In From the Cold
Pete Lawrence, co-founder of The Big Chill festival and brand, has resigned as director of the company.
After 14 years with the organization, he's hung up his gloves, citing a need to step back and do his own thing, spend more time with his children and write music.
"There is no greater reward than seeing how peoples' lives have been affected due to chance meetings at Big Chill events, and one of our most important roles has been as a platform and catalyst for that," stated Lawrence. "At this time, I need to put myself first for once and do things I have not been able to do since the early '90s, like reading books, hanging out and having quality time with my children as they grow up fast, and concentrating on my own music and writing with less time constraints."
Lawrence has done it all. Tastemaker, musician, musical programmer behind The Big Chill's London events, and subsequently the growth of the famous festival, he's also been a broadcaster, radio DJ and journalist, writing for Jockey Slut, Update, Top and his own On Magazine. Last year he released an acclaimed album as Chilled By Nature, and he's been at the forefront of the ambient and downtempo scenes, pioneering the concept of 'chill-out' music. He was in Time Out's Top 100 'movers and shakers' a year ago, where he was brilliantly described as 'chief Eskimo of kingdom chill'. The Big Chill won't be the same without him.