Larry “Lollipop” Andersen, (born Laurence Christian Andersen, January 13, 1964, Park Ridge, Illinois), is an American club DJ, remixer and producer.
DJ CAREER:
A true Chicago original, Larry “Lollipop” Andersen is a DJ/Producer who has been in and out of the Limelight (literally). His award-winning career not only spans longer than most peers’, his creative talents have matured into insightful and unforgettable experiences. His most important strengths remain his creative vision, superb technical knowledge and decades of skill.
December 1980, Andersen joined a friend in attending a private party being held at a Chicago nightclub that was hosting a music industry event for deejays. Upon arrival, he was asked to join the rotation of deejays that were taking turns providing the evening’s entertainment. After many of the other DJ’s had their turn, Larry started his unplanned set using borrowed records; he got the party started filling the dancefloor for the first time that night. The observant and insightful club manager saw his potential and offered his first club residency on the spot. Larry was only 16. Having found his life’s calling, Andersen rose quickly through the ranks of club spinners and was honored with the prestigious “Chicago’s Hottest DJ Award” by 1985.
Having long been considered a “deejay’s DJ” and an artist with true talent, Andersen references his DJ inspiration, the legendary Chicago Bistro DJ Lou Devito and explains “Lou always took dancers on a musical journey and the “experience” was for the individual dancing, not the DJ.” A lesson and trait shared by all the legendary DJ’s throughout history.
Lollipop is a rare link between the edge of electronic futurism and the disco soul of dance floors past. When weaving a set of tunes, his musical style is a contemporary, progressive house sound that oscillates between funky and hand-in-the-air anthemic. His trademark of mixing percussive vocal grooves and slinky bass lines sprinkled with electronica provide a bridge between cathartic festival performances and underground clubbing.
The Lollipop sound - equal parts Euro-sleek and Chicago sexy - is a welcome reminder amidst the epic builds and breakdowns dominating the festival circuit that dance music is still best when it's sweaty, funky and above all, energizing. He presents dance-floor mobbing sets that compete with any button-pusher's show while avoiding the expected clichés of a DJ who plays relatable music. You may happen to know the words to something he’s playing, but the creative mix and context are fresh and edgy.
As a 30+ year veteran who has spanned the changes of technology and DJing methods, Larry reveals “A great DJ must stay energized and always evolving. Some things have changed, but connecting with your crowd and giving them an unforgettable experience has not. I’m from the old school train of thought that DJ’s were not superstars; we were part of the party. To be together as one with our crowd was the goal, he best DJ’s were silent hosts that facilitated the party by creating the atmosphere and energy.”
When asked about the turn of the century rise of the “superstar DJ” persona, Larry shares “Once upon a time before the internet, club deejays were the gatekeepers of the music. It was much more difficult and expensive to build a decent music library. I remember all the time and money spent going downtown to pick up new vinyl from the record pool and frequent the import record stores that catered to the disc jockey elite with rare copies of the hottest new songs. Now digitally available music has leveled the playing field with few barriers to accessing the latest sounds. The industry is crowded with so called “experts” on dance music nowadays. The real difference is in the ability to connect. In my experience, professional DJing is an activity that calls many, and chooses few.”
Larry’s innate and unyielding passion for music continues to fuel his enduring ambition, while the close connection he shares with his fans completes the success and fulfillment he enjoys. Lollipop’s radio mixshows are broadcast around the world by millions of listeners. Fans from around the globe (lovingly referred to as Lolli Lickers) follow him and his creatively inspired Lollipop Unwrapped podcasts reflecting future, past and current dance music trends. His global podcast is a favorite highlighted in every country iTunes services. Worldwide, Lollipop’s mixes receive near half a million episode hits a year (Podbean RSS feed).
Larry has headlined at several venues in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York; as well as holding some of the most coveted residencies in Chicago. Clubs and residencies include: Bennigan’s After Dark, Blue Moon, Bombay Bicycle Club (BBC), Catwalk, The China Club, Cinderella Rockefella, Clubland Chicago, Clubland Detroit, Dick’s Last Resort, The Dome Room, Excalibur, Fire Island, Galaxy, Heartthrob Café Nashville, Hub Axle Roller Rink, Hunters, Le Cage Chicago, Limelight, McGreevy’s, Medusa’s, Metro, Michigan Avenue Athletic Club, P.O.E.T.S., Rads, Rainbo Roller Rink, Roscoe’s, Sassafras, Shenanigans ,Sidetracks, Smart Bar, Snuggery, Tijuana Yacht Club, The Warehouse Chicago, and hundreds more special event appearances.
Once DJ Lollipop touches the controllers he becomes the ringmaster in a circus of partying; masterfully weaving together his special blend of music, creating a pulsating atmosphere that leaves the participants wanting more. He creates a musical craving where the only cure is another lick of Lollipop.
VJ CAREER:
During the 80’s - Larry was one of America’s first video jock’s who used Sony U-matics like turntables by jogging the search wheel to alter the tape playback speed. Altering the tape speed and quickly switching between search and play functions allowed the tapes audio to be segued with another music video. His innovative performance was in demand and he quickly became one of the busiest VJ/DJ in the market. As one of the first technically savvy VJ’s, he helped pioneer video remixes for the dancefloor where videos were re-edited and re-tracked to a new, high quality club appropriate version of the song. It was such an innovative idea at the time that it was quick to be copied.
Larry’s video remixing has been honored with a Video Vanguard Award while his live video “spinning” won him the title best video jock in the National Battle of The VJ’s. He has worked with MCA, Universal, Warner Bros. and has been a part of video subscription services RockAmerica and Telegenics that offered music videos to thousands of video venues worldwide.
Larry says he has been very fortunate in his DJ/ VJ career to have had the privilege of working coast-to-coast in some of America’s coolest nightclubs, programming multiple formats of music and media.
PRODUCTION:
As a secretive producer whose bootleg records occupied places of honor in top club DJ's bins, Larry’s name remained unfamiliar to casual dance music fans. Now his early production work is detailed in the National Library of Congress. His first records are featured and registered in Disco Patrick’s book "The Bootleg Guide To Disco Acetates, Funk, Rap And Disco Medleys" which chronicles the early DJ trend of bootleg records which filled a need at the time to fill a dance floor channeling someone else’s talent, if only for the length of the vinyl mix.
During the 90’s Larry performed studio work in Chicago and Los Angeles where he worked using the aliases: Lollipop, DJ Lollipop, Andrew Sonic, L. Andersen, The Council of One, Yabba, Best Friends!?!, The Real Vibe and Uncle Nevermind. Among the more notable supporters in his network of industry peers is the legendary superstar DJ Junior Vasquez. In 1992, Junior’s exclusive support of Yabba’s “Sensuality (Meow Mix)” at Sound Factory & Arena made it a best selling bootleg and club anthem that was adopted as a runway staple by The House of Extravaganza (a gay drag house which enjoyed great prominence in New York City’s voguing scene). In 1994 Junior generously sampled the distinct sounds of Yabba’s “Sensuality” and used them in his own production of the bitchy “Get Your Hands Off My Man”. Larry also has his own ASCAP publishing company “Sonic Experience Publishing” and remix/production company “LA Productions”.
DISCOGRAPHY:
DJ International Records: J.M. Silk – Shadows of Your Love (Video Mix)
DJ International Records: Yabba - Sensuality (Aglio-Olio Con Rosso Pepe Mix)
DJ International Records: Yabba - Sensuality (Andrew Sonics’ Cyber Rave Mix)
DJ International Records: Yabba - Sensuality (Meow Mix)
DJ International Records: Yabba - Sensuality (Yabba’s Dabba Doo Mix)
DJ International Records: Technology - Runnin' (Best Friends!?! Remix)
DJ International Records: The Real Vibe ft Dr. X - Ed Can Rave (Chicago Underground Mix)
DJ International Records: The Real Vibe ft Dr. X - Ed Can Rave (Funky Booty Mix)
DJ International Records: The Real Vibe ft Dr. X - Ed Can Rave (Magic Mushroom Mix)
DJ International Records: The Real Vibe ft Dr. X - Ed Can Rave (MC2 Hyper-Break Mix)
DJ International Records: The Real Vibe ft Dr. X - Ed Can Rave (Original European Mix)
DJ International Records: The Real Vibe ft Dr. X - Ed Can Rave (Virtual Reality Mix)
DJ International Records: Yabba - More Romantic (Latin Loverboy Mix) -UNRELEASED
DJ International Records: Yabba - More Romantic (Radio) -UNRELEASED
DJ International Records: Yabba - More Romantic (Tribal Trip Mix) -UNRELEASED
DJ International Records: Yabba - More Romantic/Sensuality (Jazzy Bootleg Mix) -UNRELEASED
Megatone Records: Lollipop ft Sylvester - All Over the World (Endo-Dub Mix)
Megatone Records: Lollipop ft Sylvester - All Over the World (Underground Mix)
Orbik Records: Karel - Get It Up (Sonic Dub)
Orbik Records: Karel - Get It Up (Sonic Mix)
Orbik Records: Karel - Hips Or Lips (Dean Martin)
Orbik Records: Karel ft Thea Austin - Live To Tell
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Dance To The Music (B-Box Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Dance To The Music (CD Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Dance To The Music (Club Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Do What’cha Wanna Do (CD Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Do What’cha Wanna Do (Club Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Do What’cha Wanna Do (Mood Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Hardcore Rave Up (Barcelona Summer Rave Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Hardcore Rave Up (Hard Mix Bootleg)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Hardcore Rave Up (Liquid Brainwash Mix)
Smart Belgium Media: MC2 - Hardcore Rave Up (Ruff Trade Mix)
Top Jock Records: 1981 Top Tune Medley
Top Jock Records: 1982 Top Tune Medley - Part I & II
Top Jock Records: 1987 Top Tune Medley
Top Jock Records: Prince Medley
Top Jock Records: Programming Breaks
Underground Records: Best Friends!?! Trax - Can U Do That?
Underground Records: Best Friends!?! Trax - Every Other Day (A Political Statement)
Underground Records: Best Friends!?! Trax - Joy!
Underground Records: Best Friends!?! Trax - Rhythms ft Dwayne Jackson
The best is yet to come...
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