Inside the Mind of Craig Alexander
CRAIG: I make music based upon how I'm feeling as a person. You know, I could do a song based on something going on in my life.
5 MAGAZINE: Do you have any new music out now? If not, when can we expect something?
CRAIG: Yes I've got stuff out now on Unified Records through traxsource.com with more coming.
5 MAGAZINE: You obviously know the ropes, so what specific advice would you give to a fledgling DJ or producer?
CRAIG: Make music you believe in. Don't let anyone steer you away from that because more people may dig what you do than you think.
5 MAGAZINE: It would constitute a definite career highlight to work with which artists?
CRAIG: Louie Vega, Lil Louis and Kerri Chandler. I've got remixes coming for some of Vic Lavender's [releases]. Also, my label will be launching with 2 EPs by myself.
5 MAGAZINE: Depending on whom you talk to, the House milieu in Chicago is alive and kicking. Care to comment on this?
CRAIG: I think it is definitely back, we just need to make sure it doesn't become stationary - it's got to keep moving. House did not stop after the Warehouse on Randolph closed, so we should not treat it as such. I love disco and I love playing it, but not all the time.
5 MAGAZINE: What, if any, differences do you see in the House party crowds of today and those of yesteryear?
CRAIG: We were more eager to get schooled back in the day, to obtain the knowledge of the music that was out here to be found in the second-hand record shops or the flea markets or the Mammoth Music Mart. Hell, my boy Cheez and I used to drive to Rockford or Milwaukee - wherever there were some cuts, because class was in session. Now, it's more like a class reunion: no one is interested in higher education. But I'm trying to get my doctorate degree in House.
5 MAGAZINE: You've traveled abroad often in your career. What are some of your favorite spots outside the US to spin and why?
CRAIG: Paris is my favorite because of the whole fashion scene, the architecture - I just love the atmosphere. It is refreshing and vibrant. I also like Switzerland because the Alps are a beautiful sight and the sound systems in the clubs are bangin'. I like to travel, so the beauty of a country enlightens me.
5 MAGAZINE: What are some of your favorite spots in the US outside of Chicago to party and/or spin?
CRAIG: Miami, Dallas, Seattle, Detroit and New York.
5 MAGAZINE: How are the scenes in each of these cities similar or different than that of Chicago?
CRAIG: People are more receptive to Chicago jocks, especially because other abroad cities know what time it is when we come to town. Time to wreck shop! They respect where we're going and where we've been, distinctively.
5 MAGAZINE: Someone recently commented that cats like you are bringing a measure of sartorial sophistication back to the party scene. How do you feel about that assessment?
CRAIG: I know me and the guys I hang with try to keep it real. We were always about sophistication and style because that's what the scene was derived from. Sophistication and House went hand in hand. It's flattering to know people see our vision of classic, classy events.
5 MAGAZINE: What does House need to keep it relevant in the future?
CRAIG: Soldiers that are dedicated to the preservation of it, not bandwagon fadsters (Is that a word? Sounds Hott!).
5 MAGAZINE: Not sure if it's a word, but it should be! Now, have you, like so many others, jettisoned the vinyl in favor of spinning CDs?
CRAIG: I only play records when I'm playing disco.
5 MAGAZINE: What's musically down the road for Craig Alexander?
CRAIG: I'll be launching my label Oblique Records next month, which will consist of projects by me and other friends of mine in the industry, bringing a slightly different twist to the game. I always try to be me in whatever I produce - not trying to be the norm - so hopefully the fans I have acquired over the years will continue to support my new efforts and hopefully I'll gain some new ones.
5 MAGAZINE: What single event, if any, deeply impacted your approach to or style of producing and DJing?
CRAIG: Going to Shelter NY and seeing everyone going berserk off of soulful, grooving cuts for hours on end. Leaving the party at 3pm on Sunday afternoon made me a believer: House Music Will Never Die!
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