Exclusive Interview with Chris Fortier

Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Chris Fortier, shortly before his performance at Bed Supperclub on Thursday 4th April.

How did you get in touch with electronic dance in the first place and what made you start to DJ?

I discovered it when house music was just getting started in the late 80s. I was a teenager, and already obsessed with music and collecting records. Things like The Cure and Nitzer Ebb and all in between. I started hearing the first house records infiltrating the more alternative music and gravitated to it immediately. At the time, maybe you could hear 1 song here and there. When I turned 18, I heard about a club 1 hour from my home that played house music all night. We went to check it out and from there never looked back. The first couple years, I started buying records just to put them on tape for myself. There was never a plan to become a dj or try to even dj in a club or for people. I was just making tapes. I would give tapes to friends and they started circulating. Also, we were having crazy pre and after parties in my college apartment, and as they grew, my tapes and such grew too until one day a guy I didn’t really know approached me to be a resident as a new club he was opening. Like I said, I never planned or sought out to dj ever, but this was just offered to me, and I took it. And from then, I just kept at it and have pretty much been djing every weekend since.

What - artists and music genres - are your biggest influences?

When I started getting into this music, there was no separate genres. It was all one big umbrella of HOUSE MUSIC. And this really could be a large variation of sounds, tempos and intensities. It was in the years later that people trying to describe the music with more details that the different inflections or genre names would emerge. I am influenced by underground and futuristic sounds. It is all still HOUSE Music.

How would you describe your music?

I never subscribed to that philosophy. I didn’t get into trying to describe the music or break it down into small categories. I am open to any sounds and tracks that grab me internally. I put my sets together to build energy and intensity. I want my music to have infectious grooves that can grab the dancefloor and guide them up and down and leave them happy and wanting more.

You have released over 40 original productions and remixed countless more. Out of all tracks you have made, which would you recommend to those that are not yet familiar with your music?

I think maybe my artist album “As Long As The Moment Exists” and the remix version of it as well are great starting point. They showcase a lot of different moods and vibes that I am very proud of. Lots of variation and a journey listen from start to finish. For a mixed CD, my Balance 007 album is still as relevant today, more so, as it was the day it was released.

Your debut artist album was released in April 2012 and received exceptional feedback. What can you tell us about the album?

It feels like a life’s work, or life until now. I put my life, heart and music experiences together to try to showcase the passion I have for my music. I spent great care in all the details from start to finish for the album. I tried to construct it like any great album from any other artist, musical era and sound. Creating threads and themes with each song, track by track. It is, of course, electronic music based, with all kinds of musical landscapes and interludes.

What are you currently working on?

The last few years, I have been doing a lot of remix work for other artists and labels. I have still had a number of original works coming out too, but mostly focusing on remixes. I have also just begun work on my next artist album and hope to finish it by the end of this year.

You travel a lot. What are the essential things you need to have with you at all times and what are the things you miss when you are on tour?

Laptop of course. It is the hub for everything now. It is my studio, my movie theater, my phone, my diary and sometimes a pillow. The things I miss most are family and my own bed. There are some great and luxurious hotels in the world, but nothing can compare to being home and in your own bed.

What was the best and the worst gig you ever played?

Bad gigs, I don’t dwell on them and really put them out of my mind as fast as possible. I want to concentrate and keep memories of great gigs. I have been fortunate enough to be doing this for a long time now and have been around the world so many times. And there have been a great number of amazing gigs over time. Not easy to select one as country to country, the experience can be slightly different and fantastic for very different reasons. But there is nothing better then being in your home town, in front of your home crowd.

What was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?

Not sure this is funny, but I might say one special moment that happened years ago during the height of the success of my track Delerium “Silence” was to see a club full of 2000 people singing along to my song, that was quite special.

Are you adventurous if it comes to food? Do you try the local dishes of the countries you travel to, or do you usually eat what you know from home? Will you give spicy Thai food a chance?

Well I don’t usually get “adventurous” with food on the road. I do try local quisine, but I don’t go too crazy cause I really cant afford to have any mishaps with food and put me out of commission and possibly miss gigs. So while I do dabble in local foods, I stay somewhat conservative too. But saying that, I love Thai food and we have it here all the time. So I am looking forward to it when I am there. I have a close friend living there, so he will be making sure I get the right places.

You will make your Bangkok debut on Thursday 4th April at Bed Supperclub. Have you been to Thailand before? Are you excited to play in Bangkok?

I have not, it will be my first time. I am excited and really looking forward to it.

What can Bangkok expect of your performance at Bed Supperclub on Thursday 4th April?

I think fresh, futuristic underground grooves to make you dance and sweat. In a good way!