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Chris Massey

Refuge Residents: Chris Massey

In the first of our series meeting with our ‘Refuge Residents’, we catch up with one of our music makers, Chris Massey, who’s not just a resident DJ, but our maestro of all things music.

Tells us a bit about yourself…

My name is Chris Massey, born in Bolton but an honorary Manc since 2016. I look after all musical happenings for Electriks which includes everything from booking, programming and managing any Electric Chair events and booking DJs for The Refuge, right down to compiling the daytime/early evening playlist for Volta, The Refuge and Electrik. I also run my own record label called Sprechen and look after A&R for Paper Recordings as well as DJing here, there and everywhere! Sometimes I have time to scratch my arse too…

When did you start DJing – and what or who were your early passions and influences?

I started DJing around 2002 after winning a local DJ competition and since then I have steadily been blagging a living from playing music. Early influences started from my parents’ record collection who always had a pretty diverse selection of cool sounds in the house: Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Gabriel, The Beatles and Mike Oldfield were the usual soundtracks to our caravan holidays in Devon.

How do you prepare for a set?

I ensure I have no nostril hairs sticking out, have got a pack of chewing gum in my pocket and all the stray eyebrow hairs are trimmed back. People tend to get up and personal when asking for requests so I never want to come across as looking like or smelling like Catweazle.

Three words that describe The Refuge:

Big, beautiful, boss.

What do you enjoy most about playing here?

It’s great to have no real restraints to playing in a city centre bar and being able to just basically play your record collection rather than feeling confined to one specific vote or style.

What track always gets the party started during your set at The Refuge?

Dub Master by Dennis Bovell or Al Kent’s rework of Carl Bean’s Born This Way always get a few nods.

What’s your favourite food and drink at The Refuge?

Pints of Beavertown always do the trick however after Jo Wads insisted on plying me with Aperol Spritzs at the Electric Weekender I now feel obliged to get involved with those. Regarding food, i’ve not actually eaten there yet… I tend to grab a tube of Pringles from Sainsbury’s or a sweaty burger from Archie’s after a set.

Name a track that changed your life

Hard to pinpoint one defo track down. So many have had such different effects for different reasons at different times. My earliest memory was absolutely loving Take On Me by A-ha and being pretty mesmerised by it all. I think that’s what probably first turned me onto music, I was prob about four or five then.

Keep up with everything Chris Massey on social:

Facebook
Sprechen Music on Facebook
Instagram
Soundcloud

 

Chris Massey