Setting the Record Straight...
I am going to set the "record" (no pun intended) straight for EVERYONE who is in confusion (see: Twilogoddess). As I am a promoter and run events, and have HAD Oakenfold spin at a club I ran, and as I have MET and spent a night out with Oakenfold, let me say this in his defense:
1) Why does Oakenfold play all the same records? This seems to be the biggest debate here. Well, here's the answer. What most people don't realize, is that Oakie is on tour in the states PROMOTING HIS NEW ALBUM "Another World." When a rock band promotes an album, they play the songs on it in order to turn on fans to it so they go buy it. I know to us "true/hardcore" Oakie fans, this seems like he's "cheating us" out of our money. But its about promotion, and turning NEW people on to it.
2) Oakenfold is cocky and is doing it for the money..... NOT true. I have met him and spent a night with him (when he wasn't spinning), and you would be surprised how down to earth he is. Now, I am not in the press and he has no reason to carry on false pretenses with me, a regular promoter. In the Mixmag article Twilogoddess refers to, the reference is made TO Paul what he thinks about being CALLED the most SUCCESSFUL DJ in the world. Any other statements posted about him claiming to be the best would be unfounded. He has been voted numerous times by various magazines as the best, but he never claimed himself that he was.
As for the money part, I can shed some light on this. When you are a promoter, you want the DJ's that are ACCESSIBLE (i.e. that COME to the USA - NOT just for your club, but on tour (they are cheaper that way). Paul Oakenfold comes the USA enough that it is possible to book him. His management charges (and I'm not supposed to be giving this information out) around $20,000 for a two hour set (plus or minus, depending on time, venue, and date). I want to book him, but my budget only allows for 20G's. So I can only book him for a 2 hour set. This is why you only seem him spin short sets over here.
Another note of interest.... Oakenfold does not charge the $40. I do. I set the prices you pay when you walk in the door. I want to bring Oakenfold to you, but I also want to turn a profit - That is how I make my living. Oakenfold does have a large bank account, so why do you ask does he still charge so much? Because he can. You wouldn't see Britney Spears break down and give a free concert would you? Metallica? Hell no, that's stupid business. If you can charge it, GET IT! It's a rule of business. Paul's managers milk this one all the way to the bone - Paul has little to do with this, trust me.
3) He's Lazy - How many DJ's you know that "work out?" He isn't lazy at all, in fact, if you have ever seen him live, he very much gets into the set. As "mainstream" as many of you may think he is, he always manages to bring the largest crowds, and really keeps them moving (and I mean he is in the booth moving around, even dancing between mixes). And another interesting note, a former complaint that he only plays 2 hour sets - FYI - many of you don't know this, but sometimes he will hit 2 or 3 clubs IN ONE NIGHT to spin sets... As a former DJ, I can assure you its usually easier to Spin a 3-5 hour set in one club than it is to move from club to club all night and spin 2 hour sets. Not THAT lazy....
4) The tunes Oakie plays aren't underground - This is a stupid debate, really. All the songs we hear are underground....until we hear them. Then we say we heard them and they are no longer "underground". What classifies a song as "no longer underground?" You hear it on the radio? Then technically, almost everything you'll hear him and others spin is "underground." The underground debate is really down to each person's personal perspectives and really can't be argued upon.
5) Oakie's set is fast-paced and moves from city to city - this was one of Twilogoddesses' concerns... Well, Paul is (was) on tour for his album. When a band is on tour, usually they will hop from city to city in order to promote this... Keep in mind album sales and fans is about getting EXPOSURE... for many people, just a "taste" is what is needed to get them turned on to Paul... "Hey, that set last night was bangin'... maybe I should go out and get his CD?" - THAT is what the managers and Paul are hoping. They don't want to give the crowd their fill... That's called (and I'm sure you are familiar with this) "Getting Old."
6) I have heard that Oakie is rude to his fans, turning away autographs, ending sets early, starting sets late.... - This one I cannot say anything for in proof, although from what I have seen he is only extremely gracious to his fans. He even let some fans come up with him and dance on the stage and booth area when he was spinning at my event. As far as sets starting late or ending early - sometimes this is the DJ, sometimes it is My fault (like a technical problem or waiting for the previous DJ to finish his set), sometimes it is timing problems with the DJ's management (This accounts for 99% of all DJ errors in set times & arrangements. The managers are the ones you should dislike - they like to cause problems and ruin things for everybody to make an extra quick buck).
7) People getting pissed about something becoming mainstream... - This is a bunch of crap in my opinion. Hey, the more people like it, the more money I will make as a promoter, the more good trance music you will probably hear on the radio (as opposed to all that GARBAGE on the radio now - look at the BBC radio in England...Its so good, they don't even NEED CD's over there!). The more it gets accepted, the more DJ's you will see Record Labels sponsor around the country = more good music. I've had friends in the past who will like a heavy metal band, then when they become mainstream, they dislike them. This is a bunch of horseshit - Don't be so self-righteous and be happy for them.
8)Twilogoddess and her opinions.... - I think Twilogoddess is perfectly entitled to her opinions...hey, this is a BBS for opinions, isn't it? I do agree that too much bashing is kicking a dead horse though. We got the point. It is also not wise to make so many "factual" assumptions and point fingers without indeed knowing all the facts. It gives guys like me a little something to laugh about when reading these posts. Next time, just think of what you are going to look like to others when you say what you say. Maybe it will help you? =-)
Sorry I didn't keep this short, but I think a lot of things needed to be said to clear up a lot. Hopefully we all learned a little? Heheh. Until next time folks.... Keep bangin' the Trance!
PS - It's all good, really. (Is there bad trance????)
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