Quite suddenly, there he was, literally on every site I was visiting, so I couldn’t help but asking “Who is Chris James?” Having released several tracks on Anabatic Records, the label of dirtybird family member Worthy, Chris James recently joined jackmode agency, the booking agency based in Berlin which grew quite big over the past year.

… Chris James NOW

Where are you right now?
In a temporary bedroom at my mom’s place in Shropshire until I find a new apartment back home in Birmingham, UK.

What are you doing at the moment?
It’s 7.29 pm, Thursday 12th May, and I’ve just finished engineering the 1st track of a 3-track EP for some local guys in Birmingham.

If you would describe yourself in three words or one sentence:
Laidback, Stubborn, Honest

Your Soundtrack of your life currently, reason…?

This Remix makes me wanna party so hard, I love the saxophone as an instrument, and it’s usually used in a cheesy way, but this track is perfect house music.

How long have you been doing your job and how did it become your life?
I’ve been doing music full time since January 2011, but I started playing with music when I was around the age of 12 (1995) making hip hop for friends and for fun. Music became my life after I first went to Ibiza, when I was 14/15. I met a guy who had his own mix on tape and that got me instantly hooked. I came home, brought two belt drive decks and a cheap mixer and spent all my money on vinyl. I started making music, trance at first, then switched to house around 2005. Over the last few years I have been involved in various styles of house, but now I am at a stage where I am happy with what im making and playing.

Please tell us something about your current projects:
I have quite alot of music waiting to be released. I have a track with Lee Dearn called “Oh Boi“ which is coming out on Extended Play (Jet Projects & Chris Duckenfields Label), A track called „I Know What Ya Thinkin“ On Tom Budden’s AliVe Recordings. I have some things coming out soon on Artform, DubNoir, Discobelle & Jackmode all in 2011. I have been collaborating, too, and making a lot of original stuff for other labels which im hoping will be signed soon.

Upcoming plans/schedule for 2011 and „When are you coming to “Berlin?”:
2011 has been great so far, I joined the Jackmode agency in January, and I’m really glad to be a part of the team, there is no better agency for talent and fresh music in my opinion and for where I want to be and go in the future. I’m looking forward to playing abroad some more this year and playing at home is also good. I have a bi-weekly residency now in Birmingham, too. Musically I just want to make what I feel, whether that be a serious house track or a track with massive 808 toms and sexy Rhodes in, as long as it can get a
floor moving I’m happy. I would love to release on some of my favourite labels this year, which is still an objective.

Berlin, Oh Berlin, Icame for the first time in January and really enjoyed my time there. I’m hoping to come back this summer and meet some of the jackmode crew again as last time was a lot of fun.

Collabs you are looking forward to?
Yes always, I love working with other people. I have done a collaboration with Tom Flynn, and I’m hoping that we can do some more soon. I have also collabed with Eats Everything this year which again has been a lot of fun, so im looking forward to perhaps doing more over the next couple of years.

What makes you happy the most at the moment?
Waking up each morning with the freedom to make what I love: music. I love the stressful parts, too, like chasing mails, sorting out my label’s releases, searching for talent, checking demos. It’s all fun to me. Also we have new baby goats here, they are taking up too much of my time, but are too cute to ignore 

Where will you be in 2015? 2020?
Good question, depends on the industry, really, I hope to be still making music for a living and running a successful label. In 2015 I will be 31, so hopefully I will be settled and happy with life and my music, 2020 sounds unreal, but I will be 36 and again I hope that I
will still be involved in music, if not, I could always go back into banking….not

A last word?
Stay positive & make it happen

*******

About Chris James:
. Name: Christopher James Crowther
. Date of birth (age): 26
. Live where (district), reason for chosing the place: Birmingham, UK (Home)
. Relationship status: With My Girlfriend
. Children: No
. Occupation: Dj, Producer, Label Owner & Engineer
. Band/DJ Name: Chris James
. Label: DubNoir/ Anabatic/ Artform

. Online appearance:
RA: http://www.residentadvisor.net/profile/chrisjames84
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/djchrisjames
SOUNDCLOUD: http://soundcloud.com/crowtherc1
BLOG: http://chrisjamesdubnoirmusic.blogspot.com/
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/DjChrisJames
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-James/57320785050
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/chrisjames84

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRECIOUS TIME.