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Chris Fortier's Beach Boy Blues

Author: Jonty Skrufff
Sunday, July 18, 2004
US progressive house DJ Chris Fortier has unveiled details of his brand new mix CD compilation Fade Records Presents Audiotour which sees the Florida club pioneer aiming to present ' a snapshot of the North American underground'.

The impeccably mixed single disc CD has a much higher emphasis than his previous productions and mixings and according to its accompanying press release reflects Fortier's roots and origins around Orlando's seminal nightspot Aahz. Ironically the young Chris Fortier grew up on the beach rather than inside dark club rooms, becoming a champion surfer by the time he was 18.

"I surfed every day as a kid; I surfed competitively and was realy driven by sports but just when I was old enough to get in clubs I suddenly found house music," he told Skrufff in a chat last year.

I didn't stop surfing altogether initially, but then I moved to Orlando when I was 19and we'd have to drive an hour to get to the beach," he recalled.

"I'd hear the waves were good but many times, we'd get there and it would be disappointing. Florida's East Coast isn't the best location for surfing, it's OK but in the morning the waves can be good, by the afternoon they might be crap. I slowly stopped doing surfing then when I was DJing four nights a week I ran out of time altogether."

Fade Records Presents Audiotour mixed by Chris Fortier is out shortly.
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