The original pioneer of global trance takes his “Full On Fluoro” sound to North America
Interview : Dan Prince
Hi Paul and welcome back to DMCWORLD as yet again you are grabbing all of the headlines with another new project, this time it’s your Trance Mission North American Fall Tour that is getting the US drooling. So why now, why are you unleashing your Full On Fluoro classics sound on the States in 2013?
“We are putting this tour together based around Trance, which to me, as you know has been a sound that I have loved very dearly. The idea behind the tour is also to release an album based around some of the tracks I’ve played that are my classics, with a current production sound. These are all original cover versions, not remixes. So that’s the idea behind the tour, to go underground where it’s just me, the music, and the crowd.”
What can you tell us about the visual side of things on the tour?
“We have brand new visuals that are minimal. The idea is to express the music, the people and myself with a minimal visual that creates the mood.”
The 17 date tour kicks of at Ruby Skye in San Fran on October 26th and rolls into Seattle’s Foundation Room some six weeks later. As one of the guvnors of the dance music scene in the States, can you explain to our readers how the clubbers in the US as you move from territory to territory…
“Generally, as in Europe, it’s the same in America. The audiences are no different whether you are in San Francisco or the other side of the country in Miami or New York. They’re very much into trance. When I had my residency in Las Vegas nearly every Saturday for 3 years, trance became a dominating sound towards the end of the set. Explaining further, I was always playing a little bit more commercial at the beginning cause that’s how Vegas tends to work.”
What can you tell us about Cielo in New York in November – we hear it’s going to be quite a party…
“Cielo is one of the best underground clubs in America so it really gives you an opportunity to go dark, deep and interesting, and that’s what I intend to do. Really looking forward to it cause its a Sunday night. And it will be the hardcore fans who are really into trance.”
The end of the tour sees you bring the world a very special trance covers album, taking classics and doing your very own versions. Connecting the past with the present! Can you talk us through the trance smashes you have selected for this very special long player…
“Yeah I’d like to not give every track away because I think it’s really important to have some surprises. Generally it’s going to be some really big trance tracks that have been favourites of mine & big classics of mine that I have played over the years. The idea is full reproductions of the tracks that I’m covering. I think people are going to be very surprised when they hear it.”
What is the one track from the album you wish you’d made?
“Aah, good question. The one track that I wish I had made from the album would be the Simple Minds track. It will be very interesting to see if a lot of people even know what that track is.”
What are your thoughts on trance music in 2013 – there seems to be a lot of new producers making this genre REALLY powerful again right now…?
“Yeah I love it that we have got a lot of new producers coming into the scene with really some great cutting edge sounds, especially on the underground sound of trance. I’m a big fan of what Neelix is doing, what Simon Patterson is doing, and what Angry Man is doing. Also of course what Astrix is doing who is one of my favourite DJs.”
Totally agree with your quote about giving the American kids a break as they are only three or four years into this new journey – what in your opinion has been the biggest development of the scene over there in 2013?
“My biggest development was when I started my residency in Vegas over 3 years ago. I went completely against the grain, believed that Vegas was the future and started my residency. After having been there every week for 3 years I needed to step away from it and take a break because Vegas is not like Ibiza, Vegas is every week all year round. So I think Vegas has been and is the landmark for electronic music in America and has brought a lot to the scene.”
Interesting to see that Las Vegas isn’t part of the tour. There are a lot of DJs who cannot get gigs in sin city right now as they don’t play the big commercial records. Will this change, will Vegas ever catch up the likes of New York, Chicago and LA musically or will it always be about the party?
“No, Vegas is always about the party! We had the choice to have a show in Vegas but we chose to play another destination in the country because as I said earlier I was playing there nearly every week for 3 years and I wanted to take the music to another city.”
What are your thoughts on Calvin Harris earning a reported fee in excess of $500,000 to play Vegas this year, is Vegas spoiling it for everyone else with their big blank casino cheques?
“Calvin Harris in my opinion is the No. 1 DJ in the world right now. He’s done incredibly well and he’s a gifted producer and a great DJ. I think it’s great to have him as part of our flourishing scene. I don’t think Vegas is spoiling it for anyone I think Vegas has put electronic music on the map in a big way. Apart from having the residencies we’ve all had/have, Vegas has the biggest electronic music festival in America so it’s not spoiling it it’s supporting it.”
Who are some of the leading trance DJs over the years you have enjoyed playing with?
“Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto, Ferry Corsten & Markus Schulz.”
Have you discovered any new territories or clubs in 2013 that you especially loved to play in?
“Veronezh in Russia and Ekaterinburgh in Russia also which is the half way point between Europe and Asia.”
Anthem of the summer?
“Neelix – ‘Expect What’.”
You are a huge Chelsea FC supporter, I am a huge Everton fanatic. Two questions, how do you think Jose Mourinho is doing second time around and did he make a mistake loaning us Romelu Lukaku for the season?
“I think Jose is doing very well but we have to give him time. We’re top or there about. I don’t think he has made a mistake loaning Lukaku because he has brought in Samuel Etu for one season. Lukaku next season will be one of the best centre forwards in the Premiership.”
Favourite festival story of 2013?
“We put together our own camp at Burning Man Festival this year with Black Ocean entitled WHITE OCEAN CAMP where we put on a different sound every night with guest DJs. It was a lot of fun.”
You have played for Nelson Mandela, been presented an award by the Queen, played for massive rock and pop bands in stadiums around the world – does Paul Oakenfold ever get nervous, have you ever been starstruck?
“Yes, I think the only time I was ever star struck was when I played the private party in Hollywood for Chelsea and I met all the Chelsea players.”
And finally Mr Oakenfold, over ten million album sales under your belt, 36 Essential mixes for Radio 1, producing and remixing some of the world’s biggest stars including Madonna and U2, the owner of one of the coolest labels we have ever seen in Perfecto…what is next for Oaky, what are the plans for 2014?
“My next big project will be finally getting my artist album POP KILLER out. It’s been a real labour of love as it’s been stop and start due to scoring movies, games, and touring with Madonna. But I really will have it finished soon. It’s very similar to the last two albums, which are based around songs, great new singers and cutting edge beats. What is different now is that where the last two albums were left of centre, this album will be perceived as more mainstream because house music has become pop music at the current time.”
For more Information on Paul Oakenfold:
pauloakenfold.com
facebook.com/oakenfold
twitter.com/pauloakenfold
soundcloud.com/pauloakenfold
youtube.com/pauloakenfold
PRESS RELEASE :
Three time Grammy nominated DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold returns to his roots as the original pioneer and icon of the global trance scene with a new tour and album concept that launches in the US and Canada this October.
“Trance Mission” will bring a fresh visual and audio experience to the hottest dance floors of the world as Paul takes his popular “Full on Fluoro” sound, which has gathered incredible popularity in Europe recently, on the road in the US for the first time. In addition to the tour Paul will release a ”Trance Mission” album featuring brand new versions of ten of Paul’s favorite trance releases of all time.
Paul Oakenfold’s diversity as a producer and DJ have earned him mass acclaim from all sides of the dance music scene but despite his successes producing / remixing the likes of Madonna, U2, Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars, many fans will always associate him with the trance movement in which he has played an integral role for well over two decades.
In the 1990’s Paul’s Perfecto and Perfecto Fluoro record labels were responsible for some of the biggest selling trance releases of all time, including classics like Planet Perfecto’s “Bullet in The Gun”, PPK “ResuRection”, Man with No Name’s “Teleport” and Paul’s own colossal hits Grace “Not Over Yet” and “Southern Sun” – the latter of which has appeared on over 150 compilation albums to date.
Of his 36 Essential mixes for BBC Radio 1, his legendary “GOA Mix”, which perfectly fused underground trance with poignant samples taken from film and radio, was voted the best Essential Mix of all time by Radio 1 listeners. It also received a Silver Award in the Specialist Music Programme category at the 1997 Sony Music Awards.
Paul’s 2011 “Fluorescence” Essential Mix was seen by many as the next chapter to the Goa Mix – with the online archiving of the show attracting over 500,000 listeners in the 3 months after its initial broadcast.
His residencies for Amnesia and Pacha (Ibiza), Ministry of Sound and Home (London) and Planet Perfecto at Rain (Las Vegas) are all well documented as milestones in the evolution of the electronic scene, but it was his residency for Cream in Liverpool that not only set his path towards becoming the one of the biggest headliners in the world but also cemented his status as head of the trance fraternity.
Over ten million album sales later (from two artist albums and over thirty DJ mix compilations) Paul Oakenfold opens a new chapter in the history of trance with his brand new “Trance Mission” tour and album concept.
Trance Mission is now activated….
Trance Mission Tour dates
10/26 – Ruby Skye, San Francisco CA
10/31 – The Catalyst, Santa Cruz CA
11/1 – Rialto Theater, Tucson AZ
11/2 – Avalon, Hollywood CA
11/7 – Beta, Denver CO
11/8 – Voyeur, San Diego CA
11/9 – HHH Festival, Mexico City MX
11/15 – Gossip, Vancouver BC
11/16 – SET Nightclub, Edmonton AB
11/21 – Whisper, Philadelphia PA
11/22 – Elekctricity, Pontiac MI
11/23 – The MID, Chicago IL
11/24 – Cielo, New York NY
12/13 – Phoenix, Charlotte NC
12/14 – Gryphon, Hollywood FL
12/19 – Bear Booth Theater, Anchorage AK
12/21 – Foundation Room, Seattle WA
