Trance Awards

My Trance Story

Christopher Lawrence

Where did you discover trance?

I discovered trance in the record shops of San Francisco. It was 1992 and I had just started Djing. At that time genres weren't really defined. It was all called techno. That being said, most of the DJs in San Francisco were playing what would be called house, breaks, techno. It was in the record shops that I discovered music from Germany on labels like EyeQ Music and Harthouse and the UK labels like Warp, Gorilla and Limbo. I fell in love with progressive house and trance sound that I heard on these and other labels. I was one of only a few DJs in San Francisco that played this sound so it was really just by scouring the import record shops that I found the trance sound and made it my own.

Who has been your biggest influence?

My biggest influences were the DJs that I looked up to when I first started out, guys like Jeno, Doc Martin, and Taylor. It was there style of seamless mixing and track programming that I tried to emulate. To this day I still think the early San Francisco and Los Angeles DJs are among the best DJs in the world. Today it seems more emphasis is placed on showmanship than the ability to create a great set, so it is still the early DJs of the California West Coast that are my greatest influences. If I had to pick some contemporary DJs I would have to say Paul Van Dyk and Ferry Corsten for their integrity and John 00 Fleming for continuing to define the underground trance sound.

What moment would you live again if you could?

I have two moments that I would like to relive again if I could. The first time I went to an acid house party and did a pill. I had never heard music like that before and the vibe was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The other moment I would like to relive is the first time I rode my bike out onto the Playa at Burning Man. That was possibly the greatest moment in my life. If you have been to Burning Man then you know what I mean, if you haven't there is nothing I can say that could possibly explain it.

Where in the world is trance-central?

Trance-central is where the party is. Trance is a global phenomenon. I have played on four continents in the last four weeks. No matter what time or day, somewhere in the world there is a trance party going off.

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