Every Artist changes... While I truly think that he's WAY overpaid for what he does, he's still high quality entertainment....
I saw him at Global Gathering this year and he threw down a great set.... Spinning trance gets very monotonous after awhile and I think he's trying to compensate for that boredom....

However, I think he's very much involved with his Global celebrity status, which is good and bad.... as with most things.....

There are plenty of current DJs and up and comers to take his place in the grand scheme of things....

Look, the thing about Oakey is....the music. He plays the best music. His mixing, when he can be bothered is THE best. Not like Sasha and Tiesto, who can hold a tune in the mix for ages, but the timing with which he mixes two records together, the knack of bringing in an element of the incoming tune JUST in the right place. When he is up for it his mixing is superb, just look at pretty much all of his World tour sets, yes that was THEN but it this that he will be remembered for. The type of music he plays doesn't suit long drawn out mixes, if you like that then listen to 'elevator' music Sasha. I also like the way in which he mixes instantly, where he brings in a new tune straight away. I don't believe it is a cover for poor mixing, they are necessary to create impact and that is what Oakey does and has done for the last 10 years.

Twice has Oakey let me down. Once when playing at the concorde in Brighton. There was only a small turnout and he mixed straight in from the previous DJ. He was poor, but did play Li Kwan which was a real treat. The other was the Ibiza closing party from 2002 when he didn't bother turning up. This being the sole reason I went to Ibiza, I was gutted.

For me, I am just glad that I have had the experience of being in the crowd on so many joyous occasions that Oakey has been playing. I will never forget the first time I saw him at Home in London when he destroyed the place playing fresh tunes such as Street Spirit and Flesh, finishing with Atlantis. These tunes may seem cheesy and because of these tunes I rarley listen to the 2nd hour of most of his world tour sets, but they made a massive impact on an Oakey dancefloor. Hearing Streets have no name at the closing party in Ibiza in 2001 was pretty fucking special aswell, or the intensity of the crowd at the front of his free Clapham Common set. The man is a legend and there will never be another Oakey. Oakey - As the bracelet says 'Rocks.'

One last point - his new mix of Carlos Vives harks right back to his Ku - Ibiza set. Wicked.

What happened to Oakey? He did it all.

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Originally posted by Laushinameee what happened is that the people who used to love him grew up & realised he is a joke. He has been a joke for a long time. His mixing has always been shit, its not something that has just happened in the last few years. And his music is far too narrow - any attempt he has made to branch out (like playing breaks in 2001) is just met with ridicule because its so jilted and rubbish.

thats the most ignorant statement about oakey i have ever heard! I can listen to all this, overpaid/undertalented bullshit, but to say he plays the same thing? wow. you know nothing about different styles of EDM.

the guy has ALWAYS played a variety of music, from goa/to prog, to breaks, to true trance, to normal house, to drun n bass!!! If you want a taste, just ask and ill hook you up with real variety, or better yet listen to his EM world tour and tell me he plays all the same stuff. Every set in that collection has a different feel because of his tracks.

one thing is true...he has stayed consistant with is overall sound; as he describes it 'melodic'. simple as that, he encorporates that into all his sets/productions, he has made it his own

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Originally posted by Orko thats the most ignorant statement about oakey i have ever heard! I can listen to all this, overpaid/undertalented bullshit, but to say he plays the same thing? wow. you know nothing about different styles of EDM. the guy has ALWAYS played a variety of music, from goa/to prog, to breaks, to true trance, to normal house, to drun n bass!!! If you want a taste, just ask and ill hook you up with real variety, or better yet listen to his EM world tour and tell me he plays all the same stuff. Every set in that collection has a different feel because of his tracks. one thing is true...he has stayed consistant with is overall sound; as he describes it 'melodic'. simple as that, he encorporates that into all his sets/productions, he has made it his own

Ive never said he plays 'the same thing', i said his style of music is far to narrow, and it is. In recent years Oakey has ALWAYS been about 'melodic, on the proggier side of trance music. He may have done a handful of different things in the past but this is just the exception that proves the rule.

I know plenty about other styles of 'EDM' ta, enough to know that when oakey attempted playing breaks in 2001 it was met with total ridicule in the breaks world. You are probably too far up oakey's arse to have noticed that though. Just ask Adam Freeland what he thinks of oakey playing breakbeat? haha. Do you think Adam Freeland also doesnt know anything about music?

The entire essential mix world tour is trance & prog trance. There is nothing more to it.

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Signature Suspended as it was deemed offensive.

Oakey didn’t ‘trying playing breakbeat’ back then he just played more of it because there was more around. I was one of those who criticised Oakey for playing too much breakbeat back in 2001, looking back I think that is because the breaks tunes that he was playing then were poor tunes (arguably of course.) For me such awful tunes such as Lee Coombs –Hypnosis killed the atmosphere when played out. I was on the dancefloor on a number of occasions when Oakey dropped this and spoilt a good set. Dirty Vegas – Days Go By is another example, the crowd stood still during the last ever Courtyard set when this was mixed in. I think that is only in the last year that breaks have become more progressive and trancey and fit his sound a lot more.

The world tour sets did contain a bit more than just trance though, for example:

Team Progress – Symphonic Music
Brainchild – Symmetry C
Love Tattoo – History Of Disco
Vengaboys – Paradise
UTM – Stream
Auratone – Falling
Perfect State – Perfect State
Ascension – Someone (Slacker)

With regard to being ‘too narrow’ it is the sound that Oakey plays which is the reason for his iconic status. That sound can only be found in a small number of tunes. It is the tunes Oakey selects which makes him so good and the old cliché - ‘a workman is only as good as his tools’ is so critical in how good his sets are. The music available in 1999 with this sound was staggering and so were the sets. In 2001 the music available was poor hence the breakbeat. The quality of music around now is very good, but Oakey is playing a lot of old sounding rubbish trance such as the Thrillseekers and Ferry Corsten, but this is another argument altogether. If you have heard Oakey out a lot then you will know that the tunes he selects all contain certain moments which just make the dancefloor implode then explode. Specific examples include Velvet Girl – Velvet (Mike Monday Mix) which sounds very ordinary in my opinion, but contains that classic Oakey moment when it drops, which, when heard on a big sound system just doesn’t fail to make you jump in the air. The remix of John OO Fleming – I’m not fooled that he finishes his Creamfields CD with, is the only tune I have ever heard which captures the sound of that moment which you hear on a dancefloor without actually being there. Take a listen if you don’t know what I mean – Put headphones on and listen to this track. The moment comes 1minute 40 seconds into it, this moment – on a dancefloor, encapsulates the Oakenfold style when playing out. The drop in the new Steve Porter and John Debo mix of Five Fathoms is another example. One of my favourite tunes I ever heard him play out was Fu Man Choo – Outlaw (Praha). Oddly enough Piledriver was always a let down on a dancefloor despite it being my favourite ever Oakey tune. The other type of tune which just sums up the Oakey experience is Solar Stone – Seven Cities. When he used to play this at Home in London the moment was pretty special. It took you on a journey within the track which only the people in that room went on, Oddysey to Anyoona has the same reason to its greatness. I would have loved to heard this played out. They are moments which, if you have experienced, make Oakey so great, but are found only in a few tunes.

The lack of quality in most trance/prog/breaks tunes is the reason for his choice being narrow. 99.9% of all electronic music doesn't contain the element needed for an Oakenfold set.

And yes - I consider myself Oakeys biggest fan. That doesn't make me up his arse, it means I love his sound and the soundtrack to life he has created.

...my god hes hairy...

i can remember oakenfold playing breakbeats back in 1996-97.,..

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Originally posted by ZendoBro Another bash Oakenfold thread to gain "street cred" in the Trance community. Boring... You should give credit where credit is due. This guy was literally the catalyst behind the Electronica scene. He is one of the reasons it is where it is today.

AMEN Oakenfold is the reason half of TA is here imo

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Originally posted by Laushinameee Ive never said he plays 'the same thing', i said his style of music is far to narrow, and it is. In recent years Oakey has ALWAYS been about 'melodic, on the proggier side of trance music. He may have done a handful of different things in the past but this is just the exception that proves the rule. I know plenty about other styles of 'EDM' ta, enough to know that when oakey attempted playing breaks in 2001 it was met with total ridicule in the breaks world. You are probably too far up oakey's arse to have noticed that though. Just ask Adam Freeland what he thinks of oakey playing breakbeat? haha. Do you think Adam Freeland also doesnt know anything about music? The entire essential mix world tour is trance & prog trance. There is nothing more to it.

Sorry but telling me to ask Freeland about oakey's breakbeat tunes, is irrelevant in the arguement. You said he was far too narrow, how does that actually relate to freeland accepting oakey or not? learn how to make a point.

I never said freeland did not know anything about music, you called him into the argument, not me. again, learn how to make a point and not just distract others from your inability to form a coherent argument.

The fact is that, oakey does try and branch out to different genre's for inspiration, and different tunes to play. And, as far as him being the spectre of 'ridicule in the breaks world', at least he tried. I dont think he gives a rats ass what the 'breaks world' thinks. He plays what he wants, and im going to listen. Remember, people need to try different things, and if they fail fine, but if they continue let them be.

Im sure Oakey was riduculed as well for leaving behind hip-hop and other generally accepted music, to persue and promote the beleric sound. But thats what is needed, new direction. He has always gone his own way, and i respect him for that.