And did I mention... he's almost an Aussie?
Living in Melbourne now for a few years, Christopher still spends a lot of his time abroad. The wife is here, the kids go to Australian schools. Although this is not apparently quite enough to get the man (that really would be an asset to the Country) permanent residency. Doing the maths on this topical issue, the rules are set - to be a permanent resident, you need to be in the Country for 2 whole years over a 4 year period. So 730 days from 1,460. Mr Lawrence has clocked up a mere 380. Even with the extremely close ties and proof of his life Down Under it's just not quite enough! Nevertheless, the highlight of this for Christopher is purely his passion for Australia, as "anything (you have to) fight for; makes it all the more worth it."
Outside of the government ring, Christopher has been winning a few battles of his own. Aiming for a May release, 'Little Rush' is on the way with vocals by Suzie del Vecchio coming together with a CD series named after his radio show, 'Rush Hour'. The CD will focus on the best from his show. Potentially being heard at Creamfields, the tracks he's planning are nothing short of "banging" with a goal to leave the audience delighted by the set, feeling they heard something "special and unique".
Not here for long (here's the tough part of the job), Christopher is back off to the US almost the moment the decks cool down to work further with his production partner. For production Lawrence has a process of starting with "silence, then thinking 'what will I do now'," he outlines, start by "just finding a kickdrum and loop it!" When stumped, his first port of call is his trusted CD Wallet, currently holding the likes of John 00 Fleming, The Digital Blonde and John Askew to discover those pieces of the production puzzle that make a track work for him. "What makes it special," he suggests helps him build the vibe he is after to then redevelop it with his "own structure". A "DJ first and then producer", Lawrence is always on the look out for those tracks that make you stop and think 'oh my god". A lot of the music out there is "rubbish, so finding that 'one' makes it all worth while." The music of others is what inspires him: "Listen to your favourite music and stand on the shoulders of giants."
Always on the look out for the sounds that create emotion, Christopher wasn't always destined to be in music. If it all didn't happen the way it did, he'd probably be working in Computer Science, a field seeming so much more common in the fields of modern day music production. "It gives you the endurance to sit at the screen for hours," he said with this it gives you the upper hand by having an "intuitive understanding of software." Admitting a certain level of nerdism, the knowledge and relationship with the Computer, a touch of obsessive compulsive disorder and need for perfection is a great combination, although can be "your ultimate danger!" Listen to your favourite music and stand on the shoulders of giants.The key, he says is time limits. Or on the other hand, someone to walk into the studio and telling you get away from for it for a while. The limit these days is 5 hours - if the element you are developing isn't working in 5 hours: "leave it, take a break, a rest, reset. Get time away for a new perspective." If still stuck, go back to the CD Wallet.
In only a matter of weeks, Christopher Lawrence will be giving us his perspective on the tunes that move him. Then its off touring around the Northern US districts, Shanghai, Bangkok and most of Asia. Tough life if you can get it...| < Prev | Next > |
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