Christopher Lawrence: Number four in the world according to DJ Mag’s Top 100, winner of numerous dance music accolades including Best American DJ at the 2005 Winter Music Conference; the only US DJ to headline all of the inaugural US tours of Ministry of Sound, Cream and Gatecrasher; and seller of the fastest selling track in the history of the Intergroove US dance chart, “Rush Hour”. Pretty impressive but it doesn’t end there!

This high energy, hard edged, tech trance DJ and producer sold over a quarter of a million mix CDs by the end of the 20th century, with his United States of Trance debuting in the top 10 Dance Charts alongside Moby, Chemical Brothers and Fat Boy Slim; was the first US artist to be signed by the seminal Scottish label, Hooked; and possibly the only DJ to have gotten into fisty cuffs with Roger Sanchez… From 1991 when Christopher first began playing on pirate radio stations and free parties in San Francisco to globe trotting superstar, he’s most definitely boy done good. And I have heard puzzling rumours he’s really nice too…

Being flown over to headline the Party Proactive Arena at the three day long Antiworld Live Electronic Music and Arts Festival (beginning on Friday 6 July for the Party Proactive Arena!), alongside Marco Bailey, Eskimo LIVE, Yves Deruyter, DJ Preach, John Askew, Andy Farley, The *Ting*, Pete Wardman, K.A.R.L., Jacob Moss and Steelo, Mr Christopher Lawrence playing is most definitely a Party Proactive, festival-sized coup. But who is he?! By poking your head above the UK dance parapet a whole new world of dance music opens up and, having had a glimpse, I most certainly want some of the action! Being a happily married man, the man himself is off limits but I did manage to pin him down metaphorically, if, sadly, not literally, to answer a few questions (sorry, Christopher, all in the name of a good interview you understand… :o)

For some reason, even though you’ve been lurking around the Top 20 for a few years and you’ve played some cracking gigs including the UK’s Global Gathering, Malaysia’s official Grand Prix party, Belgium’s Antwerp is Burning, Australia’s Two Tribes, Netherlands’ Extrema, Hong Kong’s HITEC and Tokyo’s Ageha. As well as playing gigs from across North and South America, Canada, China, Mexico, Poland, Ibiza and Russia, it’s really been with the last polls that your profile has come to the fore in the UK. Has the UK market been a difficult one to crack?

Yes, the UK has actually been my toughest territory. There are already a lot of talented DJs in the UK and plenty more trance DJs from Europe. I have really had to work at it over the years. The polls have certainly helped.

I know people who have been fans of yours since the days when you played progressive house. How willing were people to follow you in your musical changes in direction? – I know in the UK people can be quite rigid once they know a DJ for a certain sound.

I have been fortunate in that my fans have been extremely loyal. I think part of that loyalty comes from the fact that I have always maintained continuity in my sound, playing an underground progressive and trance sound. I have never jumped ship and played the “flavour of the month”, but it is important to continually develop and grow musically. That is what keeps people coming back for more.

The Brits are known for liking a nice cuppa (especially after a night out on the town). Did you ever make a brew from the leaves your resident psycho fan sent from his prison cell? A sign of a true superstar that is you know…

No.

That actually scared the shit out of me. I make it a policy to never drink unsolicited loose tea. I prefer a good cup of PG Tips. I buy boxes of it every time I am in the UK.

Joking aside, when I first read this story you began it by saying he wrote that through your music, you were “the only one who understands him”. It did make my heart pang a little because I think that is the essence of music – especially trance which is deliberately emotive. What words would you use to describe a Christopher Lawrence set?

I know it is a cliché, but I try to make it a journey. To establish control of the room try to start out with tracks that everyone can easily get in to. Once I have everyone in the room in the same place, things get really fun. I like to go dark for a while before ending on an elevated level. There has to be variety within a set to keep it interesting.

You’re a Berkeley University graduate so I assume you learnt your craft spinning at crazy student parties… Every superstar has to begin somewhere but you seem to have always taken the profession of DJing seriously. When did you realise you could actually make a career out of it?

I had just graduated from university and was working a shitty office job during the week and playing parties on the weekend. One of the guys I worked with was in his sixties and had been working for the same company for years. Just before he retired he said that the one regret he had was not following his dreams and that I would end up like him at the same shitty job forty years later, always wondering “What if?” That’s all I needed to hear and I never looked back.

Aside from the usual clubs and festival bookings (how amazing to be able to say that!) what have been some of the more unusual bookings you’ve had?

Corporate events are always weird. One video game launch party was for the Terminator 3 and Arnold Schwarzenegger was the host, but he never danced. Some of my favourite events are the ones in exotic locations, like the jungle in Mexico, the beach in Taiwan, and the Formula 1 race track in Kuala Lumpur.

I love the fact that the concept of Global DJ is becoming increasingly a reality with the advent of the internet – a true global community through music. For people who might be frustrated in their belief that they have the makings of a world class DJ, with all the right sounds and mixing skills, what tips can you give them to help make the transition from local to global? Would you be willing to divulge such information?!

I think one of the most important things today is that besides being a good DJ, you have to produce your own tracks. That gets your name in places that you’ve never been and creates a demand. A strong presence on the internet is important as well, like having mixes available on a website for download, podcasts or music on a MySpace page.

Keeping with the top tip theme, being a jet-setting, globe-touring, musical fiend (you’re quoted as saying the touring never stops) it 1. sounds absolutely exhausting and 2. I can feel my wrinkles forming as I write. Were I to join you on said tour what tips do you have to retain my vigour and my fabulous good looks?

Drink lots of water and get naps in when you can - that’s for your good looks. Vigour demands something a little stronger ;-)

You’ve mentioned before that you use your Mac Powerbook to edit tracks and work on music during your flights. What other gear do you use when you’re in your own studio?

I use ProTools and Logic for production and Ableton Live for mixes.

You’ve been included in a number of documentaries on dance music and even had a walk on part in a film. Was this intentional on your part – do you have any desire to do creative work outside of the DJing arena?

None of the above was intentional. I feel extremely uncomfortable in front of the camera. I prefer a dark room.

In a previous interview you gave your opinion that trance music wouldn’t have existed without the advent of Ecstasy. With governments being super tight and aggressively anti-dance music, especially in the US, do you think that will affect the scene? Do you think it is possible to maintain the energy and tribal intensity on the dance floor through music alone?

It has already affected the scene, especially here in the States. Most of the parties have moved into clubs where people’s drug of choice is now alcohol. Alcohol creates a totally different vibe on the dance floor. People have less patience and prefer more obvious tracks. I have to work a lot harder in that environment.

It’s unusual to hear so much honesty from someone who’s in the entertainment industry on their personal opinions, beliefs and political views. Most people would rather be bland than run the risk of offending people. Have you ever considered the more sanitised route? – aren’t you afraid the US Government will label you a trouble-making dissident and ban you from ever touching the decks again?!

Being bland is boring. I am sure I have offended a few people along the way, but I think I have also made a difference and that is more important. With regards to the US government, this administration is in such a mess and has created so many problems around the world they have their hands full. Besides, I am not the trouble maker, all I ever wanted was peace.

You’ve mentioned the fact that being underground allows the audience to be more discriminating. Now that you have to satisfy the masses will you be able to retain your musical integrity in the face of commercialism?!

That is a good question and something that I have been grappling with. For me, I have decided that it is more important to play with integrity. I owe it to myself and to my fans that have been with me. I think that integrity always wins out in the end.

I love your modesty when you said “the perfect set would be one in which every track gracefully leads to the next, there would be no filler tracks and every mix would be effortless and flawless. I am still working on it”. Having heard you mix I would have said you were there technically but is it still hard to find music of a high enough quality to include in your sets or are you inundated with new tracks all the time so get the pick of the bunch?

I am inundated with new tracks, but it is still difficult. I spend a great deal of time listening to new music and shopping on line. I feel more obligated than ever to my audience to give them my best.

Do you have any pointers on good places to buy music from?

A few of my favourites are Beatport.com, Trackitdown.net and Psyshop.com. DjNexus.com is also very good for finding that hard to find track.

Your comment “if people are given quality DJs it doesn’t matter if the person’s playing drum and bass, trance or house, if they’re good and the music’s good, I think that’s more exciting than when they’re going to play a party where one room’s all trance” took the words right out of my mouth! I think the Party Proactive music policy of journeying through sound is going to suit you to a T. As your parting gift to us before your appearance on the 6 July, were you to create your most sublime mix ever, what would be included on it?

I don’t know. But I will try to have it put together by the time I hit the decks July 6 ?

Thank you very much, Christopher. Get your wellies at the ready and I’ll see you in the middle of a field somewhere in Hampshire! (hopefully not having lost an important part of your brain - answers on a postcard as to the origins of that little gem!). Love, Party Proactive x x x

Thank you. See you in that field.
Christopher


INTERVIEW BY
JOANNA MCEWEN - PARTY PROACTIVE PROMOTER