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{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Paul Oakenfold
|name = Paul Oakenfold

|image =Paul_oakenfold_headphones.jpg
|caption =Oakenfold at the Future Music Festival 2009
|background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
|background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
|birth_name = Paul Mark Oakenfold
|birth_name = Paul Mark Oakenfold
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'''Paul Mark Oakenfold''' (born 30 August 1963)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://education.independent.co.uk/careers_advice/article319036.ece |title=Paul Oakenfold |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Education Independent | location=London | first=Jonathan | last=Sale | date=13 October 2005}}</ref> is an English [[record producer]] and [[Trance music|trance]] [[disc jockey|DJ]].
'''Paul Mark Oakenfold''' (born 30 August 1963)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://education.independent.co.uk/careers_advice/article319036.ece |title=Paul Oakenfold |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Education Independent | location=London | first=Jonathan | last=Sale | date=13 October 2005}}</ref> is an English [[record producer]] and [[Trance music|trance]] [[disc jockey|DJ]].


==History==
==Biography==

===Early career: 1979–84===
Paul Oakenfold was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with [[Vancouver]]'s ''24 Hours'', stating he grew up listening to [[The Beatles]]. Later 21-year-old Oakenfold and Ian Paul moved to 254 West 54th Street. [[Studio 54]]'s [[Steve Rubell]] ran the place and only allowed popular people inside. Oakenfold and Paul used fake passes to sneak into places in [[New York]] where they met [[Maze (band)|Maze]], [[Bobby Womack]] and [[Bob Marley]], whom they also interviewed, claiming to be ''[[NME]]'' and ''[[Melody Maker]]'' journalists.<ref>{{cite web |deadurl=http://www.ministryofsound.com/News/Features/20071108_oakenfold1.htm |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071112103400/http://www.ministryofsound.com/News/Features/20071108_oakenfold1.htm|archivedate=12 November 2007|title=Oakenfold – Blagging it at Studio 54, Extract from ''Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography'' |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Ministry of Sound}}</ref>

Oakenfold's musical career began in the late 1970s, when he started playing [[soul music|soul]] in a [[Covent Garden]] wine bar. Here, he met Trevor Fung as well as Rumours in [[London]] where he played [[Earth, Wind and Fire]] and popular [[United Kingdom|British]] bands.<ref name="Paul Oakenfold Goes Hollywood">{{cite web |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pauloakenfold/articles/story/5932383/paul_oakenfold_goes_hollywood |title=Paul Oakenfold Goes Hollywood |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Rolling Stone}}</ref> In 1984, he spent several months in New York City's West [[Harlem]]. During this time [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] was the most popular sound in the area (see [[1984 in music]]). He began breaking into the mainstream as he was working as an [[A&R]] man for [[Champion Records]]. At that time, he signed [[DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince]], as well as [[Salt-n-Pepa]]. Oakenfold appeared on the ''[[Blue Peter]]'' [[BBC]] programme for children with a breakdancing crew. He became a promoter and British agent for the [[Beastie Boys]] and [[Run-D.M.C.]]. Since then, he appeared at The Project in [[Streatham]] playing soul and [[jazz]] music.<ref name="pobio">{{cite web |url=http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Paul-Oakenfold-Biography/887820CD0D81734B48256C3200095A8C |title=Paul Oakenfold Biography |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Sing 365}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://music.yahoo.com/ar-288173-bio--Paul-Oakenfold |title=Paul Oakenfold Biography |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Yahoo Music}}</ref>

===Perfecto Records and fame: 1985–91===
{{Main|Perfecto Records}}
In 1987, Oakenfold travelled to the island of [[Ibiza]] for a week to celebrate his birthday. Trevor Fung, Nicky Holloway, Ian Saint Paul, Danny Rampling and Johnny Walker accompanied him. Oakenfold convinced the owner of a venue in England to host an "Ibiza Reunion" party after-hours. He had previously made an attempt, but it failed as the crowd was not prepared for the [[acid house]] style until 1987 when the party was successful. Since then, the night became a classic and became one of the UK's major acid house nights, known as "Spectrum at Heaven in Charing Cross". Spectrum became popular in The Sanctuary. As a bigger space was required, it turned into the Heaven club, which was run by Oakenfold and Paul. The party was best known for the "Theatre of Madness", as more than 1,500 people were present on Monday nights, until it went down; with the financial issues it changed its name to the "Land of Oz". Artists like [[Alex Paterson]] DJ'd in the VIP [[chillout]] area known as the "White Room", which gave Oakenfold more free time, and then he began producing music under the alias "[[Electra (band)|Electra]]" in 1988. Members included Nick Divaris, [[John Rocca|John "Johnny" Rocca]] and Micky. Also in 1988 he decided to create a place where new artists could develop their careers. At that moment, [[Perfecto Records]] was born.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.perfectorecords.com/ |title=About Perfecto |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Perfecto Records}}</ref>

He collaborated with his friend [[Steve Osborne]]<ref name="pobio" /> on various projects. In 1990, he worked with Terry Farley, [[Andrew Weatherall]] and Osborne on two remixes for [[Happy Mondays]]. The remixes of "Rave On" and "Hallelujah" were released on the ''Madchester Rave On'' EP, as well as "Step On", a covered version adapted from [[John Kongos]]' 1971 hit "He's Gonna Step On You". The song reached the Top 5 position in the UK.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} He was invited as a guest DJ to Spike Island, a [[gig (musical performance)|gig]] with [[The Stone Roses]]. Pleased with the last single, the Happy Mondays gave Oakenfold and Osborne the opportunity to produce their third studio album, ''[[Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/161904 |title=Happy Mondays – Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> The album entered the UK charts at #1 with pre-sales of 150,000. The album was named [[NME]]'s "1990 Album of The Year", and both Oakenfold and Osborne won the 1991 [[Brit Award]] for "Best Producer".<ref name="thrillscom">{{cite web |url=http://www.pills-n-thrills.com/happy-mondays-biography.html |title=Happy Mondays – Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref>

{{cquote|This is a tremendous record and a gauntlet chucked at all the other would-be legends in town... Wild, brash, corrosive funk rock, grimly northern and yet pan-cultural in a Tesco's shoplifter kind of way.|||says [[NME]] in a 9 out of 10 review.<ref name="thrillscom" />}}

As they continued releasing only four singles as [[Electra (band)|Electra]], in Full Frequency Range Recordings (FFRR) founded and run by [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1's]] [[Pete Tong]], the duo created a new alias under the name Perfecto. They remixed [[Massive Attack]]'s "Safe From Harm" as well as many others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Perfecto |title=Perfecto |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> [[Grace (band)|Grace]] was formed in the late 1990s, consisting of Oakenfold and Osborne and various singers, including jazz singer [[Dominique Atkins]] and Patti Low.

===Tours and nightclubs: 1992–2000===
{{Main|Zoo TV Tour|Glastonbury Festival|Grace (band)|Cream (nightclub)|Home (nightclub)}}
In 1992, when [[U2]] released their song "[[Even Better Than the Real Thing]]", the Perfecto remix reached a higher charted position than the original song. In 1993 with the success of his last remix as Perfecto, he was hired by [[U2]] to provide the warm-up sonics to their [[Zoo TV]] world tour, and replaced [[BP Fallon]] on the 1993 legs in [[Europe]] and [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and [[Japan]], with more than fifty shows in Zooropa '93 and Zoomerang from 7 May to 10 December of the same year.

<blockquote class="toccolours" style="text-align:left; width:30%; float:right; padding:10px 15px; display:table;">"There's no chance whatsoever. [[Seb Fontaine]] is our resident and is contracted until the end of the year. Paul will be doing some dates and playing [[Creamfields]] but that's it. I think his reason to leave ([[Home (nightclub)|Home]]) had more to do with increased demands on his time in the US." <p style="text-align: right;"> — <small>said a spokesperson from [[Cream (nightclub)|Cream]] to [http://www.nme.com/home nme.com]</small>.<ref name="notgoing">{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/3316 |title=Oakenfold's Not Going Back Home! |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref>
<br />
"The reason he left was simply because he had so much on this summer and he felt it wouldn't have been fair to play one week and not the other." <p style="text-align: right;"> — <small>added an Oakenfold spokesperson.</small><ref name="notgoing" />
<br />
"I disagreed with the way the club was going and it's time to move on." <p style="text-align: right;"> — <small>responded Paul Oakenfold.</small><ref name="backinfold">{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/3949 |title=Back In The Fold! |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref> </blockquote>

He began producing his own tracks as well, continuing to remix songs from popular artists. He began using [[Goa music]], something he discovered on the beaches of [[Goa]] in [[India]], fusing it with similar sounding European tracks to create his own distinct sound. He took this to the mainstream in 1994 and created a pair of two-hour sets for [[BBC Radio 1]]'s ''[[Essential Mix]]'' the first of these was broadcast in the early hours of Sunday 20 March 1994, with the second being the legendary "Goa Mix" broadcast on Sunday 18 December 1994. In 1995, he became the first DJ to play on the main stage at the [[Glastonbury Festival]] for 90,000 people, which he considers his favorite [[gig (musical performance)|gig]].<ref name="ministry" /> His album ''[[Perfecto Fluoro (Paul Oakenfold album)|Perfecto Fluoro]]'' became the #1 essential dance collection of Boston Beat during 1996 with [[Jamiroquai]]'s ''[[Travelling Without Moving]]''.<ref name="pobio" /> The group Grace dissolved in 1997 as Oakenfold was touring as a performance DJ more frequently and could not commit to recording.

On 9 June 1997 Oakenfold created ''[[GU004|Global Underground 004: Paul Oakenfold, Live in Oslo]]'' (GU004) which is a double mix CD in the [[Global Underground]] series, compiled and mixed by Oakenfold; it is the first work he created for GU. The mix was recorded live at Cosmopolite Club in [[Oslo]], [[Norway]], as part of the official launch of the [[Quart Festival]]. It showcases Oakenfold's eclectic taste in music at the time, as the mix combines various forms of dance music.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/36480 |title=Paul Oakenfold – Global Underground: Live In Oslo |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> In 1997, Oakenfold mixed one disc of the double album ''[[Fantazia Presents the House Collection 6]]'', a UK [[house music]] compilation series. Oakenfold became Cream's resident DJ from 1997 – 1999. During this time, he began to concentrate on the release of ''[[Tranceport (album)|Tranceport]]'' in 1998.

In 1998 and 1999, Oakenfold took the first place in "DJmag's Top 100 DJs". With the two-year contract as a resident in [[Liverpool]]'s Cream, it was in 1999 that he released ''[[Resident. Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream.]]'' on [[Virgin Records|Virgin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Resident-Two-Years-Oakenfold-Cream/dp/B00000ILM2 |title=Resident: Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream
|accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Amazon}}</ref> [[Thrive Records]], the US distributor for early [[Global Underground]] releases had a different numbering scheme for the Global Underground albums, due to this ''[[GU007|Global Underground 007: Paul Oakenfold, New York]]'' (GU007) was released as (GU002) in the United States only. The compilation was released on 25 May 1998, with the US release on 19 January 1999. This was the second production from Oakenfold with GU and it contained trance, [[drum and bass]], progressive house, progressive trance, [[breakbeat]] and [[Downtempo]]. This became his last work with GU.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

In 1999, he moved to the United States where he went on tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/oakenfold_paul/bio.jhtml |title=Paul Oakenfold |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=VH1}}</ref>

In 2000, he created fourteen tracks of jazz, soul, house and goa based styles with Mitchell Oakenfold. Twenty-four ''[[audio signal processing|FX]] and scratches'' loops and sounds were included too, each consisting of six seconds; the album cover says ''"Only for DJs and Producers"'' and was released on Music of Life.

In August and September 2000, he teamed up with [[Andy Gray (musician)|Andy Gray]] to write and produce the theme for the UK [[Big Brother (UK TV series)|Big Brother]] TV series under the name [[Elementfour]].

In September 2000 he opened the new [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|Digital Radio]] station [[Ministry of Sound Radio]] with a live mix from the famous London club.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pearlman |first=Julia |url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/470243/ministry-sound-debuts-cdquality-radio-station-realnetworks-radiopass/ |title=Ministry of Sound debuts CD-quality radio station on RealNetworks RadioPass - Brand Republic News |publisher=Brandrepublic.com |date=2005-04-13 |accessdate=2012-04-18}}</ref>

===Pioneer in America: 2000–01===
{{Main|Fresno|Area Festival|Swordfish (soundtrack)}}
After his success in Europe, one of Oakenfold's first major events in America was Fresno, California's [[Cyberfest]] on 22 July 2000. The 500 acre indoor and outdoor central California location had the biggest dance capacity ever in America. An estimated 80,000 dancers and music lovers from Seattle, Reno, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego were welcomed that day. Cyberfest 2000, also known as the "Festival Of The Future" featured other DJs such as Chemical Brothers, BT, and Carl Cox. Cyberfest 2000 paved the way for other major events in the area such as the Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles in 2010.

In 2001, Oakenfold took part in the first [[Area Festival]] tour. This tour featured [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]], [[Carl Cox]], [[The Orb]], [[OutKast]], and [[The Roots]]. He later released a new [[compilation album]], ''[[Perfecto Presents Ibiza|Perfecto Presents: Ibiza]]''.

Global Underground sold over 150,000 copies of Oakenfold's previous ''Global Underground: New York''. A spokesperson for the label claimed that in the US, demand for UK dance music had been increasing in the past couple of years, and now made up over two-thirds of the label's sales. The Global Underground New York office opened in on [[Ninth Avenue]] in [[Manhattan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/7788 |title=Boxed Takes Bite of Big Apple |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref> The Mekka Electronic Music Festival, otherwise known as the "electronic [[Lollapallooza]]" took place in ten cities in the US and [[Canada]] during August and September, including [[New York]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Toronto]] and [[San Francisco]]. The event featured Paul, [[Armand van Helden]], [[De La Soul]], [[LTJ Bukem]], [[Josh Wink]], [[Derrick Carter]], [[Roni Size]], [[Deep Dish]], [[Brian Transeau|BT]], [[Crystal Method]], [[Carl Craig]] and [[Überzone]]. Oakenfold next moved to [[Los Angeles]] to work on film soundtracks and to focus his DJing stateside.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/8555 |title=Electronic Performers |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref> In 2001 he created the soundtrack for the film ''[[Swordfish (film)|Swordfish]]'', ''[[Swordfish (soundtrack)|Swordfish: The Album]]'' contained a transformation of "Planet Rock" into a seven minute [[breakbeat]] trance anthem. Most of the tracks are collaborations with [[Andy Gray (musician)|Andy Gray]], the remix of [[N.E.R.D.]]'s "Lapdance" which gained total notability from other tracks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,1143070,00.html |title=Swordfish: The Album |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Artist Direct}}</ref> The soundtrack was produced under [[Village Roadshow]] and [[Warner Bros.]] and distributed through [[London-Sire Records]].

Oakenfold recorded a track with [[Crazy Town]] vocalist [[Shifty Shellshock]] at the end of the year for his new album. In an interview with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', Shellshock said that the track known as "[[Starry Eyed Surprise]]" was created after the pair met at a Crazy Town show.<ref name="starryeyed">{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/8721 |title=Oakenfold's Cray 'Starry-Eyed' Sensation |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref>

{{cquote|I am a big fan of his music and we just kicked back and talked and said that we should do something. I already laid the rough vocals for it and (we are) going to go in right when I'm done with this tour and finish it.|||said Shellshock.<ref name="starryeyed" />}}

===Bunkka: 2002–04===
{{Main|Bunkka|Creamfields}}
In 2002, ''[[Bunkka]]'' became his first official studio album when he signed to [[Maverick Records|Maverick]]. The name ''Bunkka'' came from [[Peter Gabriel]]'s studio in the UK, where the album was recorded. An extended play was released featuring live versions of four songs under Peoplesound Records.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/471930 |title=Oakenfold – Bunkka (Live) |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> It is also Oakenfold's best selling album to date, with sales largely exceeding 1,000,000 (1 million) copies worldwide.

{{cquote|For the past 10 years I've been creating music under various different names, but I was never comfortable with putting out an Oakenfold record... It was, however, an idea that I'd been thinking about for a long time and [[Steve Osborne]], my colleague in some of the production work I was doing at the time, kept putting pressure on me, saying ''"you should do it, you should do it"''. So eventually I felt it was time to make that record.|||said Paul Oakenfold.<ref name="pobio" />}}

<blockquote class="toccolours" style="text-align:left; width:30%; float:right; padding:10px 15px; display:table;">"I'm a big fan of [[Nelly Furtado]] and she's on the record. She's got this wonderful way about her, she's extremely talented and a great vocalist. Most of all she's good fun, she doesn't take it as seriously as some people do."

"I'd always wanted to do something that represented by own musical background... I grew up on pop music, I love guitar bands and I was very influenced and involved in hip-hop during the early days, so I wanted to build from those roots upwards rather than doing a contemporary dance record."<p style="text-align: right;"> — <small>said Paul Oakenfold on several interviews.</small><ref name="pobio" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/9801 |title=Oakey Ropes In Some Blokies! |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref></blockquote>


When it comes to a career the magnitude of Paul Oakenfold’s it’s hard to encompass one of the true legends of electronic music into just words. For over 3 decades he has elevated and shaped an entire genre and remains one of the leading forces in the global music scene today.
The album features vocals from Jane's Addiction vocalist [[Perry Farrell]] on "Time of Your Life" and [[Shifty Shellshock]] of Los Angeles rock and rap band [[Crazy Town]] on "[[Starry Eyed Surprise]]"; [[Ice Cube]] on "Get Em Up"; and [[Tricky]] and [[Nelly Furtado]] on "The Harder They Come". The album contains appearances by Asher D of [[So Solid Crew]] on "[[Southern Sun/Ready Steady Go|Ready Steady Go]]", and Grant Lee Philips, founder of the 90's Los Angeles rock band [[Grant Lee Buffalo]] is also included with [[Carmen Rizzo]]'s version of his song "Motion". Bunkka also provided the start to three new artists, [[Carla Werner]] on the smash single "[[Southern Sun/Ready Steady Go|Southern Sun]]", [[Tiff Lacey]] on "Hypnotized" and [[Emiliana Torrini]] on "Hold Your Hand". [[Hunter S. Thompson]]'s spoken words are provided on "Nixon's Spirit".<ref>{{cite news |first=Kevin|last=Perry |title=Paul Oakenfold interviewed about Hunter S. Thompson |url=http://kevinegperry.com/2007/10/09/paul-oakenfold-interview/ |publisher=[[The Beaver]] |date=9 October 2007 | location=London}}</ref> The world-renowned [[Pakistan]]i musician [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]'s composition was adapted in an electronic version on the tracks "Zoo York". In 2002, [[Q (magazine)|''Q'' magazine]] named Oakenfold in their list of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#Die... |title=Q–50 Bands You Must See Before You Die... |accessdate=2008-06-10 |publisher=Rock List Music}}</ref> In 2002, Oakenfold revealed he had struggled with [[dyslexia]] as a child and announced his intention to help dyslexic children.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/champions2002/pauloakenfold.html |title=www.literacytrust.org.uk – Reading Champions 2002 Paul Oakenfold}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://education.independent.co.uk/careers_advice/article319036.ece |title=Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Paul Oakenfold, DJ and producer | work=The Independent | location=London | first=Jonathan | last=Sale | date=13 October 2005 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref>
From the DJ booth of the world’s hottest dancefloors and festivals to the studio producing groundbreaking remixes or soundtracks forHollywood blockbuster movies, his diversity as an artist and ability as a performer have earned him accolades from critics and fans the world over. Gathering not 2 but 3 Grammy Nominations along the way – this journey has been an epic one to say the least.
But let's take a step back…


The son of a musician, Paul Oakenfold always knew music would play a major role in his life. He wasdrawn to DJing in the late '70s - spinning Funk in the cool hang outs of London’s Covent Garden.
In 2002, Oakenfold remixed [[David Arnold]]'s "[[James Bond Theme]]", the song was released under [[Warner Bros. Records]] and was followed by the album's next two singles after "Starry Eyed Surprise", "[[Southern Sun / Ready Steady Go|Ready Steady Go]]" and "[[Southern Sun / Ready Steady Go|Southern Sun]]". "Southern Sun" with [[Carla Werner]] was first issued as a [[B-Side]] of "Ready Steady Go" until it was included on [[Tiësto]]'s ''[[In Search of Sunrise 3: Panama]]'' compilation with his own remix of the song. "Southern Sun" became a smashing hit as it was then released as the [[A-Side]] of "Ready Steady Go" in mid-2002, "Ready Steady Go" was featured in [[Saab]] commercials, the [[EA Sports]] game [[Tiger Woods PGA Tour]] 2003, [[THQ]] game ''[[Juiced (video game)|Juiced]]'', the pilot for the television program ''[[Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas]]'', and as the [[NASCAR]] theme song for 2006.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} It appears in the video game series [[Dance Dance Revolution]] in DDR Ultramix for the [[Xbox]], [[Fastlane (TV series)|Fastlane]] episode "Dogtown" and the [[Alias (TV series)|Alias]] episode "Snowman". Ready Steady Go was also listed as the number 1 song that makes you drive faster by [[UpVenue]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Terr |url=http://www.upvenue.com/article/1247-top-10-songs-that-make-you-drive-faster.html |title=Top 10 songs that make you drive faster |publisher=Upvenue.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-30}}</ref> Also in 2003 he remixed another hit soundtrack for 'Elvis Presley' which charted fairly well after his 2003 remix of "Rubberneckin'" made the top three in Australia and top five in the UK. This remix contributed to the [[Elvis Presley phenomenon#Elvis in the 21st century|Elvis of the 21st century]]. In an earlier episode, "The Imposter", of [[Radio Free Roscoe]], a 2005 series on [[The N]], a character Travis Strong DJed to the song, acting as if it were his own. It has more recently been used in the film adaptation ([[Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker]]) of [[Anthony Horowitz]]'s novel [[Stormbreaker (novel)|Stormbreaker]], [[The Bourne Identity (2002 film)|The Bourne Identity]] and it was reproduced with [[Korean language|Korean]] lyrics for the film ''[[Collateral (film)|Collateral]]'', the song has also been used during the performances of extreme freestyle water ski jumpers, the song later became the theme song for the TV Show [[TRL Italy]] since 2003 until 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Paul+Oakenfold |title=Paul Oakenfold |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> An EP of "The Harder They Come" was released on Perfecto and featured other works from Oakenfold and other artists. On the [[Creamfields]] event, in 2002 at Speke Airfield DJs such as Oakenfold, Seb Fontaine, [[Paul van Dyk]] performed along [[Dave Clarke (techno DJ)|Dave Clarke]], [[Jon Carter]], [[Richie Hawtin]] and [[Felix Da Housecat]], the event also featured live appearances from [[Basement Jaxx]], [[All Saints (group)|All Saints]], [[Death In Vegas]] and [[Moloko]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/4138 |title=All Systmes Go For Creamfields |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=NME}}</ref> In 2003 he released the fourth single of his album, ''Hypnotized'' which became successful enough to be included on Paul's next compilation from the "Perfecto Presents..." series, "[[Perfecto Presents Great Wall|Perfecto Presents: Great Wall]]" included the [[Deepsky]] remix of the song as well as tracks like [[Gabriel & Dresden|Motorcycle's]] "[[As the Rush Comes]]", [[Björk]]'s "[[Pagan Poetry]]", [[UNKLE]]'s remix of [[Ian Brown]]'s "[[F.E.A.R. (song)|F.E.A.R.]]" and Paul's recent remix of [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna's]] "[[Hollywood (Madonna song)|Hollywood]]" song.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/194502 |title=Paul Oakenfold – Perfecto Presents... Great Wall |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> In 2003 he produced a remix of ''[[Pourvu qu'elles soient douces]]'', a 1988 hit by French pop icon [[Mylène Farmer]].


In the '80s two life-changing trips took place. Trips that each played their role in defining a generation.
With the event of [[Creamfields]] that took place in 2004, Oakenfold released a compilation of songs he played during the event as well as tracks influenced by the environment and the vibe of deejays such as [[Paul Van Dyk]], [[Armin Van Buuren]], [[Ferry Corsten]], [[Judge Jules]], [[Fergie (singer)|Fergie]], [[Tall Paul]], [[Eddie Halliwell]], [[Christopher Lawrence (DJ)|Chris Lawrence]], Adam Sheridan, [[Shan]], and [[Alex Kidd]] at the [[Cream (nightclub)|Cream]]/[[Goodgreef]] and [[Mixmag]] Arena.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/music/2004/04/creamfields04/index.shtml |title=Liverpool Music – Creamfields |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>


In 1984 Paul spent several months living in New York Cityworking in A&R for the famed Champion Records – where he signed DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, as well as Salt-n-Pepa. He also became promoter and British agent for the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C.
===''A Lively Mind'', Greatest Hits and side work: 2005–07===
{{Main|Hollywood Bowl||Confessions Tour|A Lively Mind|Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1}}
In 2005, Oakenfold was contacted by the car manufacturer [[Toyota]] to create a free promotional CD available from [[aygo]].com to promote a new Toyota car. The CD contained only seven songs which he worked on with Ian Green; the album was entitled ''Feed Your Mind''.


The second trip was in 1987 - this time taking Paul to the White Isle of Ibiza. Here he discovered the Balearic sound that filled the Ibiza air at clubs such as Amnesia. Inspired, he took the music and experiences back to the UK and became its ambassador – starting an underground scene in London, which soon spread virally across the entire country and beyond.
{{cquote|I think the [[Hollywood Bowl]] was the most memorable experience. It's a very unique venue that never had a DJ play there before me. The likes of [[Frank Sinatra]] and the [[Beatles]] had performed there so it's a truly magnificent place – it holds about 15,000 – and it was a big achievement for me as much as Wembley and the Great Wall because it had never been done. After seeing that gig, [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s management were there and asked me to be the opening act for her on her 2006 tour, which also added to the experience!|||said Oakenfold in a [[Ministry of Sound]] interview.</small><ref name="ministry">{{cite web |url=http://www.ministryofsound.com/news/features/20071108_oakenfoldinterview |title=Paul Oakenfold Interview |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Ministry of Sound}}</ref>}} During Paul's career he has remixed a variety of songs from [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], like "[[What It Feels Like for a Girl]]", "[[Hollywood (Madonna song)|Hollywood]]", "[[American Life (song)|American Life]]", "[[Sorry (Madonna song)|Sorry]]" and later in 2008 "[[Give It 2 Me]]" from her album ''[[Hard Candy (Madonna album)|Hard Candy]]'', Oakenfold went on tour with Madonna for two months opening her presentation in the [[Confessions Tour]], previously he had supported her in 2004 at [[Slane Castle]] in [[Ireland]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.twopandas.com/paul-oakenfold-madonna |title=Paul Oakenfold supports Madonna on her tour |accessdate=2008-06-12 |publisher=Two Pandas}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> His sets lasted for an hour and a half, followed by Madonna's two-hour show.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kittyradio.com/soapbox/jukebox/8487-madonna-tour-info-stadiums-get-new-look-stage.html |title=Madonna Tour info: Stadiums to get new look stage |accessdate=2008-06-12 |publisher=Kitty Radio}}</ref>
Paul returned to Ibiza again and again - often holding residencies at the Island’s two main clubbing institutions Amnesia and Pacha. Around the same time Ministry Of Sound in London opened its doors for the first time with Paul Oakenfold as their resident. However it was his famed residency at UK super-club Cream in Liverpool during the late '90s that brought Paul global respect as a true master of his art.


This residency was celebrated through the Grammy nominated 2004 compilation "Creamfields" (Paul went on to receive a second Grammy nomination in 2007 with his artist album, “A Lively Mind” and then again in 2009 for his production work with Madonna).
Oakenfold remixed the ''[[Transformers]]'' theme as the theme song for the TV series, ''[[Transformers Cybertron]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=news&newsid=F6E38F1E-D56F-E112-4253C9282681216D |title=Paul Oakenfold Transformers Remix |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Hasbro |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080411063738/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=news&newsid=F6E38F1E-D56F-E112-4253C9282681216D <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-04-11}}</ref> He also contributed with his single "Beautiful Goal" for the [[FIFA Football 2005]] video game. His single "Ready Steady Go" was composed for the 2005 video game ''[[Juiced (video game)|Juiced]]''. His second studio album, ''[[A Lively Mind]]'' was released on 6 June 2006. Receiving unsuccessful reviews, the first single "[[Faster Kill Pussycat]]", a collaboration with the actress [[Brittany Murphy]], was released on 2 May 2006; the second single was "[[Sex 'n' Money]]". Both songs stand out from the rest, as most of the album has a more trance-like feel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/reviews/article/paul-oakenfold-a-lively-mind/ |title=Paul Oakenfold: A Lively Mind |accessdate=2008-06-11 |publisher=Pop Matters}}</ref> Gregory Jeffries from [[Allmusic]] stated the album might have been in the nominated albums of dance music in 1997 but not in 2006, as the album has guitars with disco sounds that might be only appealing to trance addicts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://shop.mtv.com/A-Lively-Mind-2007-Grammy-Awards_stcVVproductId4258976VVcatId424651VVviewprod.htm |title=A Lively Mind |accessdate=2008-08-18 |publisher=MTV}}</ref>


Paul Oakenfold’s stature as a DJ and entertainer has taken him beyond the normal club and festival circuit, playing landmark gigs that have changed the face of electronic music. Highlights include three worldwide tours warming up for Madonna and U2 (with both artists insisting on a DJ set from Paul instead of a support band); performing on the Great Wall of China and two sold out dates playing to 30,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl in California. In 2011 Paul took a thousand people and a huge sound system down to the southern most tip of South America – on the Tiera Del Fuego peninsular to DJ all night under the stars at his Party at The End of The World - the Southern most party ever held.
<blockquote class="toccolours" style="text-align:left; width:30%; float:right; padding:10px 15px; display:table;">"I've done so many remixes from the likes of the [[Rolling Stones]] to Snoop Dogg etc, but you can only get a certain amount on the CD. It was difficult for me but I had to choose what I wanted and what I felt were the best mixes that showcased my art in the best way."<p style="text-align: right;"> — <small> said Oakenfold.</small><ref name="ministry" /></blockquote>
In 2007, he played live at the [[Boston Pops]] which created a piece of orchestral music with electronic music. The event took place in Miami for 10,000 people with a 75-piece orchestra, he wrote a piece of music which he described as "difficult".<ref name="ministry" /> In 2007 he was nominated to 2 [[International Dance Music Awards]] (IDMA) at the [[Winter Music Conference]] (WMC), ''Best Underground Dance Track'' for "Faster Kill Pussycat" and ''Best Full Length DJ Mix CD'' for "[[A Lively Mind]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pauloakenfold.com/ |title=Oakenfold Nominated For 2 IDMAs |accessdate=2008-06-12 |publisher=Paul Oakenfold}}</ref> 2007 saw the publication of the first official biography of Paul Oakenfold, written by [[Richard Norris (musician)|Richard Norris]] of The Grid and Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve fame. ''Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography'' was published by [[Bantam Press]] on 24 September 2007. Oakenfold is said to be a big fan of [[Chelsea F.C.]] It was thought that he played a zombie in the movie ''[[28 Weeks Later]]'' however this is incorrect, he was offered the opportunity but turned it down. He also scored the soundtrack for the 2007 Japanese CGI anime film ''[[Vexille]]''.


A year after his visit to Ibiza, Perfecto Records was born. Founded in 1988, Paul Oakenfold’s groundbreaking Perfecto label played an integral role in the birth of melodic trance and epic progressive house, with Paul at the helm producing massive international hits such as “Not Over Yet”, “Bullet In The Gun” and “Southern Sun”. With countless high profile releases and remixes in its path, Perfecto Records is still the benchmark to which so many labels measure themselves. 20+ years later, Perfecto remains as cutting edge and popular as ever, even resurrecting its Perfecto Fluoro sublabel in 2011. Probably Perfecto’s most notable release was the recent double album “Perfecto Las Vegas” which held the #1 spot on the US iTunes dance chart for several weeks. This release solidified Paul’s stronghold as an International DJ power player achieving the highest selling DJ compilation ever released in US history – with over half a million sales.
[[Image:Paul Oakenfold Greatest Hits & Remixes.jpg|thumb|130px|left|[[Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1]]]]
Paul has produced pop sensations U2, Madonna and The Happy Mondays as well as three acclaimed artist albums of his own. He has remixed Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, JustinTimberlake, Bruno Mars…
In October 2007 he released his [[Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1]] which features his best performance tracks. Oakenfold was a judge for the 6th and 7th annual [[The Independent Music Awards|Independent Music Awards]]. In October 2007 Oakenfold remixed [[Britney Spears]]' number one hit [[Gimme More]], which became the lead remix off the release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/pastjudges.asp |title=Independent Music Awards – Past Judges |publisher=Independentmusicawards.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-30}}</ref> Oakenfold has created more than one hundred remixes, and has sold over 5,000,000 (5 million) [[long play]]s.<ref name="ministry" /> More recently, he has been touring in [[United Kingdom|British]] [[universities]] to promote his new album and [[autobiography]]. The tribute album was released in November in the [[United Kingdom]] with a 2 CD set and a 3 CD version with the same number of songs. It was also released in the [[United States]] with only 20 tracks in one CD; it featured some remixes from the original version but it also included two new remixes which are; [[Justin Timberlake]]'s "[[My Love (Justin Timberlake song)|My Love]]" song and his remix of [[Hans Zimmer]]'s "[[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Remixes|Jack Theme Suite]]" which was used for the film [[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End]]. Exclusive 2008 remixes from Oakenfold were also included from [[Mark Ronson]]'s "[[Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before|Stop Me]]" song, [[Radiohead]]'s "[[Everything In Its Right Place]]", Eisbaer from Grovezone, "[[Missing (Everything but the Girl song)|Missing]]" by [[Everything But The Girl]] and a remix of Paul's own "Southern Sun". Releases with Catalog#: ''UL 1602-2'' included a [[DVD]] of live show and documentary. The compilation consists of tracks which influenced his career and musical persona, with artists such as [[The Cure]], [[Happy Mondays]], [[The Stone Roses]], [[Massive Attack]], [[U2]], [[Olive (band)|Olive]], [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], and [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1254722 |title=Paul Oakenfold – Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1 |accessdate=2008-06-12 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref>


He has released over 30 DJ mix compilations and recorded 36 Essential Mixes for BBC Radio 1 including the first ever one in 1993.
===''Pop Killer'' and film scores: 2008–present===
In recent years Paul has also been responsible for creating breathtaking film scores and cues for a long list of Hollywood blockbusters – including The Bourne Identity, Matrix Reloaded, Shrek 2, Swordfish and Collateral. But his most anticipated release is yet to come.
{{Main|Sticky & Sweet Tour}}
[[File:Paul Oakenfold 2009.jpg|thumb|right|Oakenfold in 2009]]
In 2008, he released the last single from his last studio album, ''Not Over''. This was a new version "[[Not Over Yet]]" which he produced while working with Osborne as [[Grace (band)|Grace]] and in collaboration with [[Ryan Tedder]] from [[OneRepublic]]. The song was covered by [[Klaxons]] as "[[It's Not Over Yet]]". In 2008, Oakenfold worked on [[film scores]] for various films and television programs such as ''[[Californication (TV series)|Californication]]'', ''[[The Heavy (film)|The Heavy]]'', ''[[Fever]]'', ''[[The Bourne Identity (2002 film)|The Bourne Identity]]'', and ''[[Speed Racer]]''. In mid-July Oakenfold ended his world tour promoting his greatest hits album. He also joined [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] again in her [[Sticky & Sweet Tour]] in [[London]], [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]], [[Buenos Aires]], [[Rio de Janeiro]] and [[Sao Paulo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mixmag.net/content/oakenfold-open-madonna-wembley |title=Oakenfold to open for Madonna at Wembley |accessdate=2008-06-27 |publisher=MixMag}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> After touring, he began his residency in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] on 30 August, where he plans to release a new album titled "Decade of Dance" and write the score for the film ''[[Nothing Like the Holidays|Humboldt Park]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ibiza/ibizainterviews/article1344955.ece |title=Oakenfold on the White Isle |accessdate=2008-07-18 |publisher=The Sun |location=London |first=Luke |last=Bishop |date=26 June 2008}}</ref> In the fall of 2008, he started his first Resident DJ position in the United States. "Paul Oakenfold Presents: Perfecto Las Vegas" was conceptualized specifically for [[Rain Nightclub]], the legendary {{convert|25000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} nightclub and concert venue at the [[Palms Casino Resort]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palms_Casino_Resort |title=Palms Casino Resort |work=en.wikipedia.org}}</ref> known for its special effects and international headliner acts. From July to August 2009, he again opened Madonna's concerts for the Sticky & Sweet Tour in Europe. In 2009 Paul's third studio album was announced to be actually named, "Pop Killer", and not "Decade of Dance" as the article from ''The Sun'' stated.


Paul Oakenfold’s forthcoming album "Pop Killer" is scheduled for a 2013 release. It features collaborations with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gnarls Barkley, OneRepublic and B.O.B.
He also worked with [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] on her third greatest hits collection [[Celebration (Madonna album)|Celebration]] and her final release with [[Warner Bros.]] Records. The first single was released on 3 August 2009, it is also titled "[[Celebration (Madonna song)|Celebration]]" and was produced by Oakenfold. He also remixed a past demo "It's So Cool" from ''[[American Life (album)|American Life]]'', and it is included as a bonus track on iTunes.
Astonishingly, despite all his success in the worlds of chart music and film, Paul Oakenfold has continued to tour relentlessly – playing over 200 shows in 2012 on his We Are Planet Perfecto in the US and Four Seasonsworldwide tours.


His weekly residency at legendary Vegas club Rain at Palms Casino Resort gave birth to a scene which many now credit as being at the epicenter of the US dance explosion.
Oakenfold remixed a song called "Firefly" from the [[Matt Goss]] album, ''Gossy''. In 2010, Oakenfold returned to the US as a DJ at [[Rain Nightclub]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/places/rain-nightclub/ |title=Rain Nightclub |author= |date= |work= |publisher=[[Las Vegas Sun]] |accessdate=3 October 2010}}</ref>
Paul Oakenfold’s weekly Planet Perfecto radio show is syndicated worldwide to 50 stations in 41 countries. 17 million people tune in every week to hear the hottest records in the world according to Paul Oakenfold.


Paul’s 2011 album “Nevermind The Bollocks… here’s Paul Oakenfold” saw a return to Europe with his refreshed underground Full on Fluoro sound. His 2012 Four Seasons live shows and box set compilation album reaffirmed his position as a pioneer and ambassador of quality underground trance.
Oakenfold performed on Halloween at the 2010 Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, Louisiana.


Paul’s We Are Planet Perfecto album series which now nears its third release, celebrates allsides to Paul’s versatile and non genre confirming sound as well as the equally ambidextrous sounds of his Perfecto and Perfecto Fluoro record labels.
In February 2012, Oakenfold headlined a huge one-off event for club brand Goodgreef at the famous Tall Trees venue in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pumped Audio chats to Paul Oakenfold|url=http://www.pumpedaudio.com/interviews/pumped-audio-chats-to-paul-oakenfold-2/|work=Pumped Audio|accessdate=23 October 2012}}</ref> Later in the year, he performed alongside Californian band [[Train (band)|Train]] at the [[Google I/O]] June 2012 After Party at Moscone Center in [[San Francisco]].


Whether you are listening online, CD, watching a commercial or movie, in a club, at a festival, tuned into the radio or playing a videogame; Paul’s omnimedia presence is felt everywhere.
Recently Paul Oakenfold wrote two songs for [[Cher]]'s new album: ''Woman's World'' and ''Collide''. The first single from her upcoming album is expected to be ''Woman's World''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chernews.blogspot.com.br/2012/10/new-cher-album-information-two-song.html |title=New Cher Album Information: Two Song Titles Revealed! |author= |date= |work= |publisher=[[Cher News]] |accessdate=16 October 2012}}</ref>
Paul Oakenfold is the original pioneer of DJ culture and is its most recognizable icon.


==Discography==
==Discography==

Revision as of 11:52, 12 December 2012

Paul Oakenfold
Birth namePaul Mark Oakenfold
Also known asElectra, Oakenfold
Born (1963-08-30) 30 August 1963 (age 60)
London, England, UK
OriginLondon, England, UK
GenresHouse, acid house, electronica, trance, Goa trance, big beat, film score
Occupation(s)Disc jockey, remixer, actor, record producer, chef[1]
Instrument(s)Synthesizer, turntables
Years active1980–present
LabelsMaverick/Perfecto
Websitewww.pauloakenfold.com

Paul Mark Oakenfold (born 30 August 1963)[2] is an English record producer and trance DJ.

Biography

When it comes to a career the magnitude of Paul Oakenfold’s it’s hard to encompass one of the true legends of electronic music into just words. For over 3 decades he has elevated and shaped an entire genre and remains one of the leading forces in the global music scene today. From the DJ booth of the world’s hottest dancefloors and festivals to the studio producing groundbreaking remixes or soundtracks forHollywood blockbuster movies, his diversity as an artist and ability as a performer have earned him accolades from critics and fans the world over. Gathering not 2 but 3 Grammy Nominations along the way – this journey has been an epic one to say the least. But let's take a step back…

The son of a musician, Paul Oakenfold always knew music would play a major role in his life. He wasdrawn to DJing in the late '70s - spinning Funk in the cool hang outs of London’s Covent Garden.

In the '80s two life-changing trips took place. Trips that each played their role in defining a generation.

In 1984 Paul spent several months living in New York Cityworking in A&R for the famed Champion Records – where he signed DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, as well as Salt-n-Pepa. He also became promoter and British agent for the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C.

The second trip was in 1987 - this time taking Paul to the White Isle of Ibiza. Here he discovered the Balearic sound that filled the Ibiza air at clubs such as Amnesia. Inspired, he took the music and experiences back to the UK and became its ambassador – starting an underground scene in London, which soon spread virally across the entire country and beyond. Paul returned to Ibiza again and again - often holding residencies at the Island’s two main clubbing institutions Amnesia and Pacha. Around the same time Ministry Of Sound in London opened its doors for the first time with Paul Oakenfold as their resident. However it was his famed residency at UK super-club Cream in Liverpool during the late '90s that brought Paul global respect as a true master of his art.

This residency was celebrated through the Grammy nominated 2004 compilation "Creamfields" (Paul went on to receive a second Grammy nomination in 2007 with his artist album, “A Lively Mind” and then again in 2009 for his production work with Madonna).

Paul Oakenfold’s stature as a DJ and entertainer has taken him beyond the normal club and festival circuit, playing landmark gigs that have changed the face of electronic music. Highlights include three worldwide tours warming up for Madonna and U2 (with both artists insisting on a DJ set from Paul instead of a support band); performing on the Great Wall of China and two sold out dates playing to 30,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl in California. In 2011 Paul took a thousand people and a huge sound system down to the southern most tip of South America – on the Tiera Del Fuego peninsular to DJ all night under the stars at his Party at The End of The World - the Southern most party ever held.

A year after his visit to Ibiza, Perfecto Records was born. Founded in 1988, Paul Oakenfold’s groundbreaking Perfecto label played an integral role in the birth of melodic trance and epic progressive house, with Paul at the helm producing massive international hits such as “Not Over Yet”, “Bullet In The Gun” and “Southern Sun”. With countless high profile releases and remixes in its path, Perfecto Records is still the benchmark to which so many labels measure themselves. 20+ years later, Perfecto remains as cutting edge and popular as ever, even resurrecting its Perfecto Fluoro sublabel in 2011. Probably Perfecto’s most notable release was the recent double album “Perfecto Las Vegas” which held the #1 spot on the US iTunes dance chart for several weeks. This release solidified Paul’s stronghold as an International DJ power player achieving the highest selling DJ compilation ever released in US history – with over half a million sales. Paul has produced pop sensations U2, Madonna and The Happy Mondays as well as three acclaimed artist albums of his own. He has remixed Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, JustinTimberlake, Bruno Mars…

He has released over 30 DJ mix compilations and recorded 36 Essential Mixes for BBC Radio 1 including the first ever one in 1993. In recent years Paul has also been responsible for creating breathtaking film scores and cues for a long list of Hollywood blockbusters – including The Bourne Identity, Matrix Reloaded, Shrek 2, Swordfish and Collateral. But his most anticipated release is yet to come.

Paul Oakenfold’s forthcoming album "Pop Killer" is scheduled for a 2013 release. It features collaborations with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gnarls Barkley, OneRepublic and B.O.B. Astonishingly, despite all his success in the worlds of chart music and film, Paul Oakenfold has continued to tour relentlessly – playing over 200 shows in 2012 on his We Are Planet Perfecto in the US and Four Seasonsworldwide tours.

His weekly residency at legendary Vegas club Rain at Palms Casino Resort gave birth to a scene which many now credit as being at the epicenter of the US dance explosion. Paul Oakenfold’s weekly Planet Perfecto radio show is syndicated worldwide to 50 stations in 41 countries. 17 million people tune in every week to hear the hottest records in the world according to Paul Oakenfold.

Paul’s 2011 album “Nevermind The Bollocks… here’s Paul Oakenfold” saw a return to Europe with his refreshed underground Full on Fluoro sound. His 2012 Four Seasons live shows and box set compilation album reaffirmed his position as a pioneer and ambassador of quality underground trance.

Paul’s We Are Planet Perfecto album series which now nears its third release, celebrates allsides to Paul’s versatile and non genre confirming sound as well as the equally ambidextrous sounds of his Perfecto and Perfecto Fluoro record labels.

Whether you are listening online, CD, watching a commercial or movie, in a club, at a festival, tuned into the radio or playing a videogame; Paul’s omnimedia presence is felt everywhere. Paul Oakenfold is the original pioneer of DJ culture and is its most recognizable icon.

Discography

Main article: Paul Oakenfold discography

Albums

Studio Albums

DJ Tools

  • 2000 Bust A Groove
  • 2000 Sampladelica: The Roots of Paul Oakenfold
  • 2006 The Ultimate DJ Sample Box (with Norman Cook)

DJ Mixes

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DVDs

Filmography

See also

References

  1. ^ "Interview with Paul Oakenfold". About. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  2. ^ Sale, Jonathan (13 October 2005). "Paul Oakenfold". London: Education Independent. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  3. ^ Allison, Luna (4 July 2012). "Gay people and electronic music". Xtra.ca. Retrieved 30 July 2012.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Paul Oakenfold.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by DJ Magazine Number 1 DJ
1998–1999 		Succeeded by

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