STARTED DJING: 1987 bedroom 1990 Clubland

MUSIC STYLE: I like all kinds of music so I’ve never labelled myself to one style, I play music ranging from, chill out, House, Italian house, Progressive, trance, hard house, and Old Skool, my record collection has all styles of music in it.
To me it’s about variety I’ve always worked that way, I can start the night off and I can finish it. It all depends on where, what time and what I’ve been asked to play.

How my journey began.

I've always had a big passion for music, from an early age I used to listen to electronic bands like kraftwerk, Gary Newman, Depeche Mode, at 13 I got into electro, hip hop and all the break dance stuff, yep, I was a b boy with a getto blasta.

In 1986/87 I heard the sound of house starting to filter through, I used to listen to this guy on a radio station, key 103, he was called Stu allen and was a hero of mine who I ended up working along side later on in life, unbelievable, this music change my life, I became totally hooked, I began buying records, I bought a cheap mixer and some decks, not Technics they were far to expensive for a school kid, until along came a job, then I got my Technics, nothing could stop me, I practiced and practiced as a “Bedroom DJ”, I then started playing out at house parties, this was good confidence building and loads of fun.
As I got older there were a few parties which started to get popular and a few people ended up hiring places and having parties outdoors which then became events it all started off there really. It was the era of acid house and smiley t-shirts it was the new craze and it had kicked in, big time.

It wasn’t until zone @ Jenks bar 1990/91, an amazing club where my DJing really kicked off, I started working here as a lighting jock, a vacancy came up and I played garage and house to warm up the night I then moved onto progressive house and into Italian house and piano.
For years it was a privilege and a great time working as a resident with class DJs such as Barry Jay, Matt Bell, Andy D (ducky), John J, Andrew Dean and mc Ire
It was a proper team, the zone team, thanks to melody house, Phil and Debby, they had created one of the best and biggest nights in the northwest which was to last for years and to be talked about even now.

A few years later we moved to zone @ sequins with DJs Andy Pendle and Dave lee Taylor and later onto the venue, both were massive nights out.


My best DJ experience.

Broadcasting live on radio “Splash FM”, a dedicated dance music station, I had my own show, it was nerve racking at first but it was fun and a great experience.


My worst DJ experience.

Total sound system failure, silence was not golden that night


The future in Music

I see more DJ`s making their own music to play out, with today’s technology its possible to make it and play without going into a pro recording studio, if you know what your doing that is.
The digital era is here and it isn’t going away, you have to move with it, new standards in clubland and DJ technologies are being created.
For me, I’m exploring these new technologies; I’m bored of just playing on decks now.
My future gigs will incorporate a laptop running tracktor with the usual pair of decks and then I will eventually combine ableton live.
Being able to remix a tune live and totally mess about with it is something I really want to get into.
To me I see this as the future of DJing, giving a real unique and individual performance from a DJ instead of just spinning the usual, records and cds.
A friend of mine said, "DJs are musicians of the future”. He is probably right.


My future
Making music has always been an interest for me, and its what I love to do. At the moment I’m working on different styles of dance music with local DJs and Producers in my studio. I’m also recording an album,
which isn’t just dance related, yes, I’m using some real instruments.
All I can say is that it takes time to understand the elements of any type of music production especially the software.
I’m also teaching DJing and studio technologies to the new generation of kids out there in secondary schools, the government have seen a creative art in DJing, which gives someone a good interest or even a career.
I will manage my students in the future and give them a chance to do what I have.
But they will take it further. They will create their own music and put on their own nights, this is what I’ve always wanted, a real live performance with bands and DJs combined.
Clubs will probably go this way in the future rather than just booking a stand alone DJ
Groove armada have already done it and many other bands and DJs are moving this way to.
I would also like to venture overseas, put on my own nights and play in the sun, but not until my kids are all grown up.
Then I will probably hang up the headphones and take a back seat. But that wont be until I’m in my late 50s.


My sound advice
I’ve worked with some great people, bands and DJs, and still do,
I’ve met some great people in clubland and I’ve had and I’m still having a great time doing this line of work
Make sure you do to, its all about having fun, without having an attitude, attitude will get peoples backs up.
If you’re a guest DJ, make sure you get on with the residents DJs and the promoters, you never know you might be a resident at that club one day
If your just getting into DJing explore the new technologies out there, decks will not always be used as a DJ tool
For the DJs who want to take things further get a band together, learn your equipment and go out and play it live.
Practise, practise, learn and keep at it

DJ Chris Baker