Oregon daily emerald., February 22, 2001, Page 2, Image 22

PERSONALITY PROFILE
Paul Oakenfold
British DJ/producer storms the States
By Douglas Desmond
Anyone who's into dance music has heard of Paul Oakenfold. One of the most successful
DJs alive, he’s spun his melodic progressive trance all over the planet. Although he’s
been popular in Europe and Asia for years—he opened some European dates of U2’s
ZooTV tour and plays for thousands of fans every weekend—it wasn’t until the 1998
release of Trancesport (Kinetic Records) that he became known in the States. Now he’s
mixed a new double-CD specifically for the American market, Perfecto Presents Another
World (London/Sire), to showcase more diverse material. It moves smoothly from under
ground trance hits to a brilliant remix of Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” to
music from Bladerunner over the course of two superbly programmed sets.
Born in London, Oakenfold first gained exposure to DJ culture in New York, where he
danced at trendsetting early ’80s nightclubs like Studio 54 and the Paradise Garage. He
then returned to England—where he popularized acid house and early techno after hearing
it on a holiday trip to Ibiza—before embracing trance in the mid-’90s. He has enjoyed a
second career as a producer, working with or remixing acts as diverse as U2, Snoop Dogg
and the Rolling Stones.
Meet Paul Oakenfold
STS: You said several years ago that America lags behind Europe in the appreciation of
dance music. Has America caught up?
PO: Absolutely. It was behind in the sense that dance music actually came from America,
America started it—the English just took it and gave it a twist. Then dance culture became
youth culture in England, whereas in America it was obviously more driven by rock and
R&B and hip-hop. Now I actually think it’s better here. It’s fresh, it’s exciting, it’s fun—
that's why I got into this business. In England it’s very political, because it’s a billion-dollar
business. Here it’s really young and exciting. In England they want to be a DJ because of
the money. Here you’re all into it for the love of the music.
STS: Do you have any advice for someone interested in getting into the industry either as
a DJ or in promotions?
PO: Just focus on what you’re doing, and try to be as original as possible. From a DJing
point of view, get demos out. If you want to get into the record business, write loads of
letters and follow them up. Be as professional as possible. And for producers, these days
it’s much easier because you can just burn a CD-R. So make it, and then burn it onto CD,
and then give it to the DJs you want to hear it.
STS: What are you working on at the moment?
PO: I’m working on the score for a summer blockbuster called Swordfish, a $90 million
John Travolta film. And I’ve just done the remix for a Darren Aronofsky movie called
Requiem for a Dream. I’m layering dance beats and various different things. At the
moment we’re using Pro-Tools [a computer-based studio]. I like to get in as many live
musicians as possible, record what they’re doing, then put it in Pro-Tools and start edit
ing it. I also have a show that will be on university radio. It’s going to be a mix show, not
just underground dance stuff, but bands that I’ve worked with. I’ve just finished the dance
mix of the new U2 record.
STS: How do you think that the Internet will affect the development of dance music?
PO: It’s a very good medium for dance, and it becomes like an underground network.
Brazil’s a perfect example. I was actually in Brazil a month-and-a-half ago. I doubt if
there is a single club that will be playing, say, speed garage,
in Brazil. People in Brazil would never be able to listen to Want More?
speed garage unless it was through the Internet. So that's
why it’s important. •
Search keyword: Oakenfold
at www.steamtunnels.net
1
r m m a l#> m
On success as a DJ: "Be as
original as possible. Get demos
out. Write loads of letters and
follow them up. Be as
professional as possible."
STATS
DOB: Aug. 30, 1965
Born and raised: London
College: Westminister Tech
Major: "I’m a fully qualified chef.”
Favorite food: “Anything from a cafete
ria to a plush restaurant. From Cuban
food to Japanese, I like all kinds.”
Favorite web sites: NASA (nasa.gov),
the Four Seasons (fourseasons.com),
the Chelsea football club
(chelseafc.co.uk).
To students: “Thanks for the support.
Universities and colleges have always
been an important part of what I do.
One day I would like to do a tour of uni
versities in America.”