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Interview with Paul Oakenfold
Trance Energy 2007
Saturday 03.03.2007 – Utrecht – NL
RC-Night, Sven: While you initially started to play House music, you changed your music style to trance by end of the ‘90ties. What inspired you to change your direction?
Well, my style has always been melodic. So any form of music that is melodic and emotional I play and at the time, I thought that House was very emotional, very melodic and trance started to become more and more in the frame of the music that I liked and the music I was making. So it was not a conscious decision to change, it just felt into my life, my life of sound.
Sven: What has inspired you to do melodic music instead of going on with hard beats like many other DJs did?
Paul Oakenfold: I think melodic, melodic and melodies have got a lot more emotions. So it’s easier to connect with the crowd and for me the most important thing is the crowd.
Sven: I guess it also applies to the vocals that can be found in your sets?
Paul Oakenfold: Not just vocals... It can be deferent’s... There are also instrumentals.
Sven: You’ve been playing several times in “Essential Mix”, what did your presence in these sessions bring to you and what experience could you gain from these sessions?
Paul Oakenfold: Well, the Essential Mixes… My last Essential Mix was a nightmare!
Sven: Wow...
Paul: It was a live on the radio and one of the monitors... I had problems with the monitor, blew! So I couldn’t hear was I was doing. So it was terrible for me. Ahmm, we managed to fix it but it was possible one of the worst situation for a DJ to loos the monitors and he can’t hear what he’s doing. But that was my last experience. But overall Essential Mixes are great, great a way of promoting new music, of turning on people to new DJs.
Sven: Which sessions do prefer in these Essential Mixes? When you’ve got the change to construct your set on your own or when you are playing with someone else, let’s say Pete Tong for example?
Paul Oakenfold: Well it doesn’t bother me as long as it is live, as long as I don’t have problems living them easier.
Sven: You got the opportunity to play in Shanghai. What can you say about the Asian dance crowd and that way dance music is being loved over there?
Paul Oakenfold: In China dance music is becoming more and more popular. So for me - I’ve been going to China for 10 years now – has become very popular so I like go to China a lot. I go there once a year.
Sven: I’ve been hearing one of your set “Live Essential Mix @ Shanghai”. That set is beautiful.
Paul: Thank you.
Sven: Many of your DJ-sets – such as “Essential Mixes” in divers clubs – are on the top of what is being shared and downloaded in the internet. Knowing that you are an artist who loves the music, what is you position on that topic?
Paul Oakenfold: Well I think that on the Internet is a great means of getting music across to people around the world. But you have to realise that you actually have to realise that you have to pay for the music, you know. I mean, I do less and less DJing. Tree years ago I decided to do less DJing and I mainly now write music for movies. So I’m very aware of copyright control because in the movie world they are very... very strong.
Sven: How do you balance your life between the music and your private side? (e.g. family)
Paul Oakenfold: Well as I said I do less and less DJing and move film work, and I have people who work with me to do Perfecto, the record company.
Sven: Okay, so you managed to get to some more time now?
Paul: Yeah.
Sven: I know you be playing after the interview, but what is your comment about today’s Trance Energy event?
Paul Oakenfold: I just looked around and the atmosphere is amazing! A great production, very well run and it looks like a great crowd!
Sven: First time you are coming here, right?
Paul: Yes first time!
Sven: Well, actually that’s it. We won’t hold you to long...
Paul: Thank you!
Sven: Thanks a lot for your time!.
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Paul Oakenfold
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