Paul van Dyk
Encyclopedia
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name
Paul van Dyk (born 16 December 1971 in Eisenhüttenstadt
, East Germany) is a German Grammy Award
-winning Electronic Dance Music
DJ
, musician
and record producer
. One of the first true Superstar DJs, Paul van Dyk was one of the first artists to receive a Grammy nomination in the newly added category of Best Dance/Electronic album for his 2004 release Reflections. He was named World No.1 DJ in both 2005 and 2006, something less than a handful of DJs have ever achieved Paul van Dyk is the only DJ to hold a spot in the World's Top 10 DJs since 1998. He is also the first DJ to be named No.1 by mixmag in 2005. As of 2007, he has sold over 4.5 million albums worldwide.
A trance
producer starting in early 1990s, Paul quickly achieved popularity with his remix
of Love Stimulation by Humate
under record label MFS
in 1993, and his hit single, "For an Angel
", but in recent times he no longer likes to describe his music as trance, but rather simply as electronic dance music
.
in a single parent
household; his father left him and his mother when he was four years old. While living there, he worked as a broadcast technician and began training to become a carpenter
. Paul van Dyk claims his musical education came from radio. Because where he grew up there were no record stores at which to buy music, he kept in touch with the world beyond the Berlin Wall
by secretly listening to the popular but forbidden Western
radio stations RIAS (Radio in the American Sector) and SFB and mixtape
s occasionally smuggled into the country and copied among school friends.
Shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, van Dyk and his mother were given permission to leave East Germany and moved to Hamburg
to live with his aunt. In 1990, van Dyk moved back to Berlin. His first appearance as a DJ was in the Tresor
in March 1991. After several more dates, he was given the chance to perform at Juergen Kramer's Dubmission parties in the Turbine club, together with the young resident DJ Kid Paul. The shows were called Paul vs. Paul. His mixing style drew the attention of Cosmic Baby
and the two collaborated as The Visions of Shiva. Their single "Perfect Day" was released by the renowned Berlin independent label MFS
(Masterminded For Success) Records, run by English ex-patriat producer Mark Reeder
and manager Torsten Jurk.
In February 1993, van Dyk and Kid Paul
hosted an installment of the weekly three-hour "HR3 Clubnight" radio show, performing for a nationwide audience on German radio. The second and final Visions of Shiva single "How Much Can You Take?" was released, and van Dyk and Cosmic went their separate musical ways. By late summer, Paul released his first DJ-mix compilation "X-Mix-1 - the MFS Trip" and remixed Humate's trance hymn "Love Stimulation".
The growing popularity of the Dubmission parties forced venue changes, first to Cafe Moskau and then into the larger E-Werk
where van Dyk began hosting regular MFS nights.
acquired many remixes for Paul. MFS
label owner Mark Reeder
's close friendship with artists such as New Order
gave Paul the opportunity to mix the track "Spooky" from the Republic
album. Persuaded by Reeder, he finally recorded his debut LP 45 RPM
with Johnny Klimek
and VOOV. Reeder also compiled the album's running order and design, and chose the album's title as a reflection of the 45 rpm speed typical for dance vinyl
.
Mark Reeder
compiled Seven Ways
, which established Paul van Dyk as a trance
pioneer and was Paul van Dyk's first real success in Britain
. Reeder had successfully convinced his old friend Rob Deacon (formerly of Volume) to license the album for the UK and his new Deviant label
. Seven Ways was voted the #1 album by readers of DJ Magazine.
In early 1997, Paul van Dyk began collaborating with U.S. music producer BT. Together, they produced tracks such as Flaming June, Forbidden Fruit and Namistai (1999). The singles "Forbidden Fruit" and "Beautiful Place" did not cause a great impact at first but, with the release of Seven Ways and "Words" appearing at the height of the British superclub
phenomenon, van Dyk's own material began to attract attention. "By the time they realised I was a German, it was too late!" van Dyk said. Van Dyk also remixed a well known early-90s track, Age of Love
in 1997.
In 1998, 45 RPM was re-released in the UK and in the US. To mark the event, and in homage to the defunct E-Werk, Paul released a remix of "For An Angel
". Van Dyk took up a residency at Sheffield
's Gatecrasher
and declared himself anti-drugs
, which led to home-made "No E, Pure PvD" T-shirts, also a sly note to journalists that his surname contained no "E
". In 1998, Paul remixed British
trance duo, Binary Finary
's famous "1998" single, which was a successful version that took Binary Finary to the top of the German Dance charts.
In mid-1998, Van Dyk left MFS Records and took a controlling share in the new label Vandit Records
. In 2000, Paul flexed his skills with his melodic, dancefloor-friendly Out There And Back, which included the hit single "Tell Me Why (The Riddle)
", a collaboration with Saint Etienne
. It also included the European hit We Are Alive, a remixed version of the Jennifer Brown
song Alive. His first mix album The Politics of Dancing
(2001) was followed by a world tour and a DVD release Global (2003) and the Mexican film "Zurdo
", for which van Dyk composed the soundtrack and won a Mexican Oscar for his work.
Reflections
(2003) derived from van Dyk’s trips to India
, was a more melancholy affair, and includes the single "Nothing But You
", a collaboration with Hemmstock & Jennings. It was nominated for a Grammy
in the category of Best Electronic Album. The mix album The Politics of Dancing 2
(2005) was preceded by a single "The Other Side," featuring Wayne Jackson
; a song dedicated to the victims, and their families, of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that struck Thailand on 26 December 2004. His original productions from Reflections have been synced into major motion pictures such as Into the Blue, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, television’s Entertainment Tonight and MTV’s Cribs, and international ad campaigns for Motorola, HBO, Land Rover, Ski Vail and most recently for Jeep.
, worldwide on 14 August 2007. The album, which he created over a three-year period, debuted at number #115 on the Billboard 200
and #2 on the Billboard
s Top Electronic Albums
and #1 on the Top Heatseekers
. The album also reached #16 on the Mexican Albums Chart and #5 on the Mexican International Chart. The album was released accompanied by a special edition limited to two thousand copies which included a mixed version of the full album, along with an eight-track bonus CD and an eight-page photo anthology.
The album was produced primarily by Paul van Dyk himself, and features a wide range of collaborators including David Byrne
of Talking Heads
, Jessica Sutta
of the Pussycat Dolls
, Ashley Tomberlin from Luminary, Alex M.O.R.P.H, Lo Fi Sugar, Rea Garvey of Reamonn
, Ryan Merchant and Wayne Jackson
. It also features a vocal sample from Ben Lost from Probspot's "Blows My Mind" on the song "Another Sunday". In June 2007, Paul van Dyk embarked on the worldwide "In Between Tour
" to promote the album.
On New Year's Eve 2008/2009 Paul played Barra Beach to over 1 million people in Rio de Janero giving testament to his incredible popularity the world over.
His work with EA Games has resulted in mulitple releases featuring his music on Mirror's Edge and Grand Slam Tennis out in 2009. Paul has also lent his talents to remixing Batman's "Dark Knight Theme" written by Hanz Zimmer which helped the album win best soundtrack in a motion picture grammy which Paul van Dyk shares with his fellow collaborators. But Paul is no stranger to high profile remixes, he has put his unique twist on Depeche Mode’s "Martyr", Justin Timberlake’s "What Goes Around" and Britney Spears "Gimme More" just to name a few.
Paul van Dyk hosts a show on Radio Fritz every Saturday at 20:00 GMT.
In May 2008, Paul van Dyk set up a remix competition with digital download network Beatport.com, inviting aspiring producers to remix his single 'Far Away' which appeared on his 2007 album 'In Between'. Paul has appeared as one of the DJs at Trance Energy
2009.
It was revealed by Paul van Dyk that his record label Vandit would be merging with Armin Van Buuren's Armada Music.
The next studio album by Paul van Dyk, entitled 'Evolution' is scheduled for release on 21st February 2012.
, Mexico
.
. His creation of The Politics of Dancing
compilation was inspired by electronic dance music's universal acclaim by different people around the world. "Palestinians are dancing with Israelis. Lebanese people are dancing with Israelis – without war, without anything in their minds other than treating each other respectfully", said van Dyk in 2006. He also has called EDM "...a political and diplomatic tool that could be used." Having grown up with little freedom, his musical career has helped him voice his opinions about politics. He opposes the Iraq War and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. He describes himself as anti-war
and has advertised this while performing, by wearing a shirt reading "Make peace, not war".
He has helped fight poverty
by supporting social programs to help disadvantaged people in India, New York, and Berlin. He also participated in Rock the Vote
in 2004 and 2008; he and Bono
being the only non-American artists to join the campaign encouraging young people to vote.
1996: Seven Ways
2000: Out There and Back
2003: Reflections
2007: In Between
2012: Evolution
1994: Paul van Dyk - Pumpin' / Pump This Party
1997: Perspective
1998: Vorsprung Dyk Technik
1999: Paul van Dyk's Nervous Tracks
2000: 60 Minute Mix
2001: The Politics of Dancing
2003: Global
2004: Perfect Remixes Vol. 2
2004: Re-Reflections
2005: The Politics of Dancing 2
2008: Cream Ibiza
2008: Still Alive: The Remixes
2008: Hands on In Between
2009: Volume: The Best of Paul van Dyk
2009: Vonyc Sessions 2009
2010: 10 Years GMF Compilation
2010: Gatecrasher Anthems Paul Van Dyk
2010: Vonyc Sessions 2010
2011: Paul Van Dyk Presents: 10 Years VANDIT
2011: Energy Mastermix Mixed By Paul Van Dyk
2011: Paul Van Dyk Summer Mix 2011
2011: Paul Van Dyk Better Then Ever
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Paul van Dyk (born 16 December 1971 in Eisenhüttenstadt
Eisenhüttenstadt
Eisenhüttenstadt is a town in the Oder-Spree district of Brandenburg, Germany at the border with Poland. The town was founded in 1950 alongside a new steel mill as a socialist model city and has a population of 32,214...
, East Germany) is a German Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning Electronic Dance Music
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. One of the first true Superstar DJs, Paul van Dyk was one of the first artists to receive a Grammy nomination in the newly added category of Best Dance/Electronic album for his 2004 release Reflections. He was named World No.1 DJ in both 2005 and 2006, something less than a handful of DJs have ever achieved Paul van Dyk is the only DJ to hold a spot in the World's Top 10 DJs since 1998. He is also the first DJ to be named No.1 by mixmag in 2005. As of 2007, he has sold over 4.5 million albums worldwide.
A trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
producer starting in early 1990s, Paul quickly achieved popularity with his remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of Love Stimulation by Humate
Humate
Humate is a German record producer who has released singles with record labels such as Yoshitoshi and Prolekult. His work has been featured on many compilation albums including the Global Underground series, Sasha and John Digweed's Northern Exposure series and the Cafe Del Mar series...
under record label MFS
MFS (label)
MFS was an independent electronic dance music label from Berlin, Germany lasting from 1990-2008 . It was founded by Berlin based Englishman, Mark Reeder in 1990...
in 1993, and his hit single, "For an Angel
For an Angel
"For An Angel" is a trance debut track by German DJ Paul van Dyk. It is his most famous track, it was initially released in 1994 as a track on 45 RPM on the MFS record label, which was van Dyk's first album...
", but in recent times he no longer likes to describe his music as trance, but rather simply as electronic dance music
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
.
Early life and musical beginning
Paul van Dyk grew up in East BerlinEast Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
in a single parent
Single parent
Single parent is a term that is mostly used to suggest that one parent has most of the day to day responsibilities in the raising of the child or children, which would categorize them as the dominant caregiver...
household; his father left him and his mother when he was four years old. While living there, he worked as a broadcast technician and began training to become a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. Paul van Dyk claims his musical education came from radio. Because where he grew up there were no record stores at which to buy music, he kept in touch with the world beyond the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
by secretly listening to the popular but forbidden Western
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
radio stations RIAS (Radio in the American Sector) and SFB and mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
s occasionally smuggled into the country and copied among school friends.
Shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, van Dyk and his mother were given permission to leave East Germany and moved to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
to live with his aunt. In 1990, van Dyk moved back to Berlin. His first appearance as a DJ was in the Tresor
Tresor
Tresor is an underground techno nightclub and record label. The club was founded in March 1991 in the vaults of the former old Wertheim department store in Mitte, the central part of the former East Berlin, next to the famous Potsdamer Platz, however the history of the club goes back to 1988 when...
in March 1991. After several more dates, he was given the chance to perform at Juergen Kramer's Dubmission parties in the Turbine club, together with the young resident DJ Kid Paul. The shows were called Paul vs. Paul. His mixing style drew the attention of Cosmic Baby
Cosmic Baby
Harald Blüchel is a German electronic artist who is mostly known under his alias Cosmic Baby. Blüchel is also well known for his participation in dance acts such as Energy 52 with Paul Schmitz-Moormann and The Visions of Shiva with Paul van Dyk.- Biography and musical career :Harald Blüchel was...
and the two collaborated as The Visions of Shiva. Their single "Perfect Day" was released by the renowned Berlin independent label MFS
MFS (label)
MFS was an independent electronic dance music label from Berlin, Germany lasting from 1990-2008 . It was founded by Berlin based Englishman, Mark Reeder in 1990...
(Masterminded For Success) Records, run by English ex-patriat producer Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder grew up in Manchester, England. He is a musician and record producer. At a young age, Reeder became interested in progressive rock and especially early electronic music. In his teens, he worked in a small Virgin Records store in Manchester city centre.Reeder has been living and working...
and manager Torsten Jurk.
In February 1993, van Dyk and Kid Paul
Kid Paul
Paul Schmitz Moorman is a former German DJ and acid house and trance musician.He moved with his family to Berlin in 1981 and appeared in the music video "Herzlichen Glückwunsch" of the rock group Spliff...
hosted an installment of the weekly three-hour "HR3 Clubnight" radio show, performing for a nationwide audience on German radio. The second and final Visions of Shiva single "How Much Can You Take?" was released, and van Dyk and Cosmic went their separate musical ways. By late summer, Paul released his first DJ-mix compilation "X-Mix-1 - the MFS Trip" and remixed Humate's trance hymn "Love Stimulation".
The growing popularity of the Dubmission parties forced venue changes, first to Cafe Moskau and then into the larger E-Werk
E-Werk
The E-Werk was a techno music club in Berlin, which was previously an electrical substation. Located near Checkpoint Charlie, it was for many years one of Berlin's most well known techno clubs. It closed on 24 July 1997....
where van Dyk began hosting regular MFS nights.
1994–2007
In 1994, Paul released The Green Valley EP, Pump This Party and Emergency 911. Meanwhile, MFSMFS (label)
MFS was an independent electronic dance music label from Berlin, Germany lasting from 1990-2008 . It was founded by Berlin based Englishman, Mark Reeder in 1990...
acquired many remixes for Paul. MFS
MFS (label)
MFS was an independent electronic dance music label from Berlin, Germany lasting from 1990-2008 . It was founded by Berlin based Englishman, Mark Reeder in 1990...
label owner Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder grew up in Manchester, England. He is a musician and record producer. At a young age, Reeder became interested in progressive rock and especially early electronic music. In his teens, he worked in a small Virgin Records store in Manchester city centre.Reeder has been living and working...
's close friendship with artists such as New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
gave Paul the opportunity to mix the track "Spooky" from the Republic
Republic (album)
Republic is the sixth studio album by New Order. Released in 1993 by London Records, it was their first album released after the demise of Factory Records, and their last for eight years....
album. Persuaded by Reeder, he finally recorded his debut LP 45 RPM
45 RPM (album)
45 RPM is the debut album by Paul van Dyk. It was released in Germany on MFS on 5 December 1994. It was then released on Deviant Records in the UK and Mute Records in the USA in 1998....
with Johnny Klimek
Johnny Klimek
Johnny Klimek is an Australian film and television composer, currently based in Los Angeles. He is known by association with German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, with whom he and longtime partner Reinhold Heil have collaborated on seven films, including Run, Lola, Run and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer...
and VOOV. Reeder also compiled the album's running order and design, and chose the album's title as a reflection of the 45 rpm speed typical for dance vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
.
Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder grew up in Manchester, England. He is a musician and record producer. At a young age, Reeder became interested in progressive rock and especially early electronic music. In his teens, he worked in a small Virgin Records store in Manchester city centre.Reeder has been living and working...
compiled Seven Ways
Seven Ways
Seven Ways is a trance album by Paul van Dyk released on MFS in 1996 and later on Deviant Records and Mute Records. It is Paul van Dyk's second studio album...
, which established Paul van Dyk as a trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
pioneer and was Paul van Dyk's first real success in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Reeder had successfully convinced his old friend Rob Deacon (formerly of Volume) to license the album for the UK and his new Deviant label
Deviant Records
Deviant Records was a London-based record label which has featured releases from artists such as Paul Van Dyk, Witchman, Humate, and Spooky. It went into liquidation in 2006 and was sold to Phoenix Music International Ltd.-External links:*...
. Seven Ways was voted the #1 album by readers of DJ Magazine.
In early 1997, Paul van Dyk began collaborating with U.S. music producer BT. Together, they produced tracks such as Flaming June, Forbidden Fruit and Namistai (1999). The singles "Forbidden Fruit" and "Beautiful Place" did not cause a great impact at first but, with the release of Seven Ways and "Words" appearing at the height of the British superclub
Superclub
Superclub is a term used to refer to a nightclub owned and managed by a dance music record label, such as The Haçienda club, which was owned by Factory Records...
phenomenon, van Dyk's own material began to attract attention. "By the time they realised I was a German, it was too late!" van Dyk said. Van Dyk also remixed a well known early-90s track, Age of Love
The Age of Love (Age of Love single)
"Age of Love" is the 1990 self-titled single of the Age of Love. It is notable as an early popular example of trance music.Released in 1990, itn was produced by Bruno Sanchioni and Giuseppe Cherchia , with vocals by Karen Mulder "The Age of Love" was originally released by the Belgian label Diki...
in 1997.
In 1998, 45 RPM was re-released in the UK and in the US. To mark the event, and in homage to the defunct E-Werk, Paul released a remix of "For An Angel
For an Angel
"For An Angel" is a trance debut track by German DJ Paul van Dyk. It is his most famous track, it was initially released in 1994 as a track on 45 RPM on the MFS record label, which was van Dyk's first album...
". Van Dyk took up a residency at Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
's Gatecrasher
Gatecrasher
Gatecrasher is an international clubbing brand made famous by the Gatecrasher dance music events held at the Gatecrasher One nightclub in Sheffield, England during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The event received awards such as "Club Of The Year" at the Ericsson Muzik Magazine Dance Awards in...
and declared himself anti-drugs
Recreational drug use
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
, which led to home-made "No E, Pure PvD" T-shirts, also a sly note to journalists that his surname contained no "E
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
MDMA is an entactogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of drugs. In popular culture, MDMA has become widely known as "ecstasy" , usually referring to its street pill form, although this term may also include the presence of possible adulterants...
". In 1998, Paul remixed British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
trance duo, Binary Finary
Binary Finary
Binary Finary are a British trance act originally comprising Matt Laws and Stuart Matheson, who were later joined by Sasha Vatoff who acts as DJ and live performer. They are best known for the dance hit single "1998", especially for the Paul Van Dyk and Gouryella remixes, which charted in many...
's famous "1998" single, which was a successful version that took Binary Finary to the top of the German Dance charts.
In mid-1998, Van Dyk left MFS Records and took a controlling share in the new label Vandit Records
Vandit
VANDIT is an independent record label that was founded in June of 2000 by German DJ Paul van Dyk and continuously releases records in the fields Trance and Techno....
. In 2000, Paul flexed his skills with his melodic, dancefloor-friendly Out There And Back, which included the hit single "Tell Me Why (The Riddle)
Tell Me Why (The Riddle)
"Tell Me Why " is a song released by Paul van Dyk in collaboration with English indie dance band Saint Etienne, with Sarah Cracknell of the group on vocals...
", a collaboration with Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
. It also included the European hit We Are Alive, a remixed version of the Jennifer Brown
Jennifer Brown
Jennifer Brown is a Swedish singer. She was born in Hjällbo, northeast of Gothenburg.When she moved to Stockholm in the 1990s, she started working as a phone receptionist for influential Swedish record label Telegram records and this eventually led to a record deal...
song Alive. His first mix album The Politics of Dancing
The Politics of Dancing (Paul van Dyk album)
The Politics of Dancing is a compilation mix album of trance music, mixed by Paul van Dyk and released on Ministry of Sound in October, 2001...
(2001) was followed by a world tour and a DVD release Global (2003) and the Mexican film "Zurdo
Zurdo
Zurdo, is a 2003 Mexican fantasy adventure film, directed by Carlos Salces from the same company that produced Amores Perros.Translated from Spanish, the title means "Lefty." It is also a nickname of Rafael Nadal due to him being a left-handed player....
", for which van Dyk composed the soundtrack and won a Mexican Oscar for his work.
Reflections
Reflections (Paul van Dyk album)
- Album Credits :* "Crush" - Written by Paul van Dyk; Produced by Paul van Dyk; Vocals by Antoine Toupin* "Time of Our Lives" - Written by Paul van Dyk, John McDaid and Simon Walker; Produced by Paul van Dyk; Vocals by Vega 4...
(2003) derived from van Dyk’s trips to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, was a more melancholy affair, and includes the single "Nothing But You
Nothing But You
"Nothing But You" is a single released by Paul van Dyk in association with the group Hemstock & Jennings - Nothing But You is a re-work of their 2002 single "Arctic". It also features the well known trance singer Jan Johnston, as well as Kym on vocals. The song was featured in the soundtracks of EA...
", a collaboration with Hemmstock & Jennings. It was nominated for a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the category of Best Electronic Album. The mix album The Politics of Dancing 2
The Politics of Dancing 2
The Politics of Dancing 2 is an album of trance music mixed by Paul van Dyk as a sequel to his The Politics of Dancing.-Disc one:#Alex Gold - "String Theory" – 3:55#Tranquility Base - "Getting Away " – 3:20...
(2005) was preceded by a single "The Other Side," featuring Wayne Jackson
Wayne Jackson (singer)
Wayne Jackson is an English singer, songwriter and producer, who lives in Berlin.-Biography:Born and raised in Manchester, Wayne now lives in Berlin.He studied English literature in Wales and has a degree...
; a song dedicated to the victims, and their families, of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that struck Thailand on 26 December 2004. His original productions from Reflections have been synced into major motion pictures such as Into the Blue, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, television’s Entertainment Tonight and MTV’s Cribs, and international ad campaigns for Motorola, HBO, Land Rover, Ski Vail and most recently for Jeep.
2007–present: In Between
Paul van Dyk released his fifth studio album, In BetweenIn Between (Paul van Dyk album)
*Second CD was only available to those who attend the Central Park Event on August 17 & 18, to those who attended the 13th annual Nocturnal Festival on September 29, or from van Dyk's vonyc.com store as well as on iTunes Store...
, worldwide on 14 August 2007. The album, which he created over a three-year period, debuted at number #115 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #2 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top Electronic Albums
Top Electronic Albums
Dance/Electronic Albums is a music chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the top-selling electronic music albums in the United States. The chart debuted on the issue dated June 30, 2001. It originally began as a fifteen-position chart and has since expanded to twenty-five...
and #1 on the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
. The album also reached #16 on the Mexican Albums Chart and #5 on the Mexican International Chart. The album was released accompanied by a special edition limited to two thousand copies which included a mixed version of the full album, along with an eight-track bonus CD and an eight-page photo anthology.
The album was produced primarily by Paul van Dyk himself, and features a wide range of collaborators including David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
of Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
, Jessica Sutta
Jessica Sutta
Jessica Lynn Sutta is an American dancer, showgirl, singer, recording artist, model, and actress. She is best known as a member of the American pop girl group and dance ensemble, the Pussycat Dolls. She left the group in January 2010 to embark her solo career. She is currently finishing up her...
of the Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
, Ashley Tomberlin from Luminary, Alex M.O.R.P.H, Lo Fi Sugar, Rea Garvey of Reamonn
Reamonn
Reamonn is a German rock and pop band. They have recorded six albums.-History:In 1997, Rea Garvey left his band The Reckless Pedestrians and home town of Tralee, Ireland to go to Germany with not a lot of money and a demo CD in his pocket...
, Ryan Merchant and Wayne Jackson
Wayne Jackson (singer)
Wayne Jackson is an English singer, songwriter and producer, who lives in Berlin.-Biography:Born and raised in Manchester, Wayne now lives in Berlin.He studied English literature in Wales and has a degree...
. It also features a vocal sample from Ben Lost from Probspot's "Blows My Mind" on the song "Another Sunday". In June 2007, Paul van Dyk embarked on the worldwide "In Between Tour
In Between Tour
In Between Album Tour is Paul van Dyk's 2007 concert tour in support of the album In Between. The tour took him to 24 different cities in 11 different countries.-History:...
" to promote the album.
On New Year's Eve 2008/2009 Paul played Barra Beach to over 1 million people in Rio de Janero giving testament to his incredible popularity the world over.
His work with EA Games has resulted in mulitple releases featuring his music on Mirror's Edge and Grand Slam Tennis out in 2009. Paul has also lent his talents to remixing Batman's "Dark Knight Theme" written by Hanz Zimmer which helped the album win best soundtrack in a motion picture grammy which Paul van Dyk shares with his fellow collaborators. But Paul is no stranger to high profile remixes, he has put his unique twist on Depeche Mode’s "Martyr", Justin Timberlake’s "What Goes Around" and Britney Spears "Gimme More" just to name a few.
Paul van Dyk hosts a show on Radio Fritz every Saturday at 20:00 GMT.
In May 2008, Paul van Dyk set up a remix competition with digital download network Beatport.com, inviting aspiring producers to remix his single 'Far Away' which appeared on his 2007 album 'In Between'. Paul has appeared as one of the DJs at Trance Energy
Trance Energy
Energy is a Dutch dance event featuring Electronic Dance Music DJs from around the world. It is organized by ID&T and has been held from 1999 to the present day in various venues in the Netherlands twice a year. Traditionally, there was a "small" edition and a big edition each year...
2009.
It was revealed by Paul van Dyk that his record label Vandit would be merging with Armin Van Buuren's Armada Music.
The next studio album by Paul van Dyk, entitled 'Evolution' is scheduled for release on 21st February 2012.
Personal life
He is married to Natascha van Dyk, who also appears on some of his releases (vocals on "Together We Will Conquer"). The two were married in CancúnCancún
Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Politics
Since 2001, Paul has taken an interest in politicsPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. His creation of The Politics of Dancing
The Politics of Dancing (Paul van Dyk album)
The Politics of Dancing is a compilation mix album of trance music, mixed by Paul van Dyk and released on Ministry of Sound in October, 2001...
compilation was inspired by electronic dance music's universal acclaim by different people around the world. "Palestinians are dancing with Israelis. Lebanese people are dancing with Israelis – without war, without anything in their minds other than treating each other respectfully", said van Dyk in 2006. He also has called EDM "...a political and diplomatic tool that could be used." Having grown up with little freedom, his musical career has helped him voice his opinions about politics. He opposes the Iraq War and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. He describes himself as anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
and has advertised this while performing, by wearing a shirt reading "Make peace, not war".
He has helped fight poverty
War on Poverty
The War on Poverty is the unofficial name for legislation first introduced by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during his State of the Union address on January 8, 1964. This legislation was proposed by Johnson in response to a national poverty rate of around nineteen percent...
by supporting social programs to help disadvantaged people in India, New York, and Berlin. He also participated in Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization in the United States of America whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people....
in 2004 and 2008; he and Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
being the only non-American artists to join the campaign encouraging young people to vote.
Studio albums
- 1994:
45 RPM (album)
45 RPM is the debut album by Paul van Dyk. It was released in Germany on MFS on 5 December 1994. It was then released on Deviant Records in the UK and Mute Records in the USA in 1998....
Seven Ways
Seven Ways is a trance album by Paul van Dyk released on MFS in 1996 and later on Deviant Records and Mute Records. It is Paul van Dyk's second studio album...
Out There and Back
Out There and Back is the third studio album by Paul van Dyk. It was released in 2000 and is the first album released on his own Vandit record label. It can be seen as Paul van Dyk's breakthrough album. Several editions include a bonus CD.-Track listing:...
Reflections (Paul van Dyk album)
- Album Credits :* "Crush" - Written by Paul van Dyk; Produced by Paul van Dyk; Vocals by Antoine Toupin* "Time of Our Lives" - Written by Paul van Dyk, John McDaid and Simon Walker; Produced by Paul van Dyk; Vocals by Vega 4...
In Between (Paul van Dyk album)
*Second CD was only available to those who attend the Central Park Event on August 17 & 18, to those who attended the 13th annual Nocturnal Festival on September 29, or from van Dyk's vonyc.com store as well as on iTunes Store...
Compilations and remix albums
- 1993:
The Politics of Dancing (Paul van Dyk album)
The Politics of Dancing is a compilation mix album of trance music, mixed by Paul van Dyk and released on Ministry of Sound in October, 2001...
The Politics of Dancing 2
The Politics of Dancing 2 is an album of trance music mixed by Paul van Dyk as a sequel to his The Politics of Dancing.-Disc one:#Alex Gold - "String Theory" – 3:55#Tranquility Base - "Getting Away " – 3:20...
Hands on in Between
Hands On In Between is the latest remix album from Paul van Dyk, released on November 24, 2008. This album is two CDs of remixed songs featured on the original In Between album in 2007. Selections from this album were remixed by various trance artists in the scene...
Soundtracks
- 2003: Zurdo: Musica Original de la PeliculaZurdoZurdo, is a 2003 Mexican fantasy adventure film, directed by Carlos Salces from the same company that produced Amores Perros.Translated from Spanish, the title means "Lefty." It is also a nickname of Rafael Nadal due to him being a left-handed player....
- 2004: One Perfect DayOne Perfect DayOne Perfect Day is an Australian film released in 2004.-Plot:The central character of the film is Tommy Matisse; his name combines the title of The Who's 1969 rock opera Tommy and the last name of twentieth century French painter Henri Matisse....
- 2005: Into the Blue: " Time of Our Lives feat Vega 4Vega 4Vega4 was a four-piece band formed in London. Johnny McDaid was the band's lead vocalist and songwriter, joined on guitar by Bruce Gainsford. Gavin Fox was the band's bassist and Bryan McLellan the drummer....
" - 2008: The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight (soundtrack)The Dark Knight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to Christopher Nolan's 2008 film The Dark Knight, the sequel to Nolan's 2005 film Batman Begins. The soundtrack was released on July 15, 2008, in three editions: CD, limited edition CD digipak, and digital download. The 2CD...
Video Games
- 2004: FIFA Football 2004FIFA Football 2004FIFA Football 2004, also known as FIFA Soccer 2004 in North America, is a football video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in October 2003 with the tagline "Create Brilliance"....
: "Nothing But YouNothing But You"Nothing But You" is a single released by Paul van Dyk in association with the group Hemstock & Jennings - Nothing But You is a re-work of their 2002 single "Arctic". It also features the well known trance singer Jan Johnston, as well as Kym on vocals. The song was featured in the soundtracks of EA...
" - 2004: Need For Speed Underground 2: "Nothing But YouNothing But You"Nothing But You" is a single released by Paul van Dyk in association with the group Hemstock & Jennings - Nothing But You is a re-work of their 2002 single "Arctic". It also features the well known trance singer Jan Johnston, as well as Kym on vocals. The song was featured in the soundtracks of EA...
" "(Cirrus Remix)" - 2008: Mirror's EdgeMirror's EdgeMirror's Edge is a single-player first person action-adventure video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was announced on July 10, 2007, and was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2008. A Microsoft Windows version was released...
: "Soundtrack" + "Additional Remix" - 2009: Grand Slam Tennis: "Soundtrack"
- 2009: DJ HeroDJ HeroDJ Hero is a music video game, developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision as a rhythm game spin-off of the Guitar Hero franchise. It was released on October 27, 2009 in North America and on October 29, 2009 in Europe...
: "Nothing But YouNothing But You"Nothing But You" is a single released by Paul van Dyk in association with the group Hemstock & Jennings - Nothing But You is a re-work of their 2002 single "Arctic". It also features the well known trance singer Jan Johnston, as well as Kym on vocals. The song was featured in the soundtracks of EA...
" Vs "I Can't Stop" "(David Penn Remix)" - 2011: Test Drive Unlimited 2Test Drive Unlimited 2Test Drive Unlimited 2 is a racing video game developed by Eden Games and published by Atari. It is the sequel to Test Drive Unlimited and the tenth game in the series. The game was released on 8 February 2011 in North America and on 11 February in Europe.The game suffered from many bugs during...
: "For An AngelFor an Angel"For An Angel" is a trance debut track by German DJ Paul van Dyk. It is his most famous track, it was initially released in 1994 as a track on 45 RPM on the MFS record label, which was van Dyk's first album...
" "(E-werk Club Mix)"
Singles and Remixes
- 1993: Love Stimulation (remix)
- 1996: Beautiful Place
- 1997: Words
- 1997: Forbidden Fruit
- 1998: For an Angel (E-Werk Club Mix)
- ????: Rave Me (ATB Feat Paul Van Dyk)
- 1999: Another Way/Avenue - Paul Van Dyk
- 2000: Forbidden Fruit
- 2000: Tell Me Why (The Riddle) feat St EtienneTell Me Why (The Riddle)"Tell Me Why " is a song released by Paul van Dyk in collaboration with English indie dance band Saint Etienne, with Sarah Cracknell of the group on vocals...
- 2000: We Are Alive by Paul Van Dyk
- 2001: Columbia
- 2003: Nothing But You
- 2004: Crush
- 2004: Wir Sind Wir by Paul van Dyk
- 2004: Time of Our Lives/Connected - Paul Van Dyk Featuring Vega 4
- 2005: The Other Side by Paul Van Dyk
- 2005: Timo Maas "Pictures" (Paul van Dyk Remix)
- 2006: 36 Grad (Paul van Dyk's Vandit Clubmix)
- 2006: Depeche Mode "Martyr" Remix
- 2006: Justin Timberlake What Goes Around... Comes Around (The Remixes)
- 2007: Britney Spears Gimme More
- 2007: White Lies ft. "Jessica SuttaJessica SuttaJessica Lynn Sutta is an American dancer, showgirl, singer, recording artist, model, and actress. She is best known as a member of the American pop girl group and dance ensemble, the Pussycat Dolls. She left the group in January 2010 to embark her solo career. She is currently finishing up her...
" by Paul Van Dyk - 2007: Let Go - Paul van Dyk ft. Rea Garvey
- 2008: Mirrors Edge Original Videogame Score (Inc Solar Fields)
- 2008: Lisa Miskovsky "Still Alive (The Theme from Mirror's Edge) - Paul van Dyk Remix
- 2008: Peter Heppner "Alleinesein" (Paul van Dyk Remix)
- 2008: Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard "Poor Choice of Words (Batman Theme)" - Paul van Dyk Remix
- 2008: Jon O`Bir "Ways and Means" - Paul van Dyk Remix
- 2008: The Wombats Moving to N.Y (Paul van Dyk Remix)
- 2009: Alex M.O.R.P.H. feat. Ana Criado "Sunset Boulevard" (Paul van Dyk Remix)
- 2009: Home - Paul Van Dyk ft. Johnny Mcdaid
- 2009: For An Angel (PvD Remix 09)
- 2010: We Are One - Paul Van Dyk ft. Johnny Mcdaid
- 2010: Remember Love - DJs United (Paul van dyk , Armin van Burren, Paul Oakenfold)
- 2011: Daniel Nitt "The Falling" (Paul van Dyk Remix)
- 2011: Solange "Messages" (Paul van Dyk Remix)
- 2011: Moby "Lie Down In Darkness" (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
- 2011: Rea Garvey "Can't Stand the Silence" (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
- 2011: Hurts "Sunday" (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
- 2011: We Come Together ft. Sue McLaren by Paul Van Dyk
Awards
- 1999 DJ Mag Music Maker
- 1999 Best International DJ
- 1999 Best International Award
- 1999 Man Of The Year By Mixmag
- 1999 Leader Of The Trance Nation
- 2003 Best European DJ (Miami Winter Music Conference 2003)
- 2003 Best Trance Track Paul Van Dyk - Nothing But You
- 2003 Nominated Grammy Award For His Album: Reflections
- 2004 America’s Favorite DJ
- 2004 Best International DJ
- 2004 Best Event
- 2004 Best Music In A Commercial (Motorola)
- 2004 Ariel (Mexican Oscar For Best Original Score In Zurdo)
- 2004 Best Music Maker By DJ Magazine
- 2004 Big Winner At The Dancestar Awards
- 2005 WMC 2005 Best Track House Progressive/Trance: Nothing But You (Paul Van Dyk)
- 2005 WMC 2005 Best International DJ
- 2005 America’s Favorite DJ
- 2005 Best DJ For Dance/Electronic Album For His Original Album: Reflections
- 2005 The International Dance Music Award (IDMA) For Best Euro DJ.
- 2005 DJ Mag No 1 DJ
- 2005 Mixmag's 1st No 1 DJ
- 2005 Best Produer Trance Awards
- 2005 Best Global DJ Trance Awards
- 2006 Best Global DJ (Miami Winter Music Conference 2006)
- 2006 Best Record Label: VANDIT
- 2006 Best Producer (Miami Winter Music Conference 2006)
- 2006 Best Global DJ, Best NuNRG/Euro Track
- 2006 DJ Mag No 1 DJ
- 2006 Best Global DJ Trance Awards
- 2006 Best Producer
- 2006 Best Mix Compilation For The Politics of Dancing 2
- 2006 Cross Of Merit From The City Of Berlin
- 2006 Best HI NRG / Euro Track For "The Other Side" (Miami Winter Music Conference 2006)
- 2006 B.Z.-Kulturpreis 2006
- 2007 Best Ortofon European DJ (Miami Winter Music Conference 2007)
- 2007 Best DJ By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Producer By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Label VANDIT By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Remixer By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Live Act By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Resident By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Club Night CREAM,Ibiza By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Album In Between By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Radio Show VONYC By Trance Awards
- 2007 Best Website By Trance Awards
- His Regular 6 Hour Set At “Gatecrasher” Was Voted As The "Second Best Club Night Ever"
- Best International DJ By Musik Berlin, Zürich, Amsterdam, Londres, Paris, Milan, NY
- 2008 Best International DJ By The Ministry Of Sound
- 2008 Best International Producer By The Ministry Of Sound
- 2008 Shared Grammy For The Dark Knight Which Won (Best Soundtrack In A Motion Picture)
- 2009 Best International DJ By The Ministry Of Sound
- 2009 Best International Producer By The Ministry Of Sound
- 2009 Best Track "Home"(Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)By The Ministry Of Sound
- 2009 Best DJ National Paul Van Dyk By Raveline Poll 2009
- 2009 Best Album 2009 "VOLUME" In The Raveline Poll 2009
- 2009 Best Trance Label National "VANDIT Records" In The Raveline Poll 2009
- 2010 Best Full Length DJ Mix - "VONYC Sessions 09" By IDMA
- 2010 Best DJ National Paul Van Dyk By Raveline Poll 2010
- 2011 Longest Running DJ In Top 10 Of DJ's Mag Top 100 DJ's (13 Year's)