Don't let Christopher Lawrence's mellow-as-Jell-O Californian ways fool you: The international DJ and producer is handling massive fame and acclaim with remarkable cool. He wants you to feel him—that is, to experience electronic music the way he did the first time he heard it.
In the decade or so since he first put needle to vinyl, Lawrence has received countless accolades, was voted the No. 7 DJ in the world by DJ magazine in 2004, and most recently was named Best American DJ at the 2005 Winter Music Conference in Miami. Touring almost nonstop, Lawrence has carved out a niche for himself in the trance world, formerly populated mostly by Brits and Europeans.
Following his graduation from UC Berkeley in 1990 with a B.A. in English literature, Lawrence didn't pick up a book for a full year; he had just discovered acid house and techno and suddenly wondered where it had been all his life. Though an avid clubber since he was 16, he had been stomping along to Depeche Mode and New Order. He quickly began to amass a record collection reflecting his new tastes, which included the San Francisco Bay Area's own Wicked crew.
For his first paid gig, Lawrence received $25 for a set at San Francisco's Big Heart City, the same club where he initially experienced the genre. But holding down a day job was getting in the way. It was a co-worker who gave him what he still regards as the most important advice he's ever received. "Norman said, 'Quit. Quit now and follow your dreams,'" Lawrence says, adding, "I make more than $25 now, but it's still not enough."
Speaking with a slight Australian accent—a gift from his Aussie-born wife, Sara, and numerous vacations with the in-laws—Lawrence talks about how he started his own label, Pharmacy Electronic Music, producing seven compilation CDs and two artist albums, and broke music industry tradition by releasing both albums, All Or Nothing and Un:Hooked, within five months of each other, as opposed to one every one to three years. His website, www.christopherlawrence.com, has been nominated for a Webby Award for Best Music Site, and his single, "Filmer," will be featured on American Airlines' in-flight selections this month.
A good thing, too, since he spends a remarkable three to five days each week traveling, racking up more than 250,000 miles each year—1 million with United alone—"and all I got was a card," he jokes. Last year, he estimates he played 50 out of 52 weekends. This summer's grueling schedule will include jaunts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Scotland, Spain, Slovenia, Holland and South Africa. He uses his abundant airborne hours in service of his first love, literature, delving into War and Peace and other Russian tomes.
On this, perhaps his 10th visit to Vegas, Lawrence will not be gambling ("I'm sure the casinos won't like to hear that!"), just dinner and drinks because, of course, he'll be gone the next morning. This will be his third appearance at Ice, the second under Godskitchen management, which he says is a perceptible change. "Godskitchen creates a vibe, an environment. It's branded. They create their own feel in someone else's club," he says.
In the future, Lawrence intends to spend more time producing in the studio. An artist is only as good as his last work, so "you can't ever let up," he says.
He voices some doubt as to whether DJs as we know them now will even exist in 15 years, and therefore he emphasizes producing albums as the only real sustainable future. Still, he is hard at work planning a world tour with DJ Dan, a man he says he looks up to as someone who gives 100 percent. Another idol is also an Ice club performer, Paul Van Dyk. "I have a lot of respect for him as someone who has created a sound of their own, produced music within that sound and continues to play his specific sound. He works really hard, he's a professional, and he still has integrity," Lawrence says about Van Dyk, though he could also be describing himself.