Things just don’t stop for Chris..

Since Jun 2004 he has set up one of the UK’s brightest and most exciting parties and launched what has started out as a very successful record label. In amongst this he has become a rising star on the scene with his groundbreaking tough, jackin’ and energetic sets. But where did it all begin?

Born in Portsmouth and growing up around people in the 80s Chris became a fan of the electronic sound, which took the nation by storm. Listening to the music his Sisters would get ready for going out to, he developed a love for the scene and couldn’t wait to hit the clubs himself.

Electro developed into the acid house era with the rave scene being born, and all the controversy associated with it. And as Whilst in the 90s people were raving about bands like Oasis and Blur, Chris was into the likes of the Prodigy and would listen to crackly Fantasia tapes with the likes of Slipmatt and Colin Dale. Whilst he had never been to a club he dreamed of going as soon as he possibly could. Going to local commercial clubs” with friends just wasn’t where Chris wanted to be. Getting drunk and going on the pull would always be second to the love of dance music. Chris was 18 when he first had his dose of a proper club. It was back in 1998 when the trance scene was thriving and he was venturing to Bournemouth every Friday to see some of the best DJs in the world such as Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyk and Tiesto. It was whilst watching them and enjoying the amazing atmosphere that he decided he would pursue his dream.

He wasn’t allowed to buy a set of decks and so it wasn’t until relatively late in life that Chris really got into DJing. After much persuasion he was allowed to buy his first set of decks when he was 19 and he honed the skills day in day out, practising for hours on end. When he started he had no idea of what was involved in DJing and its this self teaching from scratch that helped him appreciate all aspects of mixing. As was the norm Chris started playing trance as it was his staple of diet of clubbing. But Chris became tired of trance and the step by step mixing involved. He had played at several smaller clubs but began to long for something fresher. It was at Homelands 2002 when he made the discovery that set him on the route he is at today. He had lost friends and was looking for them when he stumbled into The End arena and saw Jeff Mills. He asked th eguy standing next to im what he was listening to an he replied Techno!. Chris had never had access to music such as this and the Jackin’ grooves and choppy mixing blew him away. It was then that he fell in love with techno.

He built up a fresh collection and cultivated his own sound playing music from artists such as Phil Kieran, Marco Bailey and anything from the Intec label. Becoming a fan of the funkier side of techno and a real dancefloor groove Chris developed his own style of mixing that really gave the records extra energy. Cutting and scratching, dropping eq’s and quick sharp mixing, Chris would add extra physicality to the music. He had found a medium that matched his own energy and enthusiasm, giving him license to jump around whilst mixing. Techno gave him the opportunity to practise varied styles of mixing crossing genres seamlessly into house and breaks, which he had also become a big fan of with the likes of Meat Katie and Rennie Pilgrem cropping up in his sets. But Chris had hit a brick wall, he had developed into a solid young DJ with his own sound but had nowhere to exhibit it. Despite a warm-up set here and there at Contact and House in Southampton Chris yearned to play a set to an appreciative club. In 2003 Chris entered the Portsmouth DJ competition Vinyl meltdown. It was his first real chance to impress and he took it finishing Runner Up. Many commented on the energy and originality Chris displayed and it was the following year that he went one better. Showing off skills such as scratching with his elbow and eventually foot and head in the final, Chris brought the house down. His own unique sound had set him apart from anyone else and the confidence to show off true exhibitionist skills earned him the winners place and an army of new fans. It’s this confidence in his own ability that has driven him on since then to become one of the top dj’s on the South Coast and a definite contender for one of the stars of the future.

Chris created PunchFunk originally just as a party for friends and a night for him to showcase his ability. Despite winning the competition Chris had struggled to find a night where his music could be played. In Portsmouth there was a distinct lack of any night that played underground electronic music and Chris decided he would give promoting a go. PunchFunk was born on June 2004 in an intimate 150 capacity club. The rest as they say is history. The success of the night is testament to Chris’ hard work and endeavour, always seeking to improve and attain the highest possible goal. Being true to the music is something that means a lot to him and he has always maintained a consistent level of guest DJs including developing other talented local DJ’s.

He surrounded himself with positive people who see the same targets as he does and want to push the brand onto better things. The fact PunchFunk also has a very successful record label is a great achievement, selling over 5000 units to date from 2 releases (March 2006)

He now runs PunchFunk with good friends Simon Blann and David Hawkins to help with the running of such a popular event. The party grew into an amazing presence on the clubbing calendar and with each one the crowd grew until the modest 200 capacity venue they were using just couldn’t cope. Moving onto bigger and better venues in such a short space of time, PunhFunk saw incredible growth. A memorable party at the Wegewood Rooms before celebrating PunchFunks 1st birthday at one of the most famous clubs in the UK would set the scene for an amazing 1st year for PunchFunk and especially Chris.

His sets were integral to the tapestry of any PunchFunk event and the foundation of what the brand name was all about. His unique sound of snarling, acid tinged, thumping house with licks of jagged electro-tech complimented with his energetic and varied mixing has won over many dance floors, including The Opera House.

The ability to connect with the crowd also never escapes Chris and getting that feeling from the dance floor is something you just cannot learn. It is this skill that is Chris’ greatest asset and he uses it to involve the crowd whenever he can, displaying ample energy and enthusiasm in the booth and always smiling. His motto being, you are performing not just playing, people want to have a good time and dancing has to be infectious.

Consistent bookings throughout 2006 for PunchFunk and sets in Lithuania and Sankey Soaps along with a semi final date for the London D-Joust in June are helping Chris reach the masses. This along with playing at the HI:FI festival in Winchester is making it a busy year for him.

He’s also been busy in the studio with new track The Ho ready for release on PunchFunk Records in May and more work planned very soon. Chris’ music is synonymous with his sets. Raw energy that demands a reaction from the dancefloor. A jagged electro feel with heavy bass-lines that shake the speakers and turn the floor into a frenzy.

2006 is getting set to be a very big year and with the dates and parties coming thick and fast expect to see and hear a lot more from Chris Vaux and from PunchFunk.