It's rare that I get nervous when preparing to interview a DJ. So when it was time to talk to Christopher Lawrence, the highest ranking US DJ on DJ Magazine's influential Top 100 poll for 2004, I was a bit surprised to find myself getting anxious, realizing that Chris has sold over 250,000 CDs and flying more miles than that annually to play around the world. After listening to his new artist album "All or Nothing," his uplifting trance music was the guide for a wonderful conversation.

Even after receiving just about every accolade possible, Christopher Lawrence is still down to earth and one of the hardest-working DJs out there, spreading his love of trance music to the people.
DJ Ron Slomowicz: Congratulations on being ranked the highest US DJ on the DJ List.
Christopher Lawrence: Oh, thank you very much.

RS: What was your reaction to that?
Christopher Lawrence: I was shocked, to be honest. I was hoping to do well, but I just didn't realize how supportive my fans were going to be this year. I hate to say it, but I think a lot of the credit goes to my web designer.

RS: Really, how do you figure that?
Christopher Lawrence: Eric Jordan at 2Advanced Studios. I'll tell you why, my web site gets more hits than any other DJ except for Tiesto.

RS: Really? How many hits per week or month?
Christopher Lawrence: Oh I don't know. If you go to alexa.com, you can track any web site and that'll tell you what their hits are and how they rank. It's just out of control and it's because the 2Advanced guys do the best web sites in the world.

Everybody comes to check it out and then I guess they hit the link to vote.

RS: I guess that they come for the design and say for the content.
Christopher Lawrence: Yes, exactly. So I'd like to take all the credit but I think a lot of it this year is due to the web design. It's got a lot of attention and it's a really incredible design.

RS: Not that it would be possible, by looking at your DJ schedule, do you think this ranking will lead to even more bookings?
Christopher Lawrence: Yes, what's happened is the international dates have increased since the DJ poll came out. The US is the same, but places like China and Eastern Europe, where I have played a little before have suddenly opened up much more. So yes, I will be spending a little bit more time away from North America and a little more time abroad.

RS: You've also recently won Best DJ from Dance Star. Since DanceStar and the DJ poll are voted on pretty much the same way on the internet, did you react any differently to that award as opposed to this one?
Christopher Lawrence: Yes a little bit. Dance Star is fantastic and it's voted on by people in the industry, but it's strictly for North America whereas the DJ Poll, that's international. I don't know, but both are quite exciting.

RS: Speaking about voting, how do you think this recent Bush re-election will effect us in the dance community?
Christopher Lawrence: I've got no idea, all I know is that the economy is going to get worse since he's spending all the money on bombs for a futile war. I'm just shocked at the way the election turned out. I did not realize that there were that many Christian zombies in the world. As far as us in the dance music, I don't think it's going to directly affect us. I mean it was actually somebody from Kerry's camp that came up with the RAVE Act. So that being said, I don't think that they're necessarily going to come after the electronic dance music scene, but I do think that Bush and his administration policies are going to have a profound effect on those of us in the United States. That will ultimately affect our people, if they're able to go out or can afford to go out because of the state of the economy. In the same way they have the Rave Act, they might become more hostile towards young people and young people enjoying music.