Chad Jackson. Chad Jackson, Chad Jackson, Chad Jackson. Say the name of this legend fast, three times on repeat, and your tongue ends up lisping it off into abstraction. Chad Jackson, Chad Jackson, Chad Jackson.
For some reason, the Jack Said What crew can’t help saying Chad Jackson’s name affectionately in this way. It probably stems from the time that JSW associate, Klaus Blatter, immortalised Chad in one of his songs, his origin story ‘Ball Bearing Factory’. Chad reputedly met Klaus in the 1980s, when Chad was a resident at the fabled Hacienda nightclub in Manchester. Chad has a long and storied history in dance music.
A hip-hop fiend as a teen, Chad taught himself to scratch — practising for many months in his bedroom — and in 1986 entered the DMC turntablist world championships. He scored well with a routine that included scratching with his nose, chin, elbow, bare foot, behind his back and even blindfolded, doing a deft pirouette spin or two as he mixed in tracks like disco classic ‘Le Freak’ by Chic. This inventive routine wasn’t quite enough to win him the trophy though, so when he returned next year for the 1987 competition he’d sharpened up his skillz still further.
Mixing in everyone from rocker Eddie Cochrane to LL Cool J, his piece de resistance was pulling out first a snooker cue to scratch with and then a rugby ball. The judges awarded Chad first place. He was the DMC World Champion!
A natural extension of his scratchadelic collaging was to make his own sampladelic record. His hip-house masterpiece ‘Hear The Drummer Get Wicked’ was constructed by the clever use of snippets from tunes by The O’Jays, Gang Starr, Kool & The Gang, Public Enemy, Soul II Soul, Bobby Byrd and more. In a precursor to the PLUR mantra adopted by ravers, its “Peace, unity, love and having fun!” refrain — nicked from a chant by James Brown and Afrika Bambaataa, no less — resonated with the burgeoning acid house scene, and the single shot to No.3 in the UK pop charts. Chad appeared on Top Of The Pops, and became a bona fide pop star.
He’s spent the last 30+ years immersed in music — releasing records, DJing everywhere, journeying through his record collection for his radio show, teaching music to a new generation of youngsters. Every so often he heads down to Brighton to hang with the Jack Said What crew — playing at JSW nights, recording with Steve Mac in his Bunker studio. Releasing his sequel record ‘Get Wicked Again’ on KAB Records, the occasional Jack Said What offshoot, and getting played by Mary Anne Hobbs and others. He’s part of The Firm. He’s Chad-muthafuckin-Jackson! Chad Jackson, Chad Jackson, Chad Jackson.
“Legend is an overused term these days, particularly in the music business where hyperbole is the order of the day. But as an eighties dance music obsessed world champion DJ, former Hacienda resident Chad Jackson, who steered us through electro, hip hop and disco into the turbulent waters of acid house, is fully deserving of such an accolade.” – Irvine Welsh
A lover not a fighter, Chad is what you’d call a good egg. Humble yet proud, passionate yet kind, a self-taught intellectual and a mighty fine DJ, he’s back once again with the ill behaviour to spurt love around the musical universe. Chad Jackson, Chad Chacksun, Jad Chacksun.
‘Spread Love’ isn’t some sickly sweet schmaltz song. Released on Valentine’s Day, this kaleidoscopic techno missive will bring joy to any dancefloor. A gently gurgling, burbling bassline gives way to a mysteriously omnipotent force in the clouds urging us to “spread love” in a retrofuturist quasi-robotic voice. As night turns to day it kicks back in and powers home in a golden shower of glee. Drop it at the right moment and your crowd will start hugging each other.
There needs to be more love in this world. Spread Love.
