Andre Hatchett Interview

by Czarina Mirani | Published July 2006 | Features Archives

ANDRE HATCHETT IS my new party buddy. The first time I met him, he spun at my dance show at the HotHouse and blew everyone away. Fast forward three years later, I make it a point to go to his Wednesday night gigs at the Dating Game, and attend practically every party he spins at. He is funny, humble and can outdrink me under the table.

He also happens to be one of Chicago's most legendary DJs to date. Known to many as the "baby" of the Chosen Few (a well-known and highly respected group of 5 Chicago DJs), he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with. Unlike many well-known DJs, Andre is fiercely loyal to Chicago and never strayed at the first sign of success. His ear for old and new school alike has kept Househeads jacking the floor since the early '80s. One night over an abundance of long islands and tequila shots at 7-10 Bar & Grille, Andre and I finally hold the interview which we've procrastinated on for too long.

ANDRE HATCHETT: Going back to at least the '80s... Actually my brother Tony showed me what to do with turntables and a mixer, Wayne [Williams] gave me my debut. That was around '79/'80 at the Loft on 13th and Michigan. That was when the Chosen Few was playing (Tony Hatchett, Alan King, Jesse Saunders & Wayne Williams.) I just came along at the last minute! I came in, started playing music. Then I did a battle of the DJs... They needed someone to play for the battle, so Wayne let me open up. That was my debut. I remember it like it was yesterday.

5 MAGAZINE: This was an afterhours?

ANDRE HATCHETT: It wasn't even a club, no bar, just a loft. And we would have parties until 6 or 7 o'clock in the morning. All the other DJs were in the battle. So they needed somebody to play that wasn't in the battle. I opened up for them and it went wonderful.

Then I started doing little opening stuff for the Chosen Few. I got my first gig playing for Ojay (67th St. Loft Parties), believe it or not. Ojay and my cousin lived across the street from each other. So we always hung out when we were kids. So the older we got we started partying together more. We never lost touch.

She gave me my first gig at the Rainbow Motel on 79th and South Shore Drive. She had double rooms and both rooms were crowded and they partied! She paid me $50 for it and I thought I was rich! [laughs] I went on to spin for places like Sauer's and First Impressions.

5 MAGAZINE: Were you 21 when you were playing at some of these clubs?

ANDRE HATCHETT: Nope!

5 MAGAZINE: So your brother was the main one who taught you how to spin?

ANDRE HATCHETT: He showed me how to use the turntables and the mixer and I just took it from there. I was on the tables damn near 24 hours. The only reason I got off is if I was falling asleep.

5 MAGAZINE: Did you ever get into making tracks?

ANDRE HATCHETT: Oh yeah, I made a couple of them back in the '80s. One was called "It's Track". I wasn't into it at the time though. I just did it for fun. I have to have that desire like I do for spinning. I don't have that desire to be in the studio. It just takes too damn long. I just don't think I have the patience anymore to be in the studio.

5 MAGAZINE: How did you know Ronda Flowers [promoter of Wednesdays @ The Dating Game]?

ANDRE HATCHETT: We used to go to a lot of parties, and then they started hiring me to do parties for them. I knew her from going up to Kenwood when I was passing out pluggers with the Chosen Few. I used to hang out with all the Kenwood crowd.

5 MAGAZINE: Why don't you tell me about Wednesdays at the Dating Game. How long has it been going on?

ANDRE HATCHETT: We're coming up to a year in August. We struggled in the beginning. We took a gamble on Wednesdays. And then all of a sudden, boom! People started coming in. And then during the holidays, you couldn't move in that place anymore! You walk in thinking it's a weekend!

5 MAGAZINE: How did the 67th St. Loft Parties came about?

ANDRE HATCHETT: When they (Ojay and Willie Wills) first moved over there over a year ago, I came over... I looked at the living room and said "You know, this reminds me of the dance floor in 206 S. Jefferson" which was The Warehouse. And me and Ojay at one point said "Oh this can be a party house!" So we started doing parties. The first one turned out good so it became a monthly thing. We didn't know it would turn into this!

5 MAGAZINE: What do you enjoy about DJing?

ANDRE HATCHETT: There's so much I love about it... just what I can create with 2 songs... and I can smoke a joint, and people will say let's roll! That definitely gets me into the groove.

5 MAGAZINE: Can you be drunk and DJ?

ANDRE HATCHETT: Uh-huh. I almost fell on the turntables [laughs]. You can print that! It was a holiday, a long weekend and I was doing all these parties. And I'm standing there, and I'm like "Okay, balance yourself Andre." And I'm thinking to myself, "You're going to pass out!" But I kept my self composure, I was good, and on top of that I ordered a cake!

5 MAGAZINE: You know some people call you today's Ron Hardy. Did you know him?

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