Paul Oakenfold facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Oakenfold
Oakenfold in 2021 for his Shine On Album
Background information
Birth name	Paul Mark Oakenfold
Also known as	Bunkka Electra Elementfour Perfecto Perfecto Records Perfecto Allstarz Planet Perfecto Rise Virus Wild Colour
Born	(1963-08-30) 30 August 1963 (age 61) Mile End, London, England, UK
Origin	Greenhithe, Kent, England, UK
Genres	Electronic acid house trance Goa trance breakbeat big beat dance-pop
Occupation(s)	Disc jockey remixer actor record producer chef
Instruments	Synthesizer turntables
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Perfecto (UK) Maverick (US) Warner Bros. (UK and US)
Associated acts	Steve Osborne Andy Gray Rihanna Brittany Murphy Madonna Grace Mylène Farmer Movement 98 Shifty Shellshock Sophie Ellis-Bextor Cher

Paul Mark Oakenfold, born on August 30, 1963, is a famous English music artist. He is known as a record producer, a remixer (someone who changes a song to make it sound different), and a DJ who plays trance music. He has created over 100 remixes for many popular artists like U2, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. Paul Oakenfold was voted the number one DJ in the world twice, in 1998 and 1999, by DJ Magazine.

Biography

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Paul Oakenfold was born in Mile End, London, on August 30, 1963. He lived in different places in England, including Highbury and Greenhithe. Before becoming a DJ, he studied to be a chef for four years.

His music journey started in the late 1970s. He met Trevor Fung and began helping him play soul music at a wine bar in London. In 1981, when he was 18, Paul moved to New York City with a friend. There, he worked as a courier. During this time, hip-hop music was becoming very popular. Paul and his friend visited many dance clubs and even met famous musicians like Bob Marley.

When he returned to London, Paul started working as an A&R (Artists and Repertoire) person for Champion Records. This job involved finding new musical talent. He helped sign artists like DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and Salt-n-Pepa. He even appeared on the BBC children's show Blue Peter with a breakdancing group. He also helped promote famous groups like the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C..

Perfecto Records and Rising Fame: 1985–1991

In 1987, Paul Oakenfold went to the island of Ibiza for his birthday. This trip inspired him to bring the "acid house" music style back to England. He started a successful club night called Spectrum in London, which became very popular.

Around this time, he also began producing his own music under the name "Electra" and later "Perfecto." In 1988, he decided to create his own record label, Perfecto Records, to help new artists.

He worked closely with his friend Steve Osborne on many projects. In 1990, they remixed songs for the band Happy Mondays, which became very successful and reached the top 5 in the UK music charts. Paul and Steve then produced the Happy Mondays' album, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, which became a number one album in the UK. They even won a Brit Award for Best Producer in 1991. In 1991, they also remixed "Safe from Harm" by Massive Attack.

Tours and Nightclubs: 1992–2000

In 1992, Paul Oakenfold's remix of U2's song "Even Better Than the Real Thing" became more popular than the original. Because of this success, U2 hired him to play music before their concerts on their Zoo TV world tour in 1993.

Also in 1993, Paul and Steve Osborne formed a music project called Grace. They released several popular songs in the UK. Paul also continued to remix songs for famous bands like the Rolling Stones and Duran Duran.

He started creating his own unique sound by mixing "Goa music" (a type of electronic music) with other European tracks. He shared this new sound with a wider audience through his two-hour sets on BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix, especially The Goa Mix in 1994. His album Perfecto Fluoro became a top dance music collection in 1996.

From 1997 to 1999, Paul was the main DJ at the famous Cream nightclub in Liverpool. During this time, he released the album Tranceport in 1998. In both 1998 and 1999, DJ Mag named him the number one DJ in the world.

In 1999, Paul Oakenfold made history by being the first DJ to play on the main stage at the Glastonbury Festival for 90,000 people. He considers this one of his favorite performances. He also moved to the United States and started touring there.

In 2000, he worked with Andy Gray to create the theme song for the popular UK reality TV show Big Brother under the name Elementfour. He also composed the soundtrack for the video game EA's Euro 2000.

Becoming a Pioneer in America: 2000–2001

After his success in Europe, Paul Oakenfold became a major name in America. One of his first big events was Cyberfest in Fresno, California, in July 2000, which attracted around 80,000 people. This event helped pave the way for other large dance music festivals in the US.

In 2001, Paul joined the first Area Festival tour, performing alongside groups like Incubus and OutKast. He also released a new collection of songs called Perfecto Presents: Ibiza.

That same year, he created the soundtrack for the film Swordfish, which included a famous remix of "Planet Rock." Most of the songs on the soundtrack were collaborations with Andy Gray. Paul then moved to Los Angeles to focus more on film soundtracks and DJing in the United States.

The Bunkka Album: 2002–2004

In 2002, Paul Oakenfold released his first official studio album, Bunkka. The album was named after Peter Gabriel's studio where it was recorded. Bunkka became his best-selling album, selling over 1 million copies worldwide.

The album featured many guest artists, including Perry Farrell from Jane's Addiction, Shifty Shellshock from Crazy Town on the hit song "Starry Eyed Surprise", and Ice Cube. It also introduced new singers like Carla Werner on "Southern Sun" and Emiliana Torrini.

In 2002, Q magazine listed Oakenfold as one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die." He also shared that he had dyslexia as a child and wanted to help other children with it.

His song "Ready Steady Go" became very popular. It was used in car commercials, video games like Tiger Woods PGA Tour and Juiced, and TV shows like Las Vegas and Alias. It was even used in movies like The Bourne Identity and Collateral. In 2003, he remixed Elvis Presley's song "Rubberneckin'", which also did very well in the charts.

Paul continued to perform at major events like Creamfields in 2002 and 2004, where he played alongside other famous DJs.

A Lively Mind and Greatest Hits: 2005–2007

In 2005, Paul Oakenfold created a special promotional CD called Feed Your Mind for Toyota cars.

One of his most memorable experiences was performing at the Hollywood Bowl, a famous venue where artists like Frank Sinatra and the Beatles had played. He was the first DJ to perform there. After this show, Madonna's team asked him to open for her on her 2006 Confessions Tour. He toured with her for two months, playing his sets before her shows.

Paul has remixed many of Madonna's songs, including "What It Feels Like for a Girl" and "Hollywood". He also remixed the Transformers theme song for the TV series Transformers Cybertron.

His second studio album, A Lively Mind, was released in 2006. The first single, "Faster Kill Pussycat", featured actress Brittany Murphy.

In 2007, he performed live with the Boston Pops orchestra, combining orchestral music with electronic sounds. His official biography, Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography, was published in 2007. He also scored the soundtrack for the Japanese animated film Vexille.

In October 2007, he released Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1, which included his most popular tracks and remixes. He also remixed Britney Spears' hit song "Gimme More". Paul Oakenfold has created over one hundred remixes and sold more than 5 million albums.

Pop Killer and Film Work: 2008–2014

In 2008, Paul Oakenfold released a new version of "Not Over Yet", a song he originally produced with Grace. He also worked on music for several films and TV shows, including Californication and Speed Racer.

He joined Madonna again for her Sticky & Sweet Tour in 2008 and 2009, performing in cities around the world. In 2008, he started his first regular DJ residency in the United States at Rain Nightclub in Las Vegas.

In 2009, it was announced that his third studio album would be called Pop Killer. He also worked with Madonna on her greatest hits album, Celebration, producing the title track "Celebration".

Paul Oakenfold at Sutra, OC California, in 2012

In 2012, Paul Oakenfold performed at a big event for the club brand Goodgreef in the UK. He also performed with the band Train at the Google I/O After Party in San Francisco.

In 2013, he co-wrote the song "Woman's World" for Cher's album Closer to the Truth. In 2014, he remixed "Only Child" by British pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Recent Work: 2015–Present

Since May 2015, Paul Oakenfold has been leading the DJ and EDM (Electronic Dance Music) vocalists department at Isina, a program that helps find and develop new music talent worldwide.

On September 25, 2020, Oakenfold released an English-language electronic song called "The Perfect Song," featuring Mexican pop star Fey. This song celebrated Fey's 25th anniversary in music. His album Shine On was released in 2022.

In September and October 2022, Paul Oakenfold was the opening act for the Pet Shop Boys and New Order on their Unity Tour.

Discography

Studio albums

• Bunkka (2002)
• A Lively Mind (2006)
• Trance Mission (2014)
• Shine On (2022)

Filmography

• 2002 The Rules of Attraction (Himself)
• 2003 Dancestar USA 2003 (Himself)
• 2003 No Cover (Guest)
• 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards 2003 (Himself)
• 2004 The Club (Himself)
• 2007 Post Military Trip (Guest)
• 2012 Dark Hearts (2012) (Dj)
• 2016 Sundown (2016) (Himself)
• 2022 Who Killed the KLF? (Himself)
• 2024 Point of Change (exec producer and sound mixer)

Awards and Nominations

BMI Awards

The BMI Awards celebrate songwriters in different music styles.

DJ Awards

Paul Oakenfold has won the DJ Awards for Best Trance DJ twice. He also received an "Outstanding Contribution Award" in 2004.

DJ Magazine Award

Paul Oakenfold has been named the World's Best DJ twice by DJ Magazine.

Grammy Awards

Paul Oakenfold has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

IDMA Awards

Paul Oakenfold has been nominated for an IDMA once.

World Music Awards

Paul Oakenfold has received two nominations at the World Music Awards.

Images for kids

• 

  Oakenfold in 2021 for his Shine On Album

• 

  Paul Oakenfold at Sutra, OC California, in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Paul Oakenfold para niños