It’s fitting that in issue 300 we feature such an influential artist and DJ like Paul Oakenfold. He brought dance music to the UK – and indeed the world – in the late 80s, defined and redefined genres within it over the next four decades, and almost became the definition of ‘superstar DJ’. Then there’s the remixes, game soundtracks, movies and so much more…

Photo: Scott Ramsay

Say the words ‘Paul Oakenfold’ and you instantly think of dance music, but the superstar DJ and producer has influenced a lot more than that – like that’s not enough in itself – over the last four decades. He begun his career proper at Champion Records and in his A&R position there signed Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and Salt-n-Pepa, tipping an already burgeoning hip hop movement over into the mainstream. But it was on a visit to Ibiza in 1987 that Oakenfold, along with Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway and Ian St Paul, discovered a Balearic house sound, and brought that back to the UK to kickstart dance music, the whole Madchester movement and club culture in general.