[Editor’s Note: Originally published in 5 Mag Issue 210.]
Every city should have their own Teri Bristol.
In Chicago we were selfish: we kept her here for ourselves. Even so, the city limits weren’t a barrier to her influence. After her passing away on September 25 2023 Teri’s impact on dance music and DJing in general was acknowledged and praised by people around the world.
As distinctive and unique as she was, Teri was a pioneer who never made a big deal about being one.
Teri Bristol recorded several tracks but to us she was the consummate DJ, and the increasingly rare DJ that can play to an audience while still leading them somewhere. Teri DJ’d in the biggest clubs in the city and the best underground spots. She played in small bars and mixed on a 5,000 watt powerhouse radio station. There was a phenomenon that will probably never be experienced again — Teri’s mix on FM radio blasting out of every car on a deadlocked city block, speakers synchronized into one celestial, pulsating beat.
If you were a kid coming into the scene in the 1990s, Teri was likely your fairy godmother that lead you on the right path. She was the DJ on the radio that broke records to an audience that the biggest club and rave DJs could only dream about. You counted on Teri to lead you to the right place — the new spot, the old spot with new management, the club that was amazing on Mondays and Thursdays but boring on weekends.
We say nice things about people after they’ve gone but in life it was very hard to find anyone that didn’t speak glowingly about Teri Bristol. Professionally she was respected; personally she was loved. And she is missed by all of us.
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5 Mag Issue 210
Out November 2023
HOUSE MUSIC IS A SPIRITUAL THING: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #210 featuring Levon Vincent, Gehno Aviance aka One A, DJ Disciple, the breaking of Bandcamp and more. Help keep the vibe alive by becoming a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right away!
