Start reading Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.

Deliver to your Kindle or other device

 
 
 

Try it free

Sample the beginning of this book for free

Deliver to your Kindle or other device

Read books on your computer or other mobile devices with our FREE Kindle Reading Apps.
Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography
 
 
Share your own customer images

Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography [Kindle Edition]

Richard Norris (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews) |
Digital List Price: £8.05 What's this?
Print List Price: £8.99
Kindle Price: £5.84 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
You Save: £3.15 (35%)
Unlike print books, digital books are subject to VAT.

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition £5.84   -- --
Hardcover --   -- --
Paperback £8.09   -- --

Product Description

Book Description

The authorised biography of the world's most successful DJ

Product Description

Paul Oakenfold has sold over 5 million records, has played to over 50 million people and is, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the most successful DJ in the world.Now, in Paul Oakenfold - The Authorised Biography, Richard Norris reveals the fascinating story of Paul's rise from South London soul boy to Hollywood superstar. Spanning more than two decades, Norris follows the twists and turns of Paul's career and, with it, the rise of the multi-million-pound industry that is club culture.As we near the end of the first decade of the New Millennium, Paul's star is still in the ascendant. With two Grammy nominations under his belt, he continues to work with the biggest names in music - Madonna, Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg to name but a few.Packed full of revealing interviews with the movers and shakers of the music industry, and based on two years of in-depth intervies with Oakenfold himself, this book tells the extraordinary story of a man whose life defines dance music.
See all Product Description

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 1715 KB
  • Print Length: 481 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0552155845
  • Publisher: Transworld Digital (27 May 2009)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language English
  • ASIN: B0031RS39Y
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #179,227 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

    •  Would you like to give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Richard Norris
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Richard Norris Page

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
It's hard to know what to make of this; as a traditional biography, its not great. While it is a reasonable assessment of what Oakenfold has been doing over the last twenty years, it doesn't delve particularly deep and there are few if any insights into him as a person. It's also sickeningly salivating; in the text he's given credit for launching the careers of (I kid you not) Will Smith and Happy Mondays, and there isn't a critical word to be said about the man in four hundred pages. There is also too much padding - there are two chapters dedicated to giving the history of Happy Mondays, with many seemingly random anecdotes told that have no reference to Oakenfold himself. He only comes into the picture when he produces their third album, and again, there are very few details about what he actually did on the project.

Where the book succeeds is as a general history of dance music from 1986 - 2007. It documents the club and ecstasy culture that developed in the late 80s and all the way through to the superclub era where it all fell apart. It puts into perspective Oakenfold's role in the whole thing (with exaggeration of course), and how he came to rise from small time promotor and DJ to global superstar. Still, there are many books that document this period better, mostly notably Altered State: The Story of Ecstasy Culture and Acid House and Superstar DJs Here We Go!: The Rise and Fall of the Superstar DJ. This book isn't a train wreck or anything; if you have a serious interest in dance music, club culture and Oakenfold you'll enjoy it.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you enjoyed books such a "Last Night a DJ Saved my Life" then you will enjoy this, not so much for its details on Paul Oakenfold but as a natural follow-on to the stories already told. In truth, the book doesn't give a very detailed insight into Paul Oakenfold's character or his personal life; it's more like a list of the things he has done with a few comments from him, but that doesn't make it any less valuable. In fact, if you are starting out as a DJ or promoter there's a lot to be learned in here about Oakie's work ethic and careful career planning. It seems very little happened by chance.

The writing style was alarming at first with the odd bit of wideboy speak to disrupt the flow. On the very first page is the gem "Backstage it's set up nice like you'd expect at this level" and I thought I was going to struggle my way through the book, but it settles down very quickly into a fast paced, interesting and pleasurable read. As an added bonus there's a CD tucked in the back (well there was on my hardback version).

All in all, I reckon a 7.5 out of 10. If you're a child of the superclub era then you'll love it.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Good book 30 Jun 2010
Format:Hardcover
This book is a who's who of clubbing culture in the 90's and naughties. It defines how the clubbing world as we now know it came into force, especially around the progressive and trance scenes. This book really concentrates on the late 80's and early 90's era, especially in and around London, and while it does go a bit back and forth, linking the house scenes in NY to that of London, it gives a good account of the 'anything goes' attitudes to putting on nights around this time. My one concern about the book was how it really only 'sketchily' went over the 'boom' times of clubbing, especially from the period between about '94 and 2000. The Cream residency was a really big deal at the time, but took only one chapter before going on to 'Home' and then the albums. Also it makes Paul out to be someone who can do no wrong, and how he is somehow the centre of everything professional in the business when all around are not (I am pretty sure that the likes of John Digweed and Nick Warren etc might think otherwise). I am sure he made mistakes, and there are some people who might not share his ideas, but these are not mentioned to much affect.
Overall though a good read, and gave a good insight into how it all sparked off. If the second half of the book had been as insightful as the first, then this would have acclaimed a far better review.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject









i.e., each title must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Amazon Media EU S.à r.l. GB Privacy Statement Amazon Media EU S.à r.l. GB Delivery Information Amazon Media EU S.à r.l. GB Returns & Exchanges