Not only does Paul Oakenfold produce records, but he also mixes them. In 1987 he spent several months in Ibiza with a few friends and fell in love with dance club music. Oakenfold produced "Happy Mondays' Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches" before producing for U2, Massive Attack, Simply Red and New Order (to name a few).
In 1999 after building an American fanbase he released "Tranceport" which was widely accepted by American trance fans.
After "Tranceport" came "Perfecto Presents Another World" which was arguably his most successful album, as it introduced millions more to his style.
His popularity grew as many of his works were inclulded in movie soundtracks such as Swordfish, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Die Another Day (where he remixed the James Bond theme before later going to work on the videogame Goldeneye: Rogue Agent in 2004) and Collateral.
In 2002 he released Bunkka, which featured the hit single 'Starry-Eyed Surprise'. In the same year, Oakenfold was listed in Q's "50 Bands to see Before you Die" compilition.
2004 brought about the double album 'Creamfields', but it was in 2005 that he released the Perfecto Album entitled 'Perfecto Presents The Club'.
He also released the album Great Wall, recorded live at the Great Wall of China.
2006 saw the release of 'A Lively Mind' where he colloborated with, amongst others, Brittany Murphy (for the single Faster Kill Pussycat) and Pharrell Williams. 'A Lively Mind' is an edgier, more club-based album, as opposed to his calmer album Bunkka.
Paul Oakenfold's musical career started from admirably humble beginnings, playing soul and rare groove cuts in a Covent Garden wine bar in the late 'seventies with mate Trevor Fung. By the early 'eighties, having decided that NYC was the place, Paul decamped there armed only with the chutzpah to blag his way into a courier's job in West Harlem. At that time, more than any other, New York was bursting with musical invention: hip-hop was the freshest street sound around, and Larry Levan - arguably the first ever superstar DJ, inspiring a frenzy in the crowd that some guy playing records had never inspired before - was packing out the Paradise Garage every week with the revolutionary, hypnotic mixing style that would become the acid house DJ's stock in trade.
Returning to London, Paul became one of the UK's leading authorities on hip-hop. During his stint as an A&R man for Champion he signed the as-then unknowns Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and Salt N'Pepa. Oh yeah, and he appeared on Blue Peter with a breakdancing crew who he was looking after at the time.
In 1985 young Paul spent the summer on a beautiful Balearic island called Ibiza. Ever heard of it? Oakey is as much responsible as anyone for making it the clubber's paradise it is today, as two years after that first trip he, alongside mates Trevor Fung, Nicky Holloway, Ian St Paul, Danny Rampling and Johnny Walker, went there for a week to celebrate his birthday. If the first visit had been good, this one changed their lives forever. Dancing in the warm night air beneath stars at the then open-air Amnesia to the oddest mix of music any of them had ever heard, courtesy of island legend Alfredo, Paul's urge to import this incredible experience - and the Balearic sound - back to England became too great to resist.
Prior to his Ibiza trip, Paul had been running a successful soul/jazz night at The Project in Streatham. On his return from the white island he persuaded the owner to let him run an after-hours 'Ibiza reunion' party. An attempt at a Balearic music policy had failed Paul one year earlier: the crowd just hadn't been ready to hear so many musical styles mixed together in one night, let alone in one DJ's set, but by 1987, and coupled with Paul's sheer enthusiasm and showman's talent for setting a musical mood, attitudes were changing. The night was a complete success, and led to what was to be - alongside Danny Rampling's Shoom - one of London's, and England's, first major acid house nights: Spectrum at Heaven in Charing Cross.
Spectrum grew out of Future, a night held in The Sanctuary, which annexed the much bigger Heaven club. Many never thought Spectrum (suitably subtitled 'Theatre Of Madness') would succeed: a 1500+ capacity club on a Monday night? Forget about it. And at first they looked to be right. For the first few weeks, attendance was low, leaving Paul and co-promoter Ian St Paul in dire financial straits. Then, suddenly, the vibe was out and the queues were literally going around the block. And a new phase in club culture had begun.
Spectrum continued for a couple of years, changing its name along the way to Land Of Oz. New initiates to the scene (as almost everybody was) marvelled at the full-on atmosphere of the place: hands reaching up into the sweat hazed air, laser lights pulsing and washing over the smiling crowd. Alex Paterson (later of The Orb) DJed in the VIP chillout area (the White Room), while Paul created his now trademark fervour in the cavernous main room.
Alongside running a seminal club night, Paul's production career had also begun by 1988 under the name Electra, working with long-time collaborator Steve Osborne. By 1990, with his work on The Happy Mondays' frugadelic Wrote For Luck and then Hallelujah (on the Madchester Rave On EP), Paul had created two of the cornerstone records of the indie-dance scene, a hybrid that demystified acid house for kids who'd been raised on a musical diet of guitar, bass, and drums. Paul was one of the guest DJs at The Stone Roses' legendary Spike Island gig, and his work with Osborne on The Happy Mondays' classic Pills, Thrills And Bellyaches LP (NME's 1990 Album Of The Year) won the pair the 1991 Brit Award for Best Producer.
Remix galore followed, for Mondays labelmates New Order; Massive Attack; The Shamen, and Arrested Development among others, as Paul and Steve began trading under the name Perfecto. If the name was little known at first that soon changed with the 1992 Perfecto mix of U2's Even Better Than The Real Thing. The track, with delicious irony, attained a higher chart position on release than the original song, thus signalling a watershed in the history and growth of dance music.
1993 saw Paul hired to provide the warm-up sonics on U2's Zoo TV world tour, and as a result the de facto arrival of the superstar DJ. The past decade has seen Paul rack up a dizzying blur of firsts and foremosts, including, not least, his being voted the number one DJ in the world by the readers of DJ magazine, and has heard the name "Oakey!" yelled hoarsely from clubs, fields (including an epoch-making set on the main stage at Glastonbury Festival, no less) and arenas in every corner of the globe.
On the production front Paul began to release his own tracks as well as continuing to turn in remixes, while Perfecto expanded into a fully-fledged label. Its offshoot, Perfecto Fluoro, became the label of choice in the mid-'nineties for the harder, trippier Goa trance sound. Today Perfecto boasts artists as diverse as Arthur Baker, Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero, and Timo Maas on its roster, and has gone from strength to strength by refusing to pander to only one style of dance music. Alongside the building of the Perfecto brand, Paul released a string of superlative mix CD's, amongst them his awesome New York set for Global Underground - still the series' biggest seller to date. And who else would have been commissioned to write the theme for what was certain to be the biggest TV show of all time? How did you guess? Paul wrote and produced the Big Brother theme, as Element 4, with Andy Gray.
On the club front, well, time for a deep breath...Ready? OK, here we go: Paul undertook a legendary two-year residence at Liverpool's Cream that took residencies in general to another level, from the personally designed DJ booth to die-hard fans (dubbed 'the Oakenfolk' in the press) who would travel the length and breadth of the country week in, week out to hear him whip up a magical musical storm, that would still be ringing in the ears and exciting the mind in the office or the lecture hall on Monday morning. Ever keen to push himself further and harder, Paul decamped in 1999 to become Director of Music at home, the multi-million pound superclub built defiantly - and, as it turned out, problematically - in Leicester Square, the heart of London's West End. That club's immediate downturn in popularity after Paul's departure goes to show the extent of his impact and following. There are but a handful of DJ's in the world who attract the fervour and create the excitement that he is capable of provoking in a crowd. You only have to be there when he plays to feel the electric charge in the atmosphere, more akin to the devotional than the merely appreciative.
Leaving home was a difficult decision for Paul, but he risked his UK and European profile, not to mention turning down the certainty of serious amounts of cash, to decamp to America, one of the few places in the world - ironically, given that it all started there - where dance music is yet to be championed and grasped in the way in which it is elsewhere around the globe. But this was a move typical of the man: where others would sit on their laurels and bathe in their hard-won glory, he has always taken the tougher option, sustained by his belief that greater effort means greater rewards. It's this attitude that saw him leave a huge fanbase in Britain to start all over again in the U.S.; that has seen him play to crowds in the low hundreds in isolated Alaska; and that led him to take a pair of Technics with him when he went on holiday to Cuba, and organise a free, unpromoted and not strictly legal party, purely to spread the word of great, life-affirming music and good, good times. This man lives, breathes and eats his art.
So what now for a man at the pinnacle of his profession, the world's premiere DJ? Why, upward, ever upward of course. 2001 has seen Paul score the Joel Silver-produced and John Travolta-starring Swordfish, remix the theme to Tim Burton's Planet Of The Apes, DJ on Moby's Arena:One U.S. tour, and make a triumphal return to his home shores with a free gig that left tens of thousands sweat-soaked and grinning like Cheshire Cats on London's Clapham Common. We can only expect that the best is yet to come, so stay tuned and prepare to be amazed.
Gamemaster
Paul Oakenfold Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will bring all of you to a new understanding and value of life.
A vision that inspires you to live and love on Planet Earth.
Like a priceless jewel,
Buried in dark layers of soil and stone.
Earth radiates her brilliant beauty,
Into the caverns of space and time.
Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home,
You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster.
Imagine Earth restored to her regal beauty.
Stately trees seem to brush the deep blue sky.
Clouds billow to form majestic peaks.
The songs of birds fill the air,
Creating symphony upon symphony.
The goddess is calling for and honoring
Of what she allows to be created
From the core-mystery of the blood.
Those who own her planet are learning about love.
The lyrics of Paul Oakenfold's song Gamemaster invite the listener to reflect on the beauty of planet Earth and embrace the energy of the goddess that the Earth embodies. The idea is that by doing so, the listener will gain a new perspective on life and its value. The song suggests that the Earth is a priceless jewel, buried in layers of soil and stone, yet radiating beauty that transcends space and time. The lyrics also imply that there are beings beyond humanity who watch over the Earth and play with reality.
The second part of the song paints a picture of the Earth being restored to her former glory, with stately trees and majestic peaks. The birds' songs fill the air, creating symphony upon symphony. The goddess is calling for the honoring of creation, with the understanding of the mystery of the blood. The final line suggests that those who own the planet are beginning to learn about love. Overall, the song's lyrics convey a sense of reverence for the Earth and suggest that by embracing the goddess within, listeners can connect more deeply with themselves and the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Embracing the goddess' energy within yourselves,
Recognizing the powerful, divine feminine energy within each of you
Will bring all of you to a new understanding and value of life.
This recognition will lead to a fresh perspective on life and its worth
A vision that inspires you to live and love on Planet Earth.
The recognition of this energy inspires living and loving on Earth to a greater extent
Like a priceless jewel,
Earth is deeply valuable and important
Buried in dark layers of soil and stone.
Underneath Earth's surface, her worth and beauty is hidden
Earth radiates her brilliant beauty,
Still, Earth's beauty cannot be contained or kept hidden
Into the caverns of space and time.
It reaches far beyond our planet, traveling through the ages
Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home,
It's possible there are beings who observe and care for Earth
And experience it as a place to visit and play with reality.
These beings may experience Earth as a place to experiment with and explore the nature of reality
You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster.
By recognizing the energy within yourself, you can understand your role in creating and shaping reality
Imagine Earth restored to her regal beauty.
Picture Earth in all her glory, restored to her full potential
Stately trees seem to brush the deep blue sky.
Trees stand tall and majestic, reaching upwards towards the sky
Clouds billow to form majestic peaks.
Clouds gather into towering formations, like grand mountains in the sky
The songs of birds fill the air,
Birds fill the air with their joyful melodies
Creating symphony upon symphony.
Their songs blend together in a complex and beautiful harmony
The goddess is calling for and honoring
The divine feminine energy is calling out and being revered
Of what she allows to be created
All that is created on Earth comes from the feminine creative energy
From the core-mystery of the blood.
This energy is deep and mysterious, flowing through all living things
Those who own her planet are learning about love.
Those who claim ownership of Earth are realizing the importance of love and respect for the planet
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MATTHEW JONATHAN DAREY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blare5346
@@pwoswald interstate - i found u
chris raven - know you love me too
Rio Klein feat. Shelley Harland - Fearless (Push Remix)
Lustral - Everytime (Nalin & Kane Mix)
DJ Tiesto - Club Life - Viper - Titty Twister (Tiësto's Classic)
Aly & Fila - Future Sound of Egypt - Sonic Element - Paint the Blue (Deep Blue Mix)
Armin van Buuren - 4Strings - Catch A Fall
Armin van Buuren - Moonbeam feat. Avis Vox - About You
Conjure One feat. Sinad O'Connor - Tears From the Moon (Tisto In Search of Sunrise Remix)
i can go on and on and on and on adn on no nad non no on on on on
@Markybhoy-dp2yg
Embracing the goddess' energy within yourselves,
Will bring all of you to a new understanding and value of life.
A vision that inspires you to live and love on Planet Earth.
Like a priceless jewel,
Buried in dark layers of soil and stone.
Earth radiates her brilliant beauty,
Into the caverns of space and time.
Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home,
And experience it as a place to visit and play with reality.
You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster.
Imagine Earth restored to her regal beauty.
Stately trees seem to brush the deep blue sky.
Clouds billow to form majestic peaks.
The songs of birds fill the air,
Creating symphony upon symphony.
The goddess is calling for and honoring
Of what she allows to be created
From the core-mystery of the blood.
Those who own her planet are learning about love.
@christopherhall6634
Those of us who were listening and partying to this music in the 90's & early 2000's, were so lucky, some of the greatest music ever was coming out during this time period.
@lb9190
And drugs, don't be so modest now
@markbrown7421
@@lb9190 There is nothing to be modest about. The drugs, music, scene, vibe, venues, people, culture.... they were all amazing. Some of the best times I have ever had in my 37 years on this earth is ripping at parties to some of the best music on the planet. The culture has grown, but it has been diluted. I will never forget purchasing my first ticket to a show from Ticket Master and thinking that this must be the beginning of the end.
@cpathwayssst5932
True
@kenbrovost9653
Such great memories.
@dalebainer3846
Great tunage. Progressive house is good. Check that out
@Fergiemister
Still pumping this in 2023 any1 else? #OLDSCHOOLCLASSICS
#TRANCEPURELOVE💙💙
@patrickbateman3944
This isn't a song, this is an experience.
@coffey1718
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
@kellyingleson771
💯❤️❤️🙌👌👌