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Familiarise yourself with Party Proactive Antiworld 070707 headliner Christopher Lawrence
Reported by getinpr
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Submitted 27-06-07 21:24
Landing Christopher Lawrence as a headliner for the Party Proactive stage at Antiworld 070707 is a major coup for one of the capital’s most loved club nights. The highest ranked US DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 2006 at #4, sitting alongside the likes of Paul van Dyk, Sasha and Carl Cox, Christopher Lawrence is a major player in the world club scene.
At Antiworld he will be playing alongside Marco Bailey, Eskimo LIVE, Yves Deruyter, DJ Preach, John Askew, Andy Farley, The *Ting*, Pete Wardman, K.A.R.L., Jacob Moss and Steel and Christopher Lawrence promises to be one of the highlights of this mouth-watering line-up. His achievements are impressive - he’s been voted Best US DJ at the Miami Winter Music Conference, sold over a quarter of a million mix albums worldwide, headlined the Ministry Of Sound, Gatecrasher and Cream US tours, had the fastest selling track in the history of the Intergroove US dance chart and mixed the last Gatecrasher ‘Live In Moscow’ album. A lot of you may well be thinking though - who is Christopher Lawrence? What does he sound like? Well here’s your chance to find out...
So Christopher on July 6th you will be headlining the Party Proactive stage at Antiworld 070707. Are you looking forward to it and have you got any surprises up your sleeve?
I am looking forward to playing the Party Proactive stage at Antiworld and it is an honour to be asked to headline. I have been searching for new music to bring to the party. As for surprises, they wouldn’t be surprises now, would they, if I told you? Actually John ‘00’ Fleming and I just finished a new track called Beyond the Limit that I will be playing that night.
Are you going to be hanging around all night and are there any other DJs on the line-up that you are looking forward to checking out?
I plan to spend a bit of time there. There are so many great DJs and artists playing that I want to see. On the Party Proactive Stage where I’ll be playing, I would like to see Eskimo and John Askew. I am also hoping to catch Astrix, Alien Project, Dejavoo, John ‘00’ Fleming and Ticon. I am not sure if it will work out, but that’s the plan.
With Antiworld re-capturing the ‘illegal rave’ spirit of the nineties (although it is of course completely legal!) are these the sort of parties you used to frequent?
Of course. These are my favourites because I came up playing the West Coast rave scene which exploded and moved across the US. Up until 2002, most of the parties in the States were still raves. It wasn’t until then that the Federal government came down hard on these kinds of parties. It is great to see them return.
Do you have a preference – playing to big festival crowds or in a more intimate club setting?
I just like a good crowd. Different venues are better for different reasons. But if I had to choose one it would be festivals.
You are known for a strong psy-trance influence in your sound – for Antiworld is this going to feature more heavily in your set?
Definitely. I often find myself holding back a bit because most people in clubs are not as familiar with psy-trance. Antiworld is a dream party.
How did you discover trance and especially the psy-trance sound?
When I began playing back in 1990 everything was divided into two categories: house and techno. Out of those genres I sought out records without lyrics with hypnotic sounds and melodies. Most of these records came from labels like Eye Q and Harthouse in Germany and Limbo in the UK. The sound I played evolved into what is called trance. Out of this psy-trance evolved and I fell in love with it in the mid-nineties, but after a few years I lost interest and followed a different direction. Then a few years ago I went to a Rainbow Serpent party in Australia and rediscovered psy-trance. Since then it has featured heavily in my sets.
Which artists particularly drew you to this sound?
Gms, Astrix Tikal, Alien Project and Sunrise are the ones really doing it for me right now. I especially like the groovy basslines. John ‘00’ Fleming has been a big influence as well.
With the psychedelic hippy contingent sure to be out in force, have you been growing dreadlocks in preparation or making a special tie-dye outfit??
Besides showing up empty handed without any food, water or party supplies, I was planning on bringing Lucky, my three legged dog, and my Mad Max looking kid with me so they could just run loose for three days. Seriously though, why is it at these festivals that no matter what time it is, you can be completely off your nut and there is a Mad Max looking feral there to witness your most spangled moments?
Although you are the highest ranked US DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 with a massive fanbase in the States, a lot of UK clubbers are not familiar with your name. Have you found the UK market difficult to break into?
Yes, the UK market is difficult for US DJs, especially progressive house and trance DJs. For one, there is a lot of great talent in the UK already. But also, unlike the US and most other countries, the UK press and UK promoters have not been particularly interested in US DJs unless they play house or techno. Fortunately, that seems to be changing.
Have you found it easier to be accepted since the awards were announced?
Yes. The DJ Magazine Top 100 has definitely helped. I have been playing and releasing music in the UK for the past ten years. It has been a slow process but it is finally all coming together.
You have very strong political views. Is this something you try to express through your music and has it ever got you into any trouble?
I do have strong political views but I try to keep it out of my music. It is like the separation of church and state. Music is a spiritual thing. Off the dance floor, I have been known to be outspoken. I have alienated a few people a long the way, but not enough to incur the direct wrath of Dark Lord of the Evil Empire.
In terms of your own productions, you’ve had some massive successes including having the fastest selling track in the history of the US dance charts and selling over a quarter of a million mix albums worldwide. After the recent success of your Gatecrasher ‘Live In Moscow’ mix, what other productions and albums have you got planned?
I have just finished two new tracks for my label, Pharmacy Music, but haven’t started working on a new artist album yet. I am too busy with my current summer tour schedule. I do have a new mix for VONYC, Paul Van Dyk’s internet radio station.
Were you nervous of making any ‘trainwrecks’ during the recording of the Gatecrasher album?
Yes… terrified! I had preprogrammed the set and gone over it several times to make sure everything worked, but that still doesn’t prepare you for the stress of a live recording in a rammed club with dancers, photographers and VIPs in the DJ booth. It was mayhem on the night.
You’ve collaborated with the likes of John ‘00’ Fleming and BK in the studio – if you had to pick someone alive or dead, who would be your dream producer to make a track with?
The French band ‘Air’. I would not want to do a track with them, just to sit in on one of their sessions would be great. I think Air are the best band out there.
Do you think looking at the dance scene from a US perspective help give individuality to your sound and stand out from the crowd?
Yes. Coming out of the West Coast rave scene defined and influenced my sound. Playing warehouses and outdoor parties is very different than playing in a club. Every track has to be a winner and there is no place for delicate tracks, everything has to be big. I think that if I had started out in clubs, my sound would be much different.
Finally do you have a message for the clubbers coming to see you spin on the Party Proactive stage at Antiworld?
Drink lots of water and watch out for the Mad Max kid.
Thanks Christopher!
All Antiworld 070707 details can be found here.
www.myspace.com/djchristopherlawrence
www.christopherlawrence.com
www.proactivepresents.com
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Other Features By getinpr:
Push Jimmy Vallance's Buttons
Talking filth with the brightest star of the nu wave of house — Filthy Rich
Interview with turbo charged trance star Simon Patterson
Shy Brothers - the new heroes of tech-trance
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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