Honestly, do DJs get all the hot chicks?
Yes, we certainly do?get all the hot chicks and all the ?not quite as hot? chicks. Yes, pretty much every girl out there is ours for the taking. It is that intense look we give?it can be quite inviting.
As a DJ (or any creative), do you see a struggle or compromise trying to push your own sound (do your own thing) and at the same time, make it accessible to the John Doe on the floor?
I think there is a struggle there, but it really depends on the kind of person you are and if you are true to the music you believe in. We aren?t just a jukebox up there to play hits, or at least I don?t see myself that way. I have always focused on new music and fresh sounds, so I think that is what crowds expect of me. I think there is always a push and pull with the crowd, especially when they might not be that familiar with you or your sound. But that is the mark of a great DJ: To go into a room and be able to finesse the music in such a way, to hook the crowd into the groove without them worrying if they know the tracks or not. When you can play hours of music no one has heard before and make it go off, that is a huge result.
Well, where?s the line between doing your own thing and becoming self-indulgent?
I don?t really think that DJs as a whole are self-indulgent. Especially the ones that truly care about what they are doing. To some it may appear that they are, but I think many times the idea of self-indulgence might simply be a DJ trying to go for it in a way that is exciting while bringing something new to the crowd that night. Most times it works fine and the crowds are left happy, but I admit with some experimentation, it may not go down as what the DJ had in their minds. On the other side of the coin, if a guest DJ came in and played the same music as the resident DJs, what would be the point of that either?
Ableton Live! (a software for mixing digital music and production), DVD mixers, Final Scratch (a soft and hardware interface for laptops and decks), effects boxes?with all these gizmos, do you foresee a risk that they overtake the DJ or taking the focus from the music itself?
I don?t know if the focus goes off the DJ with all the new gadgets, but there can be some confusion with crowds. Their perception of a DJ changes with whichever format he chooses to play with. It used to be that people would frown on DJs playing CDRs. Then CDs became more accepted and now that laptops have entered the arena more, I can see a switch of mentality when people ask if you ?still play vinyl.? Or some people might think you?re behind times and not making full use of the technologies available. I think whatever format you play, you need to play good music and build atmospheres and grooves. If you cant do that, it doesn?t matter if it is vinyl or Ableton.
So what?s your preference?
I prefer vinyl over it all. I got into collecting records and mixing them because it was fun. Going record shopping, collecting the music that I can reflect on in many years? time is something I enjoy. It is part of what I do as a DJ. I am not interested in collecting file names on my computer?that doesn?t appeal to me. For many DJs that play records, it is the art of achieving the vibe and doing some of the tricks in an old school way that makes DJing fun. And that is what is at the heart of it all?to have fun, not just go to work and treat it as a job!
Now that anyone with a computer can be a ?producer,? do you (as a label owner and a DJ) think the signal to noise ratio is worse these days?
I think in terms of growth, we are seeing more and more music on the playing field. But yes, with cheaper gear and computers, we see more and more people attempting to create music that inspires them. And with the Internet, it is being delivered with ease around the world. For the most part, yes, there seems to be a dilution of the music now with the flood of aspiring producers, but that always happens in any kind of music. Then again, with the Internet, you aren?t just an aspiring musician trying to get a break, hoping a record label signs you. Kids are bypassing that and pushing their music via download sites and other means. Years before, there was a bit of quality control going on with music that would be commercially available. Now we don?t have that and it means double or triple the amount of music to sift through to find what you like. Saying all that though, there are some amazing new fresh ideas getting out there, which is really what we want?to keep pushing the boundaries everyday and expanding our minds with music.
You get flooded with electronic music. What?s the last non-electronica band you caught live and how was it?
The last concert I went to was Prince at Madison Square Garden. He was phenomenal. It was a really incredible show?packed full of guests musicians randomly coming on stage. He was brilliant and made his way through so much of his other songs besides the radio hits.
From what you?ve seen of the global scene, what are the party hotspots you can recommend?
There are a lot these days, Greece is one of the best places around for the last few years. Also places like Romania and Croatia. Italy is brilliant too, as well as Hungary. During the last few summers, these places have become huge stops on the world touring circuit, offering different kinds of gigs such huge outdoor festivals on the sea-sides and of course, in clubs. South America has also become a perennial force. And it?s still booming all over Asia: Mainland China is something that is only now being tapped into as DJ destinations.
It seems the global scene is still quite good despite the superclubs and big parties being on their last legs. What?s your opinion?
I think it looks great. All the things I just mentioned are exciting and fresh. The clubbers in those countries are hungry for club culture. And I feel there has been a resurgence in some countries that have been partying since day one. Music is moving into new areas and fresh sounds are bringing people and clubs back to the intensity they once had.
So when was the last time you danced on the floor instead of being behind the decks? Were there glowsticks involved?
No glowsticks! But I was on the dance floor for hours a few weeks ago at another DJ friend?s wedding. They had brought in these DJs from London and they were amazing. Playing all the right tunes perfectly. It was a lot of fun.
What?s your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? Christina Aguilera? Chopin? Backstreet Boys?
Actually, I?m appreciative of pop music. The interesting thing for me is to see how the producers of these artists are continually borrowing from underground music. It is funny sometimes to hear tracks from Britney Spears and know that her producer was a one-time drum and bass DJ or to hear the influence of house music on someone like Dr. Dre. I wouldn?t say that I buy their albums or whatever, but for example, I do quite fancy Natasha Beddingfield.
If you were to remix a mainstream pop artist, who would you pick?
I have done a lot remixes over the years for bands and artists that had mainstream followings. Most of the people that I see as someone to work with are slightly more left of center though. If I had to pick one, I?d go with someone like Kylie Minogue.
Alright, we want to start up a record label. What?s the best tip you can give us?
Sign and release music you are into. Don?t try to sign tracks you think will sell well or be hits. Go with the music that inspires you and get behind it, full stop. Find an audience for your tracks and work like hell to expose the artists to the audience. And most of all, you need to have a lot of patience. It certainly won?t happen overnight, so believe in what you are offering and let the natural progression take you there.
Can you give us three tracks that exemplify progressive house to you?
Sasha?s ?Xpander,? Bedrock?s ?For What You Dream Of? and Chameleon Project ?Feel.?
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