Paul van Dyk - Political DJ with a Cause
Representing: Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany
Style: Trance, Techno, Breaks, House
Best Known For: Using his DJing fame for good causes
One of the two big “Pauls” in dance music today (the other being Paul Oakenfold of course), Paul van Dyk is definitely one of the more interesting DJs out there. What’s important to note is that this includes not only his musical style, but also his unique persona and his awareness of issues around the globe. Born Matthias Paul in East Berlin, van Dyk was pretty much stuck behind the infamous Berlin Wall as a child, and the only trace of electronic music he could get in touch with was through the radio and smuggled mixtapes (which was illegal at the time). His early success in his home country led up to mixing at Tresor, then Turbine (where “Paul vs. Paul” parties with DJ Kid Paul was pretty big), then E-Werk when the Dubmission parties got too big.
If you’re a fan of Paul van Dyk though, chances are it’s not just because of his musical flair. He is as outspoken and passionate about social issues as DJs come, and for a DJ of his global reputation, it’s even rarer. His stance on drugs is clear with his anti-drug “No E, Pure PVD” campaign in 1998 – if you look closely, you will notice that it is also a play on his name (reporters and journalists often spelled his name as “Paul van Dyke” instead of “Paul van Dyk”). He may not be American, so he won’t tell you who to vote for, but van Dyk’s active participation in “Rock the Vote” tells you one thing: get out there and make your voice heard. The lengths to which this legendary DJ goes to to encourage his fans is even more obvious when you go on his website; under the Links section are sub-headings linking to sites listed as Partners, Labels, Clubs/Parties, etc., and the one on top of everything else is called Help to Help. It links to UNICEF, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and the Children Project in India. How many DJs do you know do that?
On the music side of things, Paul van Dyk’s performances are as unique as he is; they raise the question of whether the act is live, whether it is conventional “DJing,” and so on, because PvD makes use of a set of Macbook Pros (complete with a slew of software) and keyboards. He’s released albums dating back to 45 RPM (Remixes Per Minute), with the latest, In Between, being a hit on the Electronic Charts and spawning the In Between Tour. He also hosts a radio show: Fritz Soundgarden if you’re in Europe, and Vonyc Sessions if you’re in the States (Vonyc recently won 3rd Best Radio Show at the Trance Awards last year). For Vonyc, PvD actually developed his own technology for better ease of downloading tracks. Having claimed the top spot on the DJMag Polls from 2005-2006, Paul van Dyk has also won numerous Best DJ and Best Producer awards on a global scale, and has a rare decade-long relationship with Cream Ibiza (he remixed their 10th anniversary mix album this year). With albums, compilations, remixes, and tours stacked on his plate, it’s hard to see Paul van Dyk slowing down anytime soon.
