We talk iPods, Ibiza and Roy Ayers.
Kerri Chandler is undoubtedly one of the most influential DJs and producers working in the house genre today. Rising to the top of his game during the '90s, his productions helped create and nurture the emerging deep and soulful house movements. With deep house again at the forefront of the UK club scene, Chandler has recently become something of an icon to a new generation of house fans. His Madhouse record label is as popular as ever, and last weekend saw him play a seven-hour set to a sold out Plan B. I caught five minutes with the New Jersey native after his set in the Boiler Room last week.
Welcome back to London!
Oh I love it here! I have so many friends here. You know the first time I came to London I had no idea what to expect, the first place I ever played abroad was Ministry of Sound. And from then on I just met so many people. Harlesden and Ladbroke Grove are like second homes to me.
Is there a noticeable difference in the UK now to how it was then?
The funny thing is it seems like it goes in cycles. And every seven to ten years it comes back around with a young generation coming through, and I think that really the only difference is the DJs are playing with different tools now. 'Coz, you know, the only tools we had back then were acetates and records and reel to reels, and then we had CDs, but everything is into play now.
Does that ease of technology affect the quality of productions being released today?
You know I found out a couple of years ago that there's 40,000 releases every week. Back then you had no idea how to make records and there were only a few people who you could go into the studio with and pay for it. You had to have your own gear and you had to learn engineering and everything, but you can do it out of your iPod now. We had big ass recorders and big tape recorders, it's down to something you can stick in your pocket now, you know?
Who's the most talented person you've ever worked with?
Roy Ayers, absolutely. He's charismatic, musically he's incredible. The warmest personality I've ever met, and I learned a lot just speaking with him. Even after we were done with the session he stayed around and he talked to my dad like they were old friends. And now he's just like uncle Roy to me! Every time I've seen him he always gets the crowd going, I've never seen him have a bad show
And the best party you've played at in the last year?
Wow! There are so many I can't even tell you, maybe Circo Loco in Ibiza. I've been blessed to have really great parties and people appreciate what I do wherever I go. One of my other favourites, they just did something like their thousandth party, is Back to Basics in Leeds. They just had an art exhibition actually, that party is incredible. Dave was one of the first people I ever met when I came here and it's still going.
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