Suite101 chatted with Christopher Lawrence, an acclaimed and award-winning DJ. He spoke about his own record label, Pharmacy Music and his latest compilation series “Pharmacy: Phase 1,” which is slated for release on December 12, 2011, featuring his new single “Tremor.”
Throughout his career in the dance/techno and trance music scene, Lawrence received the coveted International Dance Music Association’s (IDMA) “Best American DJ” honor, and is the only DJ to grace the cover of the DJ Times magazine twice in one year; moreover, in 2006, Lawrence ranked #4 on DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJs list.
Christopher Lawrence Talks About his Inspirations
Christopher Lawrence remarks, “I have been clubbing since I was a teenager in San Francisco, and I’ve been into new wave and alternative dance music. In 1990, I got turned on to house music and Detroit techno, and that changed my life forever when I first heard that music!”
Christopher Lawrence Discusses Pharmacy Music
“I’ve been a DJ for 17 years, and several years ago I decided to start my own label, Pharmacy Music. It’s an outlet for my own production, as well as up-and-coming producers that I encounter while on tour, and some of them are absolutely incredible, and it’s exciting to be able to have a label to release that music.”
Lawrence has done remixes for such artists as diverse as Enrique Iglesias, U2, and LMFAO. “It’s really great!” Lawrence exclaims. “Those are the dreams jobs. To be handed a fantastic song and be given an opportunity to put my own spin on it is great! LMFAO’s ‘Party Rock Anthem’ is the most recent one, and that song is an instant classic when you hear it the first time. To be given the chance to do that, and to be able to make it into something that I would play on the dancefloor is really exciting.”
Christopher Lawrence Talks “Pharmacy: Phase 1”
“It’s the first mix in the compilation series, which showcases the best tracks that we put out up until this point. There is a lot of good talent on our label, such as Sean J Morris, John 00 Fleming and Jonathan Allyn, and I’ve got a lot of tracks to choose from. It’s like an anthology, and every time we have enough tracks, I’ll put out a new mix compilation. Phase 2 will be the next installment of tracks that come out on Pharmacy Music. That makes it exciting and interesting for the fans as well.”
Christopher Lawrence Opens Up About his Profession
“The hardest aspect of my job is finding good music,” Lawrence admits. “There is a lot of great music being made, but I have a particular sound that I am going for, and it takes a long time to go through music since some songs are anywhere from five to seven minutes long.”
“My biggest accomplishment is to still be DJing after 17 years,” he acknowledges. “My favorite thing to do is to go out and rock a dancefloor, and to still have a fan-base that comes out to hear me play is my greatest achievement. I’ve gotten my share of awards, which are nice, but the real accomplishment is making a new track and playing it on the dancefloor for the first time. To me, these little things are the most rewarding!”
Christopher Lawrence Talks “Rush Hour”
In addition to being a record producer, label head and DJ, Lawrence also has a radio show “Rush Hour,” which is one of the most popular dance shows on the planet.
“‘Rush Hour’ is a monthly, syndicated radio show, and it’s another way to connect with my fans and with people that enjoy the music that I play when I cannot be in their hometowns,” Lawrence says.
This year marks Christopher Lawrence’s fourth year anniversary with “Rush Hour.”
Christopher Lawrence Reveals Future Plans
“My plans for the future are to produce more new tracks, and cut more singles that I am about to complete. Hopefully, around spring of next year, I will release an artist album. I’ve done a few in the past, and it’s been a few years since my last one. Also, I will continue touring. We are starting ‘Pharmacy Music Label Night’ which is branded around the label, where we can showcase the DJs and producers at nightclubs and events that are on the label, and build a night around the sound that we developed over the years,” he adds.
Christopher Lawrence’s Advice for Aspiring DJs
“Find a sound that is yours,” he underscores. “There are a million of guys out there playing the Top 100, and you need to do something different than everybody else to stand out. A main factor in becoming a successful DJ is producing. When I started out, it was about the DJ in the club, and now it has become a combination of producing music, as well as DJing. The production is the best way for people to find out what your sound is before hearing you and getting familiar with your name. It’s a combination of production, podcasting and DJing. It’s a full time job.”
For Christopher Lawrence, success means “knowing that you’ve done your best!”
Regarding the key to longevity in the industry, Lawrence shares, “one of the most essential things is integrity. Have respect for your audience and show up on time. A lot of DJs are late, and over the years if you miss a few gigs here and there, you are not going to be welcomed back. The key is to show up and play the best as you can, as if every night was your last! Play as if tonight is the only thing that matters. That way, you build a trust and following with your audience that can last for years.”
For his fans, Lawrence concludes, “thanks for all of the wonderful nights and for all of the years.”
For more information on DJ Christopher Lawrence, visit his official website.
Source
- Telephone Communication with Christopher Lawrence. December 2, 2011.
Markos Papadatos - Markos Papadatos holds over six years journalism experience, authoring over 700 articles, many of which are feature profile interviews.
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