Paul Oakenfold interview

He was there from the start, so Paul Oakenfold couldn’t be happier to still be involved with Ministry of Sound three decades down the line.

On November 13th, the world’s most iconic dance music brand are celebrating their 30th anniversary with what promises to be the party of the year, a massive event in London’s O2 Arena. Titled Three Decades Of Dance, the show will feature a special performance by Ministry Of Sound Classical, recreating the legendary tracks that have defined the club over the years with the 50-piece London Concert Orchestra. If that wasn’t enough, some of the world-renowned DJs that have been mainstays of Ministry such as Judge Jules, Brandon Block and Alex P, alongside esteemed vocalist Kelli-Leigh, will be bringing their considerable talents to the decks to ensure that the night is one to remember.

With a line-up like that, there is only one name that could be added as a special guest to really round things off. Who else, but Ministry’s first-ever resident and a man who despite going on to global superstar success, has never forgotten where he came from and who’s love for the club is as strong as ever...Paul Oakenfold.

For Oakey, Ministry Of Sound is a club that will always occupy a special place in his heart and is one that, when they come calling, he’s always ready and willing to step back behind the decks because, when it comes down to it, he’s as much of a fan as he is an integral part of the Ministry story.

You played Ministry on it’s opening night and now here you are the special guest for it’s 30th Anniversary party. You must be pretty excited? “Who would ever have thought we would still be talking about Ministry and my relationship with them after 30 years? What a fantastic club, though. I was lucky enough to be the resident when it opened and our relationship has just grown naturally from there on in. I’ve done many, many events with them and still do, so when they asked me to be part of this big show, I didn’t have to think twice. It’s a wonderful thing and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”

Dance music reworked as a classical concert is nothing new, but this one is going to be pretty special. Why do you think that is? “It’s because it’s literally their 30th anniversary. That alone is remarkable and special as a result. There’ve been a lot of classical events in the last few years and they do well, so it makes sense for Ministry of Sound to celebrate three decades at the O2. I honestly think it’s going to be

amazing and there’s a lot of special guests who’ve been involved with the club over the years playing at it. I’ve seen the list of what the orchestra is going to play and I can guarantee that people are not going to be disappointed. It really will be a moment in electronic music. If I wasn’t playing myself, I’d be there to check it out anyway.”

When Ministry first opened in 1991, did it feel like a landmark in dance culture from the off? “It absolutely did. Up until that moment, there hadn’t been a club that was purpose-built and designed for the dancefloor like Ministry was, had the soundsystem that Ministry had and had the vision that Ministry had for what it could be. It was a real moment in club history, if not the world. We suddenly became players. Those kinds of clubs were only ever seen in America, then suddenly England, so therefore Europe, had a club that could compete with that. It was a game-changer.”

When you think of Ministry, what comes to your mind? It was always a big deal for me to play at Ministry of Sound and it still is. It’s an iconic nightclub with an iconic brand, so to still be part of it after all these years is an honour for me and I consider myself very fortunate as a result. I always love playing in the club. For A DJ, to play on a soundsystem like that and to have the club packed, well it’s wonderful. Every time. It’s as simple as that and I feel very fortunate to have been able to play there so often and to still be able to. They move with the times. They’ve understood that you simply have to, so that’s what they have done and they have done it well. I think it’s important to challenge yourself and move with the times and for me, Ministry has been the nightclub that has done that also.”

What’s happening with your upcoming new artist album Shine On? “It’s going to be released in the first quarter of next year, in America it’ll be around the time of The Grammys. It’s more of the same in the respect that I’ve collaborated with various different artists from different genres, but musically it’s not all about the dancefloor. During Covid, I started really knuckling down on sounds and progression in terms of music, so it’s very cinematic. There’s some great names on there like Eve, Azealia Banks, Cee-Lo Green, Luis Fonsi and more. A bunch of really interesting people. When you are making music, you make them based on how you feel at the time and where you are in your life, so it’s been very much a progression for me. So at this moment I wanted to do something cinematic, so I hope people like it.”

As someone who has spent his entire adult life playing out to crowds every weekend at least, it must have been difficult for you when everything was closed down so suddenly and for so long? “I went through various emotions over the course of it. At first I saw it as a chance to take my foot off the pedal and have a break after 30 years of DJing. That was actually nice. Then things change and you start to think about how you are going to cope and how you are going to live. So you just have to adapt. I was very fortunate in that my Dad taught me a wonderful lesson when I was a kid about saving for a rainy day. I didn’t really understand what that meant until I was older, but I’m so glad I did, as I ended up having to live off my savings because I didn’t work for 16 months. I know a lot of colleagues in music who really suffered during that time and got no help from the government, so it was a really difficult time for a lot of people. I missed being able to go out and DJ, but there were a lot of people in the industry who had it harder than I did. Now we’re back though, so people are enjoying themselves again and I’m really fortunate that I’ve got work again, so I’m really happy. I’ve done a few gigs already and they’ve been brilliant, though it was a bit weird at first after not playing for so long! I’m slowly getting back into it, though.”

Do you have any long-term plans or goals still, or have the last 18 months made you think differently about the future? “I don’t want to think too far ahead these days. What I’ve realised these last couple of years is to try and live your life and enjoy the moment. I’ve lost two close people in the last two years during Covid. I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, none of us do. So I’m all about enjoying the now. We all need one another. I’m realising that more and more and I’m seeing it more and more. It’s about being in the moment, helping each other, being kind and enjoying our lives. It doesn’t cost any money to put your arm around someone and say ‘I’m here for you.’ So I’m not thinking about the long-term future. I’ve got a show tonight, I’ve got a show tomorrow and I’ve got Ministry’s 30th anniversary to look forward to. I’m going to play, enjoy and have fun. That’s enough for me.”