A DJ superstar speaks from across the water…
Hi Lawrence, great to speak to you sir.
An amazing career, you were born to Canadian citizens in Seattle, then moved to Georgia, then Atlanta and finally New York. What a trip. What musicians back then made an impression on you in those days that saw you take the journey you have made – albums / singles / artists…?
“Well, when I was in Atlanta, I was in a band that had produced the B-52s’ first record…(no, I didn’t produce it!) and when I finally heard the B-52s well I nearly fell over. They were so do-it-yourself and so original, I knew I had to do something outrageous. But I also loved Elton John (hence my glasses obsession), Donna Summer, Kraftwerk, Grandmaster Flash (my DJ name came form the early rappers that had names like Spooney Gee, and Busy Bee), Hamilton Bohannon, Sylvester and disco, disco, disco!!”
You are largely responsible for helping to launch the careers of some incredible artists – the likes of the Scissor Sisters and Fischerspooner – what artist that you have helped on the road to glory are you most proudest of?
“It’s funny, my friends all laugh when they see me witness a hot act for the first time. They joke that they see money in my eyes…but it is actually my enthusiasm for great talent. That has always been my blessing – that I totally understand new talent. I really am happy that I wrote RuPaul’s big hit ‘Supermodel (You Better Work), because she was the first (and only) transvestite that has every cracked the top 40 in America. Funnily enough, they use the song in two Disney movies here in America! But I am also really proud of helping the Electroclash artists reach a bigger status in America. But really, I just play what I like and if it helps, I am glad…I don’t own Electroclash or didn’t really made those artists what they were…they were just very talented and original.”
So your time in Atlanta in the early 80s, the Celebrity Club – an infamous hang out where you hung with drag personalities such as RuPaul, Lady Bunny, Amanda Lepore and Lahoma Van Zandt – what are your favourite memories from those nights?
“In Atlanta, we made movies with RuPaul, Lady Bunny and Lahoma that were amazingly good for hacks like us. Since there wasn’t that much to do in Atlanta, we had to develop our own talents, which was so important. Some of the most fun nights ever were at the Celebrity Club in Atlanta where we had the Butthole Surfers, who were the finest people ever….and maybe the female mud wrestling. We did that on off-nights during the mid-week and they were always packed with dirty old men that would’ve never have come to our wild disco-punk club. Hee-hee-hee-hee. But the cleanup was a bitch!!”
A massive DJ career – up with the best. New York City saw you rock Palladium, Twilo and The Roxy. What were the anthems back then? What was your number one tune?
“Well, they gave me a gold record for my helping to break ‘Gypsy Woman’ by Crystal Waters which was a huge hit during my Roxy tenure…and the Deee-lite phenomena happened under my watch there too. I felt really connected to the Deee-Lite kids. Lady Kier lived with me a few years ago, a dream, but her room was a mess `But to hear her beautiful waftings out of her room was a pure delight, pardon the pun. ‘Whores in This House’, ‘Work That Pussy’, ‘Tonite’ by the Basement Boys, Paper People and everything Todd Terry…he was a huge influence on me (and switch and diplo etc.), as well as ‘The Pressure’, ‘Sweet Pussy Pauline’, ‘Beltram”‘..there were so many inspiring tracks then.”
So some quick questions…
Best DJ you have played alongside
“Larry Levan and I played together at MARS but I didn’t really know the significance of it at the time since I was new to town and was probably caught up in Larry-land. I also played with Junior Vasquez at the BANK, and he turned me out more than any other DJ in the House era…what a genius, and one of the things that NYC had to itself because he didn’t really travel well…”
Best club you have played at in the Big Apple
“My own club Berliniamsburg was a real moment in time and the beginning of the hipster aesthetic and the arrival of Williamsburg…but my club owed a big debt to the experimentation of the Pyramid club of the 80s…the best club I EVER went to. I saw Andy Warhol and Madonna there….and saw some of the most genius performance art. I really feel honored to have been accepted by that club and they brought me to NYC. Their decor changed every month to something crazy like Tom of Finland one month and a Vogue editors’ bathroom patterns the next….and Sister Dimension performing with a rubber chicken attached to her arm…”
Big 10 tunes you are playing now
Riverside – Sidney Samson(Afrojack mix)
Very Last Party – Christopher Just vs. Bunny Lake
Presta Attencao – The Fire and Reason (Killer on the Dancefloor mix)
The Whole Sh-Bang – Mom and Dad
Left My Heart in Tokyo – Mini Viva (Acid Girls mix)
Machine in the ghost – Faint (Edjotronic mix)
I Feel Cream – Peaches
Bulletproof – La Roux (Blogula mix)
Rockstar – Mel Merio
Let’s Make Nasty – Larry Tee (Afrojack mix)
Hey – Diplo and Laidback Luke
Most memorable moment you have ever had DJing in New York
“Having to play Liza Minelli’s Pet Shop Boys dance song when she came by, though it wasn’t exactly my kind of tune….heeheeheehee! But damn, it was LIZA. It was at my party ‘Love Machine’ where all the supermodels were, Linda, Christy and Naomi all used to stand together. Or maybe when I hosted the Hot Body Contest and people got totally naked each week for a chance to win 50 dollars. I guess not really DJing, heeheeheeheehee! Really the best nights are when I was playing the new song at Berliniamsburg or the Roxy and seeing people instantly responding to a record, feeling a part of musical history.”
Best and worst thing about living in New York
“Best thing is the creative people you get to meet while working, seeing Fischerpooner for the first time performing with dancers, watching a new group like Scissor Sisters work out their stage show or seeing Hedi Slimane’s eyes pop when someone fabulous shows up looking amazing. Or being in the presence of Sophia Lamar, the wicked underground star – or trying to hear Amanda Lepore’s gentle voice over the sound of loud music…
The bad? The strict NYC policies on dance clubs and nightlife in general. It’s become a nanny state for the rich – and maybe the “I’ve-seen-it-all-before” attitude of the hard-core fashionistas. New Yorkers are so bombarded with stimulus all the time that they sometimes forget to applaud and scream out loud. Lord knows if anyone could use a good scream, it’s New Yorkers. But I have few complaints really.”
What is the general feeling about the whole Michael Alig / Peter Gatien murder story in New York today after all these years – has it affected the gay clubbing community at all?
“After the Michael Alig incident, the police cracked down on the whole scene and the club owners really hard and for a while, anyone associated with that scene was MUDD. It was hard to work, luckily it corresponded to the time that I got clean from drugs and alcohol with the help of NA and AA – 11 years clean here and I believe my life started over and it gave me a chance to keep changin’ because that IS the essence of my career and life of music: change. I feel proud to recommend AA and NA to anyone that needs some help. It’s really as important to our times as OPRAH.”
Best producer of all time?
Oh god…giorgiomorodertoddterryswitchboyznoizebasementboysoulwaxkrafterk…she’s my favorite producer.”
Best album of all time?
“Larry Tee ‘Club Badd’ (c’mon, it’s my article and I can’t be blamed for naming one album, could I?)”
Biggest musical inspiration ever?
“Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’ or ‘Our Love.”
A very good friendship with RuPaul obviously – clubs co-writing ‘Supermodel’ for him – what have been the craziest parties/memories you have had with that superstar?
“Getting to watch her develop as a performer in Atlanta was one of my most cherished memories. She had such a strong belief in herself that was unbelievable, and her ability to make movies out of the trash of her past was truly inspiring!! Like ‘Mahogany 2′ based on the Diana Ross movie of the same name. She is such a hero to so many transgendered people and to people in general that relate to her’ “You got to love yourself before you love anybody else” mantra. It is awesome that she has reinvented herself as a reality TV star…unstoppable!”
What are your thoughts on America President Barack Obama – how do you think he is going to change the US?
“Obama has already changed the world…and hopefully we get national health insurance before politics intrudes too much. The US is being strangled by the health insurance lobby….and hopefully we can get gay marriage passed in his time. I am sure he understands the importance in America for equality for ALL. Even I thought gay marriage was silly at one point, but now I realize the damage to our freedom to deny anyone of legal rights associated with marriage. But I am thrilled with Obama and to have an articulate voice representing America again.”
What is next coming from Larry Tee?
“Next up a collection of exclusive surprises that aren’t on the album that I have been holding off on for the right time. There is an amazing song about gay hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard that I did with Andy Bell that wasn’t quite right for the Club Badd nasty concept. And of course some other surprises we couldn’t fit on the first release. Also I co-wrote a whole album with Mel Merio and Christopher Just, two of my favorite artists. ULTRA has been so supportive of all my crazy ideas, and it feels like everyone is experimenting more and taking chances>>> about time…and you can expect more CHANGE because not only is it America’s buzzword, but it has ALWAYS been mine.”
