Christopher Lawrence’s Australian Error (Interview)
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Picking up numerous ‘Best American DJ’ awards in the middle of the last decade, Christopher Lawrence sparked surprise when he moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2008, just as America’s electronic music scene finally started taking off.
Returning last year, he admitted missing Melbourne’s coffee (‘probably the best in the world- the coffee in California is horrible’) though was otherwise happy to be back. One year on, he remains similarly grateful.
“Moving to Australia was an epic ‘Fail’. It was a bad career move as I was living fourteen hours away from my biggest market,” he admits.
“Touring was a disaster when I was based in Melbourne. I was never home and that really messed with my family. Moving back to Los Angeles was the best thing I ever did.”
As well as continually touring the world spinning his preferred flavour of progressive pumping trance, he’s also continuing to develop his label Pharmacy Music, through which he’s just launched a new compilation series.
Marketed with the catchphrase ‘You’ll never be embarrassed to admit that you like our trance’, the series offers ‘solid pumping trance designed for the dance floor’, though as the catchphrase indicates, not just any dance floor.
“We don’t care about superstar DJs and we don’t make cheesy music videos,” its accompany press release insists, “but we will rock you so hard that your teeth will chatter.”
Chatting to Skufff today, Christopher admits he’s far from impressed with the majority of his superstar DJ peers.
“The pop-dance scene is a pretty sad state of affairs and the worst part is that most of the DJs are pandering to the lowest common denominator,” he complains.
“All the genres have merged into one sound. You can go to any club or festival, close your eyes and you can’t tell the difference from one DJ to the next. They all sound the same and play the same tracks.”
“The lines have been blurred between he genres and everyone is playing the same trance-electro-dubstep-house sound,” he continues.
“It has made it difficult in some respects because people no longer go out to be blown away on the dance floor by music they have never heard before.
Instead, they want to hear all their favorite songs and if the DJ doesn’t play the hits they feel disappointed.”
Chris’ assessment of the blandness of America’s pop-dance favourites matches the even blunter views of British tech-house DJ Steve Lawler who, chatting to the Miami New Times this week, is equally frank (and reportedly ‘disgusted’).
“This electro-pop-dance that all the R&B artists are jumping on is the worst music I have ever heard in my whole life — cheap, no soul, no meaning,” Lawler snorts. “[It's] only made to make money.” (http://bit.ly/vRByzv )
Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: DJ by DJ: the 1st 10
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
Click on the logo to see the top 50
Individual DJ Top 10s
: Ade Fenton
: Alisson Gothz
: Ascii Disco
: Camilo Rocha
: Chris Finke
: Chris Fortier
: Christian Smith
: Christopher Lawrence
: Danny Howells
: Dave Clarke
Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: the details
click for Jonty Skrufff's Band page
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Click HERE to access the full results:
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We recently asked fifty of our favourite DJs and regular Skrufff contributors to tell us their top 10 most influential dance tracks of all time: the ones that both inspired and affected them personally and helped shape wider electronic dance culture.
The resulting Top 50 (see below) has been calculated by adding up each track’s votes with no weighting given to ranking within each DJ’s top 10 (so a number 1 has the same value as a 10). Where the total numbers of votes are equal we’ve listed tracks in alphabetical order (by artist) reflecting more than a few contributors’ approaches to selecting their key tracks.
Pedro Winter thinking about his top 10
US house star Chris Fortier said his top choice of the KLF’s What Time Is Love was particularly personal because ‘it came out around the time I started to really DJ and figure out the kinds of tracks I wanted to buy and play’, though stressed ‘my list could really be in any order’.
Underground British tech-house DJ Louis Osbourne concurred.
“Here’s my top 10 in no particular order,” said Louis, “I feel very “Hi-Fidelity” now,’ he chuckled.
High Fidelity: the Trailer (click for more)
Louis’ reference to the Nick Hornby book/ film, in which a record shop worker spends his time compiling- then endlessly debating- increasingly obscure ‘best ever’ lists struck a chord with this poll, specifically its identification of the hobby as a male obsession.
Indeed none of the female DJs and producers we contacted decided to take part in the poll, which otherwise drew enthusiastic responses from (male) leading lights of dance culture, including DJ Pierre, Tom Tom Club, Pedro Winter and New Order/ Joy Division bass player Peter Hook.
Relative newcomers including Get The Curse’ DJ Olibusta, Romania’s The Model and Nikhil Chinapa and DJ Arjun (Jalebee Cartel) from India also shared their opinions.
Joy Division's first ever TV appearance (Peter Hook on the right) click for more
Click HERE for full details (plus the next 50), of what we reckon’s a definitive list of the most influential dance tracks- ever! Thanks to all the DJs for taking part.
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff ) Each DJ’s individual top 10 will be posted within the next few days.
DJs/ producers who voted:
Ade Fenton, Alisson Gothz, Ascii Disco, Camilo Rocha, Chris Finke, Chris Fortier, Christian Smith, Christopher Lawrence, Danny Howells, Dave Clarke.
DAVE the Drummer, Deepgroove, Diarmaid O’Meara, DJ Ariel, DJ Pierre, Dusty Kid, Edwin Oosterwal, Gary Smith, Gladys Pizarrro (Ex Strictly Rhythm), Graham Gold.
Hugh O Bryder, Jagz Kooner, Jalebee Cartel, Jeffrey Disastronaut, Johnny Dynell, Jonty Skrufff, Judge Jules, Lenny Ibizarre, Liquid, Louis Osbourne.
Luke Howard, Mark Kavanagh, MOTOR, Nick Muir, Nikhil Chinapa, Olibusta, Pathaan, Patrice Baumel, Pedro Winter, Peter Hook (New Order).
Phuturetraxx, Sara Mrs Smith, Secret Cinema, Steve Mac, The model, Timo Maas, Tom Tom Club, Utah Saints, Way Out West (Jody Wisternoff), X Press 2 (Rocky).
The Winner is: New Order: Blue Monday (Blue Monday on Wiki: http://bit.ly/wfVnz)
“Which track turned me personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most? New Order- Blue Monday.”
Judge Jules was one of 15 of our 50 who selected New Order’s multi-million selling disco classic as did Irish DJ (and Daily Star deputy) Mark Kavanagh (‘this record changed my life’) and Audiosushi’s Jeffrey Disastronaut ‘Blue Monday made me realise- even in 1983 – that I could do this for the rest of my life…”
Peter Hook, however, admitted he was surprised.
“How much was I aware of how special it was when we created it? To be truthful not very much really. It was never one of my favourite songs. I much preferred “Thieves Like Us”,” the New Order/ Joy Division legend told Skrufff.
I tell you what, when I was sat there doing it in 1982? I NEVER thought it would get comments like this 29 years later,” he added.
Underworld's Born Slippy
While less than ecstatic about Blue Monday he was considerably more enthused about his own first choice, Underworld’s Born Slippy (or ‘Lager Lager’ as it calls it).
“To me this track embodies everything about clubbing from the beat to the lyrics,” said Hooky. “Live fast die young with no thought of tomorrow!”
Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: The Results
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
Skrufff.com's Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: New Order's Blue Monday
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For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
1; New Order: Blue Monday
2: Donna Summer – I Feel Love
3: Afrika BamBaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
4: DJ Pierre & Phuture: Acid Tracks
5: Lil Louis – French Kiss
6: Hardfloor – Acperience
7: Marshall Jefferson – Move Your Body
8: Underworld- Born Slippy
9: Kraftwerk – Numbers
10: Kraftwerk- Trans Europe Express
I Feel Love (Skrufff's Number 2 'Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever')
11: Plastikman-Spastik
12: Dave Clarke – Red 2
13: Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown
14: Joey Beltram – Energy Flash
15: KLF – What Time Is Love
16: LFO: LFO
17: Massive Attack -Unfinished Sympathy
18: Rhythm Is Rhythm (Derrick May) – Strings Of Life
19: A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray
20: Aphex Twin – Window Licker
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
KLF: What Time Is Love?
21: Chemical Brothers- Block Rocking Beats
22: Daft Punk- Around The World
23: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – Adventures of the Wheels of Steel
24: Jam and Spoon-Stella
25: Manuel Goettsching- e2-e4
26: MARRS – Pump Up the Volume
27: Orbital- Chime
28: Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up
29: Art of Noise-Close to the Edit
30: Cerrone; Supernature
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
http://skrufff.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/MarrsPumpUpTheVolumeAD707.jpg "MarrsPumpUpTheVolumeAD707")
MARRS: Pump Up The Volume
31: Chic – Le Freak
32: Daft Punk – Da Funk
33: Farley Jackmaster Funk; Love Can’t Turn Around
34: Front 242: Headhunter
35: Future Sound Of London – Papua New Guinea
36: Gat Decor; Passion
37: Inner City: Good Life
38: James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
39: Jeff Mills- The Bells
40: Josh Wink: Higher State of Consciousness
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
Daft Punk; Da Funk
41: Meat Beat Manifesto – Babylon
42: Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
43: Moby: Go
44: Mory Kante – Yeke Yeke
45: Mr Fingers; Can You Feel It
46: Primal Scream; Loaded
47: Prodigy; Charlie
48: Rolando – Knights of the Jaguar
49: Sasha- Xpander
50: Soft Cell; Memorabilia
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
More Kante's Yeke Yeke (click to listen)
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
DJs/ producers who voted:
Ade Fenton, Alisson Gothz, Ascii Disco, Camilo Rocha, Chris Finke, Chris Fortier, Christian Smith, Christopher Lawrence, Danny Howells, Dave Clarke,
DAVE the Drummer, Deepgroove, Diarmaid O’Meara, DJ Ariel, DJ Pierre, Dusty Kid, Edwin Oosterwal, Gary Smith, Gladys Pizarrro (Ex Strictly Rhythm), Graham Gold,
Hugh O Bryder, Jagz Kooner, Jalebee Cartel, Jeffrey Disastronaut, Johnny Dynell, Jonty Skrufff, Judge Jules, Lenny Ibizarre, Liquid, Louis Osbourne,
Luke Howard, Mark Kavanagh, MOTOR, Nick Muir, Nikhil Chinapa, Olibusta, Pathaan, Patrice Baumel, Pedro Winter, Peter Hook (New Order),
Phuture traxx, Sara Mrs Smith, Secret Cinema, Steve Mac, The model, Timo Maas, Tom Tom Club, Utah Saints, Way Out West (Jody Wisternoff), X Press 2 (Rocky)
