Deviant

About me:

2006 Cleveland Music Award winner for Best DJ
- Download Deviant's mixes
- View Deviant's latest chart
- Deviant hosts new Proton Radio show
- Scene Magazine interview, March 15, 2006

de·vi·ant One that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards.

Deviant, aka David Christopher, began playing his tripped-out blend of deep progressive house in 1998 at venues throughout New York City, including Vinyl, Limelight, Roxy, and Cheetah. In 2000, Deviant founded HeadRush Music, a promotions company that pioneered the use of online and e-mail event marketing in New York City. In 2003, following a move to Cleveland, Ohio, and with the addition of partner Amy Dana, HeadRush Music continued its mission to spread progressive music to progressive minds.

In 2004, Deviant and Amy founded Toes in the Sand Recordings, which has grown into one of the world's most respected progressive labels. Toes started off with a bang, with their first release, "Bound for Ascension" by Michael Lanning, appearing on Anthony Pappa's Balance 006. Since then, the label has been committed to exposing the globe's best underground talent, including Siberian Son, Alican & Soner, DJ Tarkan, Andrew K, Naveen G, The Last Atlant, Storyteller, Pablo Roma, and Drew Nichols.

In 2006, Deviant shifted HeadRush Music's focus from events to a second record label, focusing on edgier, harder sounds that didn't quite fit on the more melodic Toes in the Sand. The new label features established artists like RND( ) and Singo, as well as up-and-comers like Pablo Roma, Nick Hogendoorn, and Chris Eberhart.

As a DJ, Deviant's late-night sound has been the perfect finish during closing sets for Sean Cusick, Steve Porter, Hybrid, John Howard, Jerry Bonham, Mazi, Randall Jones, Habersham, and Thomas Penton, helping him twice earn the Cleveland Music Award for Best DJ. He has also proven his ability to warm up the dance floor, opening for Sandra Collins, BT, Max Graham, Jondi & Spesh, Tim Skinner, Trendroid, Austin Leeds, Micro, Noel Sanger, Three, Steve Gerrard, John Howard, George Acosta, and Pete Moss. Deviant has also played the headliner role at events in San Francisco, Miami, Orlando, Louisville, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh, and even spun on Cleveland's FOX Morning Show to promote Paul Van Dyk's Rock the Vote event and HeadRush Music's Get Your Vote Out event with Dennis Kucinich.

In August 2004, Deviant's contributions to the American dance music scene led to an invitation to join the Balance Record Pool, a hand-picked collective of the top 40 progressive DJs in North America, including Chris Fortier, Jimmy Van M, Sandra Collins, D:Fuse, and Deepsky. In 2006, Deviant was also invited to join the Release Promo Pool.

Following through on HeadRush's commitment to getting underground music to the masses, Deviant actively participates in numerous radio shows around the world. Despite not being a trance DJ, Deviant appeared on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's "The Peak Hour with Victor Dinaire," putting him in the company of past guests like Paul van Dyk and Ferry Corsten. Deviant has also appeared on ProtonRadio.com, FriskyRadio.com, Galaxie 95.3 FM France, EccentricBeats.com, Rotationz.be, Beatfactor.net, and on FM radio from Argentina to Belgium. Deviant currently hosts the Toes in the Sand radio show on Proton Radio.

Deviant has been creating music since 1992, long before he ever stepped up to a turntable, drawing his influences from across the musical spectrum to create songs (and DJ sets) that defy typical dance-music formulas. His last release, "That Marijuana Track," was the #5 top seller at EDMDigital.com. He also remixed Jairus Miller's "Cobra" for Infamous Light Recordings, Brahma's "Peaks of Destiny" on Toes in the Sand Recordings, and is currently hard at work on other remixes and original tracks.

David is a resident at Cleveland venue Abbasso, where HeadRush Music helps to lead a movement to revive Cleveland nightlife and push the sounds of progressive house.