DJ Chris Cox has worked on over 600 records in his many years of producing and remixing. During this time he has been nominated for a Grammy after working with Cher and recently remixed the track “Scream and Shout” by will.i.am featuring Britney Spears.
While traveling the world he made a stop off at Castle in Chicago and we went backstage to learn about the man behind the turntables.
Jerry Nunn: Hi, Chris. You are from LA?
Chris Cox: Yes, but I grew up in Nevada. I went to college there and that is where my whole DJ career started. In the last two years I have been doing a lot of work there. Technically I have two residencies one gay in Mirage and one straight in Planet Hollywood in Vegas.
JN: Talk a bit about teaming up with Barry Harris for Thunderpuss.
CC: It was a great period of time. I don’t really know how much I got to enjoy it because I was so busy. It was a whirlwind of stuff. It was a time with amazing records and artists coming out. It was an awesome time for dance music in general. I refer to it as the anthem generation. It was a great ride.
JN: How was the Victory Party in Seattle this past fall?
CC: It was with Kristine W, Tammie Brown from RuPaul’s Drag Race and this gorgeous drag queen named Tina T. They were trying to get their proposition passed for gay marriage. Kristine blew the doors off!
JN: Did you work directly with Cher for your song together?
CC: It was production for her album even though I had done a few remixes before that. Rick Nowels has worked with Madonna and Celine Dion. After we had done some remixes together he pulled me in to work on the Cher album Living Proof.
I love Kylie Minogue and was offered her track and the Cher project at the same time. I picked Cher and it won the Grammy while the Kylie track didn’t make the album so I picked the right one!
JN: Crystal Waters just told me about your new song together.
CC: I just got the word that it goes to number two on Billboard next week. I met her at a party once and we worked a bit in the studio. She cut the vocals in Vegas then I took it back to LA and finished the record.
JN: Is it hard to get approved for a track such as your remix of “Scream and Shout?”
CC: It came out of Universal Canada. It started as a bootleg then later got approval because people liked it. In the past I was just hired by Britney’s management. This is the sixth track I am remixed for Britney. The biggest was the megamix that I did for her greatest hits album. I have never had a recall on a Britney project so easy to get approved knock on wood!
JN: What is your favorite thing to play right now?
CC: I have to say the “Scream and Shout” mix blows it up every time. There is another track that Nicky Romero did of “Still the Same Man” which is from about three years ago. I love it and such an anthem for me.
JN: Upcoming projects?
CC: I just finished an EP so I will be shopping that around soon. Outside of the dance world I got a dance signed to Diddy’s label. She is a YouTube phenomenon named Megan Nicole. She’s at about 350 million views. A producer from LA and I have co-produced pretty much most of the album. The first single is very high on rotation at Radio Disney.
JN: Are you straight or gay?
CC: I would be gay except for this incredible vagina addiction I have. All my friends are gay and so are the places that I hang out at. The gay community is just full of the super fun and caring people. I have said for years that I have found a home in the gay world mainly because the music is more fun to me. My favorite parties are the mixed ones where nobody cares and everyone comes to have fun.
For more fun parties check out Castle Chicago, 632 N Dearborn St. Keep up with Cox on his website chriscox.net.
