quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN Fuck me. I thought this thread would end badly but not this badly. So many names listed that 10 years ago weren't even producing - I thought this thread was "trance artist of all time", not "since you turned 16 in 2003 and started listening to Tiesto". I mean the amount of people listing PVD? He didn't even break through until 98, by which point the likes of Oakenfold and Sasha were beginning to move on to other things after having been there and done that. and JOOF? Much as he's a very nice bloke, again he didn't even come to prominance until the 2000's and even then he's hardly in the top 10 trance artists of all time. Christ I remember him Skol and Roosta trying to break through the london circuit in the very late 90 and after several years he was the only one that managed it. Vincent De Moor - undoubtedly in the top 10. One of the best percussion programmers out there, never flip flopped on style and has been a major player as long as I can remember. Anyone not putting Oakenfold in the top is a fucking idiot. Not that I hold some torch for him particularly, but speaking objectively he is without doubt the single person who pioneered trance the most both as an artist and a dj - he did it ALL before anyone else, has the most influence as a label in trance, and still packs out clubs, nearly 25 years after he started playing. in terms of acheivements, he makes Tiesto, van Burren, Corsten and Van Dyk(e) look like amateurs.

You're obviously a London boy (looking at DJ names you quoted) and had those typical 'Londoner blinkers' on to see only what was going on inside the M25. It was the rest of the UK's clubs that thrived and put the UK on the international map leading the way in the electronic dance scene.
I'd say clubs like Hacienda (Manchester), Lakota (Bristol), The Zap (Brighon) provided us with stars like Sasha, Way out West and John Fleming. Thats exactly why I signed them in the mid 90's while I was head A&R at Sony music.
I'd put Way out West at the top of my list of Trance producers (in their time).

I'd hardly say John Flemming was 'just sharpening his teeth' as you put it. In his time here (mid 90's) he had five mix albums and three singles in the UK Top 40 charts. I'd also been on many a road trip with him to festivals such as; World dance, Raindance, Tribal Gathering (many more) all 50,000 people + while holding a residency at the Zap in Brighton and Limelight in New York.

Oakenfold was great in his time, but he was the first DJ to turn things into a business. Sell out as we put it today. The one thing I admire about the aforementioned guys, they didn't do that hence my ongoing respect and admiration.

quote:

Originally posted by Pete t You're obviously a London boy (looking at DJ names you quoted) and had those typical 'Londoner blinkers' on to see only what was going on inside the M25. It was the rest of the UK's clubs that thrived and put the UK on the international map leading the way in the electronic dance scene. I'd say clubs like Hacienda (Manchester), Lakota (Bristol), The Zap (Brighon) provided us with stars like Sasha, Way out West and John Fleming. Thats exactly why I signed them in the mid 90's while I was head A&R at Sony music. I'd put Way out West at the top of my list of Trance producers (in their time). I'd hardly say John Flemming was 'just sharpening his teeth' as you put it. In his time here (mid 90's) he had five mix albums and three singles in the UK Top 40 charts. I'd also been on many a road trip with him to festivals such as; World dance, Raindance, Tribal Gathering (many more) all 50,000 people + while holding a residency at the Zap in Brighton and Limelight in New York. Oakenfold was great in his time, but he was the first DJ to turn things into a business. Sell out as we put it today. The one thing I admire about the aforementioned guys, they didn't do that hence my ongoing respect and admiration.

While you're right about my main clubbing, djing and record buying patch (I did state in my previous post) I don't think you can claim the north or any other part of the country as the main reason for EDM explosion in the same way I couldn't claim London was.

It's not about that. I'm just saying, around 1995-97 I remember seeing JOOF regularly as the third or fourth name listed at very small events (200 or so people) which only paid a couple of hundred quid at best for a non headliner set and I'm sorry but the likes of Sasha or Oakenfold just wouldn't get our of bed that at that point. They were about as famous as any DJ's could be be at that point.

I also don't think he had any releases (singles) until about 1998. He had a few remixes, but nothing he wrote as such I but I know he didn't chart until 1999 so i think it's a fair comparison to say he was cutting his teeth at a time when Oaken fold had already done half a dozen essential mixes, had a an extremely popular GU under his belt and was listed at top DJ in the world for 97 and 98.

Again, I'm not some Oakenfold fan or anything, but speaking purely from an analytical point of view, when you add up the achievements I just can't see anyone eclipsing him. Yeah he sold out but as I've said before, if anyone was going to do it, I kind of think he got there first and was always a businessman, even before he started DJing.

I also don't think you can say the clubs up north or elsewhere had any more impact than I could argue london clubs did. The hac was legendary but so was the Que club and so was the tall trees in Yarm and so was country club and so was the arches and so was the camden palace and so was turnmills etc.

For instance the Hac gave us sasha and peach at Camden brought all the big dutch DJ's (first UK appearances for Armin and Ferry) who are all now the "top" trance DJ's.

in terms of quality WOW were fucking superb, but I'd sort of call them prog if anything now, but maybe that's more a change in definition rather than them changing their sound so much?

If this was about who was the greatest dance music DJ (not trance) - my vote would go to either Danny Rampling or Carl Cox. Danny in the words of Tall Paul is "pure music" and cox more so than any DJ I've ever witnessed can turn a mediocre party in to the club night of your life without fail.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN While you're right about my main clubbing, djing and record buying patch (I did state in my previous post) I don't think you can claim the north or any other part of the country as the main reason for EDM explosion in the same way I couldn't claim London was. It's not about that. I'm just saying, around 1995-97 I remember seeing JOOF regularly as the third or fourth name listed at very small events (200 or so people) which only paid a couple of hundred quid at best for a non headliner set and I'm sorry but the likes of Sasha or Oakenfold just wouldn't get our of bed that at that point. They were about as famous as any DJ's could be be at that point. I also don't think he had any releases (singles) until about 1998. He had a few remixes, but nothing he wrote as such I but I know he didn't chart until 1999 so i think it's a fair comparison to say he was cutting his teeth at a time when Oaken fold had already done half a dozen essential mixes, had a an extremely popular GU under his belt and was listed at top DJ in the world for 97 and 98. Again, I'm not some Oakenfold fan or anything, but speaking purely from an analytical point of view, when you add up the achievements I just can't see anyone eclipsing him. Yeah he sold out but as I've said before, if anyone was going to do it, I kind of think he got there first and was always a businessman, even before he started DJing. I also don't think you can say the clubs up north or elsewhere had any more impact than I could argue london clubs did. The hac was legendary but so was the Que club and so was the tall trees in Yarm and so was country club and so was the arches and so was the camden palace and so was turnmills etc. For instance the Hac gave us sasha and peach at Camden brought all the big dutch DJ's (first UK appearances for Armin and Ferry) who are all now the "top" trance DJ's. in terms of quality WOW were fucking superb, but I'd sort of call them prog if anything now, but maybe that's more a change in definition rather than them changing their sound so much? If this was about who was the greatest dance music DJ (not trance) - my vote would go to either Danny Rampling or Carl Cox. Danny in the words of Tall Paul is "pure music" and cox more so than any DJ I've ever witnessed can turn a mediocre party in to the club night of your life without fail.

Lets not hijack an interesting thread and digress. I wholeheartedly agree with you on the clubs side, I've had many a good night at the Hec, probably some of my best times. The only form of marketing back then (before internet) was Mixmag, this was the only international magazine. Any club who put monthly full page adverts became a worldwide brand. This is why the likes of Gatecrasher, Cream, Ministry of sound became Worldwide success they are today, not Hec and the other underground clubs that didnt advertise.

Oakenfold was the first sell out DJ, he was the first Tiesto/Armin of the 90's. One minute he was playing Man with no name, Astral Projection, Hallucinogen, (great Trance music- his famous Goa Essential mix) next minute he's in the charts with 'Bullet in a gun'. Take a look today at the backlash against Armin and Co for turning their back on the roots of Trance.

The topic is top 10 of Trance artists of all time. Has Oakenfold dedicated his whole career to Trance music? No, only perhaps five years out of his 25 year career. He used it to get what he wanted, then turned his back on it.
He doesn't win my vote sorry.

quote:

Originally posted by Scoops really.....really?

i know he really doesnt produce, but he opened up trance/dance music to me when i saw him a few years ago. so thought he deserved a spot.

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of course DJ Tiesto!!!!

In no specific order:

M.I.K.E.
Oliver Lieb
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Chris Cowie
Mauro Picotto
Transa
Paul Van Dyk
Ferry Corsten
Steve Helstrip
Lange

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quote:

Originally posted by Pete t Take a look today at the backlash against Armin and Co for turning their back on the roots of Trance.

to be fair - were they ever artists that made their names with 'the roots of trance'? they have always been at least slightly cheesey/masses friendly even in their early early days

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Transa
DJ Taucher
Marino Stephano
John Vesta
Oliver Lieb
Early Ferry Corsten
Early BT
Alphazone
Airwave
M.I.K.E

Call me weird, but I love Steve Helstrip; of course, as well as many other names listed here.

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Oliver Lieb
Airwave
old BT
Art Of Trance


just a few off the top of my head

DJ RANN, as this is a thread about the top trance ARTISTS of all time, I fail to see why you are convinced that oakenfold should be right up there.

Take away his GU comps, his essential mixes, his DJ'ing around the world, his influence in the early days and focus purely on his productions.

Is he really one of the greatest trance ARTISTS of all time?

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hello every one...and..yes g-con oakenfold can be from the best artists in all the time...but not from the greatest 10...with my respect for him and every one right here....