by SCOTT C

DJ Freddie Fresh has been playing records, producing music and travelling the world for the last 22 years. With a DJing schedule that keeps him on the road for almost 10 months of the year, it’s hard to believe that this guy is about to become a grandfather. He’s seen hundreds of releases on labels around the world, most notably a little collaboration he did with Fatboy Slim called You’ve Come a Long Way Baby, as well as remixing Grandmaster Flash, Boogie Down Productions and Meat Beat Manifesto. The last time he was in Montreal, he played at a little spot that used to be in Old Montreal called Isart, where he tore up the dancefloor. Montreal can expect the same this time out as Freddie gets set to make a very big change. The Mirror spoke to him over the phone from his home in Minnesota.

Mirror: After DJing for 22 years, you must have a pretty organized storage system for your records.

Freddie Fresh: I’m horrible with my records, dude! I play like a hundred records a set and I’ve got them flying all over the place.

M: So you’ve got them in the wrong sleeve, no sleeves—

FF: Oh, I don’t have sleeves! I use papers that are reinforced with tape, because that way I can get double the quantity in my bag.

M: Right. So what do you do with all the covers, Freddie?

FF: I lose ’em, basically (laughs). I have them all around my house and in the studio. It’s a nightmare in here, but it’s better than it was. I got remarried, and my wife is from Colombia and she’s super organized and shit, so it’s a little better.

M: I thought for sure you’d be one of those guys with a separate house for your records, with everything alphabetized.

FF: I used to have them organized by BPMs, but I know where my stuff is. My problem is I play a lot of styles. I go from hip hop to disco, breaks to funk, and maybe a little drum & bass, so it’s an art just to pick how many records to bring with me. I’m starting to realize that I can bring 100 records, or 1000 songs in a little book of CDs. I bought one of those Pioneer CDJs and I’m gettin’ a little bit busy on it. I’m getting into the intricate tricks you can do on them. I might make my debut switch to CDs in Canada, but I’m gonna bring records too. I’ve been playing vinyl all my life.

M: How long did you fight the whole advent of CDs?

FF: How long did I fight it? Up until last weekend (laughs)! I’m not shittin’ you! Two days ago, I bought the Pioneer decks. You know what’s funny? I called up my buddy DJ Krafty Kuts and he’s like, “Guess wot I’m doin’, mate? Playin’ wif me new CDJ 1000s!” He told me he’d done 10 gigs with them, and I had been thinking about doing the same thing myself. The bottom line is that my records are wearing out.

M: What about the software that allows you to play from MP3s?

FF: That’s light years ahead of me, man. I don’t even use computers in my studio. I use computers for e-mail and that’s it. I run MPC 2000s and 4000s in here, and I’ve got all kinds of prehistoric analog gear, like pre-mod, pre-MIDI stuff. I used to make a lot more electronic and techy stuff—actually, I just finished an album called Diggin’ Up Ghosts. It’s studio session outakes from my son-in-law’s rap album. He’s called Conductor Crucified, and it’s all straight-up hip hop beats with electronica—almost no samples to be found in there at all.

M: So what are you going to play when you come up here, man?

FF: I’m gonna focus on old school and funky breaks, and try to stay away from the dark, new-school stuff. I might get up into disco if the kids are feeling it. I test everything out, and if the vibe is there and the crowd is into it, that’s where I go.

With DJ Bliss and DJ Melon at Living
on Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 p.m., $10

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