DJ, producer, sound engineer, beatmaker, guitarist and singer, Chris Gavin has several strings to his bow. At the age of 7, he’s the winner of the Yamaha Keyboards Contest 1987 before turning to guitar. In 1994, he co-founded with Thierry de Cara, a progressive rock band named Dust Unchained, which caught the attention of Barry Kingston, the former Artistic Director for Michel Polnareff, leading to a successful collaboration. By 2000, he delved into electronic music, setting up a recording studio allowing him to sign his first releases on independent labels. In 2003, he joined Rick Pier O'Neil’s team of remixers, before being managed by Omid 16B, owner of Alola Agency in London. Since then, Chris Gavin has released on multiple imprints such as Brique Rouge, Lumière Noire Records, Side UP Works, Bonzai Progressive, Renaissance Recordings, Ombra International, BeatFreak Recordings amongst others. We met him at Danceteria, a club based in Marseille he co-founded in 2018.

Welcome! A glass of?
Margarita frozen for the beach, pastis for the aperitif, white wine for lunch, red wine for dinner, rhum for the club, mezcal for the after-hours are my favorite poisons.

Where do you come from?
My family comes from Corsica but I mainly lived in Marseille in France from a young age.

You were a guitarist in Barry Kingston's Team, could you tell us more about this experience?
With my high school rock band, we played quite a few talent showcases. And we even won a few of them. After the final of one of these showcases, the casting director offered to manage us for a while. This first experience on the professional side of things was very formative for us. We had the opportunity to record in professional studios for the first time and saw music in a whole new light, with even more passion and dedication! It was also enriched by legendary anecdotes and tips shared by an old English gentleman who had worked with the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Michel Polnareff. An absolute treasure trove of wisdom and stories!

How did you get from rock into electronic music?
I took my Marshall amp, plugged it into a TR-909, and BOOM! I realized music is not about style; when it's good, it's good. Emotions come from frequencies, speed and tempo are different. A wild but passionate love story.

Who are your current main influences?
My main influences are and always will be the same: emotional and energetic progressive music. Genesis, Pink Floyd, Massive Attack, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, Archive, and many others, the list of which would be far too long and tedious to recount. It’s all been in there, always been.

Your first approach to Djing?
Early 2000's I used to work weekends in an electro bar as a waiter to pay for my studies. Over time, I ended up mixing more tracks on the bar's old DENON dual CD rack than cocktails. That’s when I decided to buy a pair of turntables for 50 euros, which I hooked up to an old 70's mixer that was lying around at home. The day I finally managed to beatmatch two records—an incredibly tough task given the barely functioning equipment—I got my hands on a pair of Technics. Suddenly, it all felt so much easier. I was a DJ.

The first record you bought?
Genesis "Genesis" album (1983)

Could you speak about your project “Danse Alice”?
A collaboration I did with a Parisian DJ resulted in a few releases and sparked a desire to continue working on my own.

Your top 5 labels?
Bedrock Records, Renaissance Music, Duro Label, Atomnation, F Communications.

The main privileges of being an A.D. of a club?
I realize how lucky I am to be able to share the emotions I once felt as a young clubber on dance floors around the world with that unique atmosphere, so specific to each venue, elevated by the music of artists who inspire me. My goal is to bring that magic to the audience at my club while striving to deliver a fresh experience, shaped by the high standards of quality and satisfaction that define me.

And on the contrary, the main difficulties of being an A.D.?
It's a very exhausting night job, far removed from the clichés the general public often associates with it. Some people don't understand this and expect you to fit into the boxes they've built for you.

When and what prompted you to become a producer?
I've always been a producer in a way; I've always loved composing, whether it was on a synth, then a guitar, and finally with a computer. I remember discovering the software Reason for the first time at a friend's house during a party around 2001. I ended up spending the entire night composing trip-hop music alone, completely detached from the world and talking to no one. The advent of computer-based music production has definitely been a true game-changer for me and the way I approach music

You seem to be really connected with the Spanish scene…
I have a special connection with Barcelona, having been there many times throughout my life, on vacation, for work, and to DJ. It’s not entirely surprising that I’m collaborating more and more with artists based there—whether they’re Spanish, Mexican or Colombian. Perhaps the energy of this city, which is quite similar to Marseille in some ways, brings us even closer. My last release on the label Side Up Works reflects all of that.

Speaking of which, what kind of gears did you use for producing “E-Nough” on Side Up Works; and what is the story behind this Ep?
I started working on this track during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A mix of confusion, anger, and rebellion was swirling in my head, coupled with a certain rejection of everything being said and done at the time on TV - the last remaining source of social connection. I took refuge in my studio and quickly stumbled upon the old Speak & Spell machine by Texas Instruments, dating back to 1978. I played around with it and my Plasma Pedal from Gamechanger Audio, and within a few hours, everything was there. However, the final mix took much longer to complete.

Has your way of producing changed since your beginnings?
Yes, a lot. At the beginning, I let myself be carried away by the notes on the piano and guitar. Then I became really interested in new gear and started acquiring quite a bit of it, but it was chaos—nothing ever worked perfectly at the same time. Later, it continued to be chaos, but with plugins. Gradually, I freed myself from all technical and equipment considerations to focus on the one instrument that no one else could ever get their hands on: my ears.

Which track best represents you today?
In my catalogue I could say "ooparts" (on the label Brique Rouge, Editor’s Note) but I would prefer to say the next one I will produce.

A banger in 3 words?
Clarity, musicality and charisma.

Your sound in 3 words?
Sincere, progressive, serious.

You recently played in Germany. What do you like, especially in Berlin?
Yes, I played in Germany for the first time in June for two dates. First, at the Wurzelfestival south of Berlin, in a secret forest setting that was truly magic—both as a human experience and professionally. It was one of the most beautiful stages I’ve ever performed on. Invited to play with my friends on the disco stage, which isn’t exactly my main area of expertise, the crowd reacted incredibly well to the underground disco-house music I brought to them. I also played at the legendary KitKat Club in Berlin for an unforgettable night, and... well, I’m not allowed to tell you about it...

Mountains or sea?
Every moment has its setting, just as every emotion has its own music. It all depends on the mood. I even think that it’s because the mountains exist that we love the beach—and vice versa.

Another passion?
Everything related to science, the cosmos, technology, and the incredible discoveries humanity offers us to better understand the experience we are all living

If you could teleport yourself for 1 day?

In my childhood village in Corsica.

A nice memory to share with us?
A friend of mine had booked the American DJ Behrouz in Saint-Tropez one summer around 2004. At the end of the night, the club owner agreed to let me and my small crew of 10 people, who had made the trip from Marseille just to see the DJ, to stay in the club for an incredibly intimate private after hours set. It lasted over 5 hours, a truly rare experience with a DJ of that caliber!

Your projects for 2025?
Alongside Danceteria as A.D. I will be Djing again in Denmark, Spain, and for the first time in Belgium. But mainly I will be returning to my first love by creating an electronic live band, performing my own productions as well as new compositions. Accompanied by a singer playing a modified electric double bass and an acoustic drummer, we aim to explore the slower realms of hybrid electronic music and rock. Moving away from the club scene, we’ll focus on different stages with carefully crafted scenography.

Danceteria in 3 words?
Music, friends, drinks.

Your top 5 new releases
. Scippo "Strato" (Fabricio Mosoni Remix)
. Leandro Caceres "Text W"
. Gabriel Ananda "Give Me Five"
. Audio Junkies "Aspects of Rhythm"
. Agustin Giri "Cubico"

Your top 5 old releases
. Satoshi Tomiie "Love In Traffic" (John Creamer é Stephane K remix)
. Way Out West "The Fall"
. Dionigi "Underground Activity"
. Marcus Marr "Pleasure Moon"
. Harry Lemon "Tiga" (Harry's Triple Mix)

Interviewed by Sabrina Bouzidi