ARTIST

Paul Oakenfold

First as a behind-the-scenes player and later as a remixer, Paul Oakenfold became one of the most important DJs of the '90s dance music craze. Oakenfold arrived on the music scene in the late '70s, spinning soul sides in his native London. During a trip to New York he discovered hip-hop, and upon his return to Britain he landed a stint as an A&R man, and inked Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and Salt N' Pepa to U.K. deals.

Despite his early success, Oakenfold's adventurous spirit couldn't be held in check. In 1985 he and a few friends ventured to the Balearic island of Ibiza, where he was blown away by the island's seductive musical mix. Oakenfold's first attempt to bring the sounds of Ibiza to the U.K. received a lukewarm response, but by 1987 the fuse was lit, sparking the acid house explosion.

Along with his success as a DJ came accolades as a producer. He manned the board on several Happy Mondays singles and the album Pills, Thrills, and Bellyaches. That brought on more work as a remixer. Together with pal Steve Osborne, Oakenfold adopted the name Perfecto and went on to remix such singles as U2's "Even Better Than the Real Thing." As the title suggests, the remix proved even more popular than the original version. As a reward of sorts, Oakenfold was invited by the band to spin on its Zoo TV tour.

In subsequent years, Oakenfold limited his remix work to five per year in order to concentrate on his own mix albums, which include such noteworthy titles as 1997's Global Underground: Live in Oslo. In 2002 Oakenfold attempted to duplicate the success of fellow DJ Fatboy Slim with the release of Bunkka, a star-studded collection featuring guests ranging from Ice Cube and Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell, to Nelly Furtado and gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

Written by Craig Rosen