fct: how long have you been into electronic music?

kris: since about '92-'93. donald glaude and dj delight at the underground, which was an all ages venue that used to exist in Seattle's university district. i remember going there for the first time and not even really knowing what a dj was. I had no idea how this continous stream of music was coming out of this little booth hung from the ceiling. instantly intrigued, i was down there every weekend for about a year. little did i know that i was recieving some serious schooling from 2 of seattle's best dj's, who both have gone on to bigger and better things. i remember watching donald in particular quite a bit. just getting as close to the decks as possible and scoping his technique. he was always really cool about it, and several years later when i got to play with him in
Bellingham, it was like a full circle.

fct: who are your main influences?

kris: influences change all the time; i like to read a lot and take in as much information as possible. influences come from all over and tend to happen unexpectedly. technology, science fiction and the future. music, art and everyday life.

fct: you are the first & only person we've seen to really use the laptop to its potential as a musical instrument. did you spend a lot of time thinking about how your computer/software combination could best be used in a live context, or did your style just manifest itself over time?

kris: my live style is really dependent on the context in which the
perfomance is going to happen. if it's chill, then i like to play sitting down with everyone else and just enjoying myself. but if i'm playing to a dancefloor, then the performance embraces the energy of trying to get people to shake their asses. i think in general people want to see a show. for the laptop battles, i use a mac and ableton live and just try and make it interesting and dynamic.

fct: what are your goals when you're djing? how about when performing a live set?

kris: 9 times out of 10 when i'm djing, i'm trying to get people to dance. whatever it takes is what i do. i make my living playing top 40 hiphop, but if the kids wanted to hear german techno, that is what i would be playing. i only have so many records, but i know how to use them. live sets are so much more personal. you can dj wax all night and maybe, for whatever reason, it isn't the best set you've ever played in your life. it's all right, you've forgotten about it by the time you finish breakfast the next morning. but playing live, it's an intimate, personal experience.
you've raised your loops since they were just a pattern on your sequencer and now you get to present them to all of your friends and beyond. if it's a mediocre experience, or anything less than stellar, there might be changes you make to your set or your sound based off of that one experience. i'm definately into cultivating and developing my live sets over time. it takes at least 4 or 5 different venues/nights/crowds/drinks to determine if you need to change your work flow or throw your loops/patches away. ultimately, if i can get people stoked on what i'm doing, i've achieved my goal.

fct: you've spent a lot of time getting to know seattle's music scene. are you optimistic about the future?

kris: seattle is really vibrant right now. it's just kind of shimmering with raw talent. i feel like there is a really strong community of like-minded artists. the potential for something very unique and interesting to happen now is huge.

fct: as one of the creators of the 'laptop battle' phenomenon, do you think it's a fad or do you see people battling 10 years from now?

kris: there's no going back! now that it's been introduced into the
culture, it's ineveitable that battles will continue to grow and evolve over time. just like mc or turntable competions, laptop battles provide a unique outlet for expression, instead this time, it's for the producers. battles provide a chance to create outside of the rigid structure of having to "have records out" in order to be successful. it's closer to the street and it keeps you on your toes. the software and hardware are marching onward, getting crazier and faster all the time. the opportunites for custimization are almost endless already with programs like max/msp. it makes sense that the competive spirit of the battles is a necessary component of future music. processor speed, secret patches and plugins, midi interfaces, visual elements, all these things are going to change radically in the near future and it's really about keeping your chops up, knowing your software and wanting a chance to engage in a little sonic warfare.