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Chris Lum Interview

Author: Phil Watkins
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Chris Lum is heading to Melbourne once again after a killer NYE, and his next gig finds him nestled in with the kittens of Tickled Pink this Friday night at Word Bar.

When San Francisco House music is mentioned, your name is one of the first to be mentioned. While the scene was still in its infancy you were deeply involved in supplying the records to the now world famous DJs mainly by setting up San Fran's first dance music store "BPM Music Factory", how did you originally get into dance music- Were there are particular nights or DJs that did it for you-
Lum- I was introduced to this culture back in 1990. I had just graduated from high school and was working at a clothing store in Los Angeles. My manager at the time took me to my first illegal underground party. The whole experience blew me away. From there I just immersed myself into the culture. I was going to parties 3 nights a week. It was maybe a month or so before I found myself getting into mixing records. I was going to some pretty incredible events thrown by people like Doc Martin, Barry Weaver and a few other crews at the time. It was a wild and defining time in my life.


Jay J recently visited us a few months ago and raised the roof. Not many people might know this but you guys have been partners for a long time now in one of more famous production spaces in the form of Moulton Studios, writing and production has always been your first love. Is it possible to explain what you love about it-
To answer this question would require that I ponder the question. To ponder would mean I'd have to think about it and I find that it's best if I don't think much in the studio. Better that I just feel.


Another part of production that you love is collaborating with others and combining two individual creative expressions together to create new journeys. You have worked with the A list of San Francisco house like DJ Rasoul and also your partner Jay J, have there been any recent collaborations that you have enjoyed being involved in-
I'm quite pleased about the collaboration between myself and Rhythm and Soul records in the launch of EMC2, a new music production education centre in Melbourne. We have completed the first course and are about to run the second. Contact Rhythm and Soul for more info.


You have been chosen as Flavour of the Month by the kittens of Tickled Pink which is no mean feat in itself. Word Bar is going to really suit your style of music so you must be looking forward to being a part of one of the new, more up front nights going down in Melbourne at the moment-
The crew at T.P is cool as. I've gotten to know them and they are good people. I wish them all the best with their event and dj'ing. Should be fun.


After Tickled Pink you must have busy year ahead of you, what is 2006 going to bring for you- More production or are you going to get busy on the decks-
I have a residency in L.A(my home) and Melbourne (a new night called Loco Por La Musica at Altitude) that will keep me busy on the decks this year. In addition, I have a studio facility that I co-run in San Francisco. As stated earlier, I've just launched a new venture teaching a course in electronic music production. It's called EMC2 (the electronic music creation centre) The third course should be running here in Melbourne in March or April and in San Francisco in the coming months. That should keep me busy I'd say.


Well, it seems Chris Lum is ready to take on 2006 head on and TP is going to be no exception. This is surely going to be the biggest Tickled Pink to date and if you haven't been tickled yet then this ain't the time to miss out, get yourself down to the Word Bar this Friday night, 20th Jan and get your groove on!
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