French Chris de Multifunkshun has earned his name in 20 years of DJing an eclectic mix of essentially funk. He started his own legendary Multifunkshun Parties in Paris and recently the Cliché Nights in London plus DJing countless parties which took him as far as Goa and New York.
Furthermore, French Chris de Multifunkshun also displayed his style for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and the Cannes Film Festival. Besides DJing he plays Jazz as a Bassist with The French Connection Trio and makes TV jingles and some Library music. After relocating to the East of England with his family, the prefix “French” was naturally added to his name.
Which music styles are you collecting and since when?
Funk of course, Jazz-Rock Disco Italo Electro Hip-hop Brazil Latin Rock Pop Italian Kpm-Library Music. I’m an eclectic DJ, I don’t go by genre.
Are you playing all your records or do you just collect them as well?
I am not a collector, I always bought them to play them, I play out any records I own.
Which styles do you play when you are DJing?
Here I’m in the countryside but I play in a few cities and I also play at the end of the world
I play in Norwich, London and Paris, I have playlists, not real playlists, but lots of strange mixes, mashups,
new stuff, electro … One thing is for sure: “Whatever I play has got to be funky!”
What was the longest time you ever played for?
10 years ago I did a new years eve in a private party in Paris for I played for 14 hours and I was ill on this day.
Do you also use CD´s, CD-R or Final Scratch/Serato?
In recent years I switched to CD’s because of long traveling, and now there is fewer clubs with turntables. Serato, no, I don’t trust it, I hate a DJ behind a laptop, a DJ should play records, the Serato guys are cheaters!
Don’t you agree?
Yeah, I’m happy if people have a party but I always carry my vinyl to a gig.
Did you ever feel magic when you were playing? Please describe the feeling!
Ooooooh, if I’m really honest with you: I feel like magic all the time, I’ve raised to a point in my career where I feel cool,
I can extend the musical culture, I’m able, not too old, I’m just right I think in your mid thirties its the best time
to be a DJ, your still young but experienced. I don’t advertise at all but the phone has always rung.
Do you want some very magical time?
Yeah
Probably my set at Multifunkshun-Party 2002 at Elysee Montmartre – the party is mythical you know!
What do you like about vinyl?
First of all the sound. Music is a wave, CD’s try to reproduce a wave, so round stuff with squares – that is why Vinyl
has the best sound ever. On the second point it’s so beautiful, to be honest: only when I get the vinyl I feel like I really own the album.
Did someone ever steal your records? How many and how did this happen?
Yeah, no more though, it doesn’t happen anymore. Once, a good friend of mine was always sleeping at mine and
he was always gone in the morning, it took me three times, he did that, and then I realized…
Let me tell you something off question: Last year a friend took the luggage out the boot of the car after a festival and there was a Dj bag that wasnt mine and it was only 80′s, only Italo, when i say italo i don’t mean Change and Gino Soccio, i mean really deep Italo-Disco and i brought them back to him just to show what a nice guy i am hahahaha…
How does Vinyl compared to Digital sound exactly?
Let me say this: I think it’s a disgrace to see big Djs playing cheap mp3′s on big systems, but the thing is the new generation never knew anything else- so they have no idea! Actually you can’t beat the sound of the 12”, a 45rpm 12″ vinyl is my favorite sound.
How and why did you start digging?
At 16, in 1990 I realized the majors were trying to hide the past in order to sell the present, and then I dug a lot.
How do you recognize an interesting record?
Start by looking at it, I don’t trust at all the cover, obviously if I like the cover I’m going to look at it, if I don’t like the cover I’m going to look at it as well, as I’ve been misled by bad covers too many times, so many great records have a rubbish cover. Then you look at the back and the tracks, if I don’t know the artist, I check for “Dance”, “Groove” or “Funk” in the track titles and then I check for Equipment used and artists like John Tropea, Lee Ritenour or Marcus Miller etc.
Where do you find your records?
Independent shop’s, I buy a lot at HMV preferably 3 (12″) for 10 (GBP), the web, then I travel a lot I go to
car boot sales, charity shops.. I also work with dealers, now I’m not specifically funk anymore so I they know my taste and I go to see them and theyplay me stuff and it’s Hungarian, polish Jazz or Russian stuff, and I say yes or no. I used to receive a lot of promos as well.
How many records do you own?
Between 9 and 10 thousand with 7 inches.
Do you have an archive system for them?
Yes of course, for the big categories like Album Funk, 12″ Funk, it’s alphabetic and the rest is in sections. They
are all in the same place. Or they are just flying about.
Any tips for cleaning a dusty record?
Its tricky, I’m not really good. I’ve heard cold water and soap all night long, my friend has this gel he puts on and
let’s it dry, then he wipes it off and it’s like new!!
Is there any special record you are craving for, still missing in your collection?
Yes the very first Azymuth album, I kind of managed to find all the records I was missing when I was 20.
The first Azymuth Album on Discogs
Which one is your most valuable record?
I’ve got a few, this Japanese record, I don’t even know the title because it’s Japanese hahaha.
I have an early Nahtan Davis called “if” and as well the Flood Album by Herbie Hancock.
I’m not trying to have the most valuable, I just want the best!
Nathan Davis Sticky Buddy from “if”-LP
Which one has got the most beautiful cover?
Maybe Spacy … let me just find the link:
When you could ask yourself a question, what would you ask and answer? Got a message?
(Long Pause) Question: What’s your favorite underrated music? My Answer would be: the 80’s and late 70’s.
LP’s from the big Jazzmen from the 60’s like Roy Ayers, Hubert Laws, Ronnie Laws, Dizzy, etc. Everything you consider Jazz Funk, Fusion, etc.
Right, ok, now please tell me your five favourite records!
Thriller by Michael Jackson it’s the first record i heard and it is always with me, not the album but the 12″ off it.
Flood by Herbie Hancock it is just amazing, live in his best year.
The Köln Konzert by Keith Jarrett it is just childhood music.
Nard by Bernard Wright because it is just the funk!
And The Don Blackman Self-titled Lp..
Are you sure about the Don Blackman Lp, same year, same label as the Bernard Wright?!
Ok Ok Ok, its really hard I swore I would never answer this question. Ah yeah, Echoes by Wally Badarou he’s the guy from Compass Point Studios Nassau, Bahamas.
Mambo by W. Badarou from Echoes LP
