Chris Duckenfield's first foray into DJing was making 'pause-button' compilations from the radio. I did the same thing in the early 90's and friends have said I've never mixed better.
Back to Duckenfield. The man is fast becoming a legend here in Sydney. His marathon sets at Mad Racket have now become ingrained into local dance music folklore and that is sure to continue when he graces the decks at Racket's 11th birthday this weekend (Saturday, October 24).
He has been DJing since '89 and clubbing even earlier after becoming obsessed with music as a result, in part, by being exposed to his parent's record collection of old Motown, Stax, Bach and even Black Sabbath.
He worked at Sheffield's legendary Warp Records in the 90's and formed Swag with fellow Warp-er Richard Brown, which went on to create some of the best underground house to come out of the UK. He has run a couple of labels (Odori & Primitive) and has now what he calls 'my own little second-hand record grocery' called Duckbeats.
I caught him playing a classic disco set recently and I ended up being the last one on the floor. This man can mix far, far better than I can dance. We needed to talk.
When was the first time you came out and played Racket? What was your knowledge of the party and the people behind it and did you have any preconceptions before you came out?
I think my Racket debut was 2001 but I'd been out before to Sydney on the recommendation of Simon (Caldwell). We had met in Berlin in the late 90's and played together at Tresor (legendary German club), only to find we had pretty much the exact same records in our bag. Having met Simon, I was pretty confident I could bring something to the parties out here, so it was great to meet the extended family, and as it turns out, be part of one of the best parties in the world and make a bunch of new best buddies in the process.
You mention Mad Racket in your bio as one of your fave clubs in the world. What makes it so good?
There are certain places I've played at over the (long!) 20 years of Acid House that have had a certain something magical in the air - Electric Chair in Manchester was definitely one of them and Racket is another. There are probably no more than 3 or 4 places on earth where the vibe is as good, unique and special as Racket for me. It's the combination of people, location and of course, the passionate musical direction, plus a dedication to decadence that all add up to that special something.
How has your music changed over the first year you played at MR to what you’ll be playing at the weekend?
I think the same themes and threads have run through my music all along, whether it's Techno, House, Disco etc. I always try and join the dots between the best of the new stuff, classics which inform everything else and a healthy amount of curveballs, just to keep things interesting!
Everybody has a fave Racket. One of mine was the first one at a squash club seeing all the Racketeers in 70’s squash outfits. What’s yours and why was it special?
I think the one which sticks in my mind the most (although they've all been pretty magical) was the 2006 one (with the big duck on the flyer). Long night, and a set which was probably the loosest in terms of genres I've ever played there. People were so wonderful and receptive and it was a very late finish. Amazing!
The Racket boys are still very much behind the vinyl experience. Are you still spending all your money on music – vinyl? What are your thoughts on where the format is heading and how is Duck Beats travelling?
Yeah, I'm still buying lots of vinyl, definitely. I'm not so into the 'sameyness' of sites like Beatport, plus there's just way too much mediocrity. Luckily there's more amazing new music appearing on vinyl - most of that stuff doesn't make it to digital release so I'm certainly finding plenty of absorbing new and old music right now. Vinyl has definitely turned into a pure collectors' market, with most working DJs relying on 'burns' from buddies or purely digital options (mainly due to increased costs involved in vinyl production and dispatch). But with limited edition pressings etc, and the continued dedication of innovative music-makers who favour the format, we're sure to keep seeing more new records being made. Our vinyl distribution company is thriving right now, and I'm pretty confident it's not going to become a dead format any time soon.
You’re famous for your marathon Racket sets. Does the crowd follow you or do you follow the crowd or both?
It's certainly a two-way street. I find it really hard playing to unresponsive crowds, which is why Racket is so much fun. People go there with the express intention to dance and have a good time which makes my job a little bit easier and much more fun!
What are you working on at moment? Music wise, is there an influence that is creeping through into your productions these days that hasn’t been there before?
It's been a hectic year, as I became a Dad, and the Distro company has been taking up lots of time, as has the gigging schedule. The studio has been last on the list unfortunately. Some of the side projects have been doing really well though, and Duckbeats is still on the backburner, with a couple of new 12's coming out on a label called 'Hometaping Is Killing Music' towards the end of the year. Influences-wise, it just feels like it's more wide open right now, so that's pretty exciting - having all that freedom to explore is fun and feels like old times with new toys!
Who or what are you listening to now that are making you smile and dance (if you’re a dancer!)?
Loving lots of the slo-mo Housey bits and wonky Hip Hop stuff coming through. Rekindling a love and dedication to my pretty hefty Disco collection too, most of which is sounding pretty relevant again. Discovering lots of lost stuff on that front too, which is always inspirational. Been having a bit of a reggae revival at home too. My daughter listened to a lot of it in the womb and seems to dig the vibe for a little boogie round the room with Dad.
We sell a lot of hardware/software/equipment. What software and equipment do you use for your productions?
I'm still using Cubase mainly. It's just a quick and easy experience for me after all the years of using it. Ableton's a pretty handy and versatile tool too. I can't bring myself to part with the MPC either. It's always handy for some beaty inspiration.
What is it about DJing that you still love after 15 years of doing it?
It's a totally addictive experience, which gives as much as it takes. The responsibility of providing the soundtrack to people's release is amazingly important to me, as is pushing new music. It's a job which has lasted much longer than I thought it would and still surprises and delights. The wages, amazing food & travel, plus meeting lovely new people certainly helps too.
Mad Racket 'Legs 11' has sold out. If you want tickets you may be able to dream that you're there, dancing to Duckenfield, the cheap drinks, the friendly crowd, the great sound and being able to admire the copperart ceiling at the Marrickville Bowling Club.
Night night.
Murphy.
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