ABOUT
Rodman, real name Christian Michaels, is a British trance music producer and DJ whose story with the genre began back in 1999, when a fifteen-year-old from North Wales first discovered the euphoric sound of trance.
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What started as a teenage obsession quickly became a lifelong calling. By his early twenties, Christian had founded Kubik – an award-winning Liverpool club night that became a sanctuary for trance lovers between 2004 and 2007.
Kubik united some of the scene’s most respected names, including John O’Callaghan, Fred Baker, Agnelli & Nelson, and Mac & Mac, earning a reputation for its electric atmosphere and unwavering dedication to pure, melodic, and powerful trance.
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During this era, performing under his birth name Chris Pollock, he took to some of the UK’s most iconic stages – from the main room of Cream @ Nation to the main arena of Creamfields 2006 – moments that cemented his deep connection to the music and the culture surrounding it.
Following the success of Kubik, Chris shifted his focus from the club floor to the studio, eager to master the craft of music production. In 2008, he enrolled at the Manchester MIDI School, where he graduated with distinction — a testament to his growing dedication and technical skill.
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This period marked the birth of a new identity: Kryztow De Fier. Under this alias, Chris began channeling the raw spirit of the trance and tech sound that had defined his club nights. Releases on his own Kubik label — including “Don’t Mess With Me,” “BOSH!,” “Industry,” and “Street Fighter” — climbed the charts on Trackitdown.net, earning widespread recognition among fans and DJs alike.
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By 2009, his tracks “The Chronic” and “Bounce” were making waves, catching the attention of Judge Jules, who showcased them on BBC Radio 1 — a defining moment that solidified Chris’s reputation as a fresh and formidable talent in the UK trance scene.
In 2013, Chris once again evolved his artistic identity — adopting the name Christian Michaels and co-founding the anonymous trance duo Team 140.
Conceived as a project focused purely on the music rather than the individuals behind it, Team 140 quickly built a loyal following within the global trance community.
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For five years, the duo delivered weekly two-hour episodes of their signature radio show, The Trance Empire, recording an impressive 212 broadcasts that captured the full spectrum of the trance sound.
(And if you’re wondering which one Christian is — he’s the red one.)
In 2014, Team 140’s growing reputation led to an unforgettable milestone: performing across both weekends of Tomorrowland’s 10th Anniversary in Belgium. Sharing the stage with legends such as Paul Oakenfold, Sean Tyas, and Jorn van Deynhoven, the duo brought their high-energy sound to one of the world’s most iconic dance music festivals.
As Team 140’s reputation grew, their connection to the trance scene deepened. The legendary Discover Records invited the duo to compile and mix Discover 100 — a landmark 50-track compilation celebrating some of the label’s most iconic releases. It was a fitting tribute to the sound and community that had inspired them from the start.
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After five years of collaboration, Team 140 came to a close, and Christian stepped back from the scene to recharge creatively. During this time, he channelled his drive and vision into a new venture — founding a multi-award-nominated marketing agency that would grow to become a respected name in its field.
When the world came to a standstill during the pandemic of 2020, Christian felt an unmistakable pull back to his musical roots. The pause offered space for reflection — and a rekindling of the passion that had first defined his life’s path. From that spark, Rodman was born — a new alias, but one deeply connected to the spirit that had guided him since the beginning.
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Rodman says:
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“Trance music is a part of me — it always has been, and it always will be. I feel it my destiny to pursue a career in this music genre and dedicate my life to it. When something has that hold over you, you know you can never ever walk away from it completely. You will always be drawn back together. It is inevitable.”
