Local DJ and music producer Chris McKeegan has finally released his long-awaited debut album — a project 27 years in the making. He also hosts the “House of Rhythm” on Andover Radio every Friday night from 9pm to 10pm.
His journey began back in 1998 with a PlayStation game called Music, which allowed players to create their own tracks. “I spent countless hours trying to recreate my favourite songs,” he recalls, “but my memory card got corrupted, and that was the end of that.” When the sequel Music 2000 arrived, he started over, recreating tracks again — but his enthusiasm waned with the arrival of the PlayStation 2.
Over the years, Chris experimented with various music software but struggled to finish a full body of work. In 2012, everything changed when he met Rhett — a mentor, record label boss and friend. Rhett gave him his first DJ gigs and later collaborated with him on a track called Jelly Mountain, which was remixed by Dylan Sanders and became his first official release. More tracks followed, with four singles eventually put out, but the dream of a complete album remained elusive.
There were further hurdles along the way — including a split pint of Stella that destroyed his laptop and years of unfinished projects. “A valuable lesson I learned,” Chris says with a laugh, “is to always back up your hard drive.”
Earlier this year, a house move sparked a turning point. Discovering the old, beer-damaged MacBook made him wonder if his original work still existed. He reached out to Rhett, who kindly returned the masters from those early tracks. That prompted Chris to revisit, refine and finish the songs he had started years ago while also creating new material.
“With the help of a couple of local legends, I’ve been able to finish projects I started years ago,” he says. “Now, I’ve finally completed my album and it’s ready to be released. It’s been a passion project that I’ve always wanted to pursue. I don’t mind if no one listens to it or if it leads to nothing — it was essentially made for me, and now I’m sharing it with you.”
Chris credits Rhett and Toby for their early support, Craig for introducing him to Rhett, and Marcus and Pat for their involvement. He also thanks everyone who has booked him or danced to his DJ sets over the years — and his mum, who “after years of telling me to turn it down, turned it into something.”
A special nod goes to George, a friend with whom he created an unreleased track sampling a popular rap hit. “It couldn’t make the album,” Chris says, “but the memory of that drunken, rum-fuelled night will always live on.”
The album is now available on streaming platforms, marking the end of a journey that began with a teenage dream and a PlayStation memory card.
You can listen to the album here:
