Danny Rampling | |
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Birth name | Daniel Rampling |
Born | (1961-07-15)15 July 1961 (age 63) Streatham,London, England[1] |
Genres | Balearic beat,house |
Occupation(s) | Disc jockey,club owner,record producer |
Years active | 1980–present |
Labels | Maverick |
Website | www |
Danny Rampling (born 15 July 1961) is an Englishhouse musicDJ and is widely credited as one of the original founders of the UK'srave/club scene.[2]
His long career began in the early 1980s playinghip-hop, soul and funk around numerous bars and clubs in London. Rampling was the first winner of the No 1 DJ in the World Award byDJ Magazine in 1991 and is a three-timeDJ Awards recipient. He has reportedly sold over 1 million compilation albums.
During a holiday inIbiza in 1987, Rampling, along with fellow DJsPaul Oakenfold,Nicky Holloway and Johnny Walker, attendedAmnesia, a then open air nightclub inSan Rafael. At the club the group were introduced to the unique eclectic style of DJAlfredo, playing, among other genres, the newhouse music that had been exported from the USA. The group also discovered the music's powerful combination with the drug Ecstasy (MDMA),[3] that reduced inhibitions and created a sense ofOneness on the dance floor.
Upon his return to England, Rampling, along with his then wife, Jenni,[4][5][6] attempted to recreate the Ibiza experience by promoting what is regarded as the UK's firstBalearicrave club,Shoom.[7][8] Shoom[9][10][11][4][12][13][14] ran for three years, starting out at a gym in Southwark,London. It was a launching point foracid house culture,[15] while contributing to worldwide dance culture.[16]
Danny 'Happy' Rampling played for the original pirateKiss (UK radio station) with the main Saturday night slot from 7 until 9 pm in the early nineties, setting many people up for a great night out with the "Love Groove Dance Party". He, along with others such asJudge Jules, were poached by BBC Radio 1.
In the following years, Rampling continued his career in music as a DJ and producer,[citation needed] while forming a band, TheMillionaireHippies. In November 1994 he joined theBBC, presenting the "Love Groove Dance Party" onBBC Radio 1 until March 2002, making it the second longest running dance music show in radio afterPete Tong'sEssential Selection.[citation needed]
The mid-1990s also saw Rampling's DJing style diversify. While still playing house and garage sets, Rampling also began to headline at harder, trancier parties, e.g. 'South', atThe Zap Club, in Brighton. Rampling himself referred to his newer style as 'Euro', and at this time showcased new Euro tracks, during the final thirty-minute weekly mix of his Radio 1 Show. Additionally, Rampling's Double CD Love Groove Dance Mix featured house and garage on the first CD, and 'Euro' on the second.
In 2005, Rampling announced his retirement from DJing with the initial intention of running a restaurant, although he changed tack to focus on his property business and the 'low carbon economy'. In 2007 he returned to music and began making some on-off appearances at selected clubs. In 2008 he published a self-help ebook entitled "Everything you need to know about DJing and success". He has since returned to regular DJing.[17] Rampling is a keeneco-entrepreneur and built ten eco-friendly carbon reductive houses inSt Leonards-on-Sea,Hastings, East Sussex, England.[18] Along with business partner Simon Hinton they launched 'Green Town Revolution', a reward and offset system to encourage individuals and small businesses to offset theirCO2 emissions. 'Carbon Neutral DJ' withNorman Jay MBE is GTR's first project.
In an interview withThe Guardian in 2009, Rampling said that he was working in property development. While he does still occasionally DJ, Rampling said that "the lifestyle involves a lot of touring, flying around the world, spending weeks away from home and when you have kids it's not easy."[19]
Rampling has publicly expressed scepticism about vaccines, particularly those developed for COVID-19. He has shared content on social media platforms that questions the safety and efficacy of vaccines, aligning himself with the broader anti-vaccine movement. This stance has placed him in opposition to mainstream public health recommendations and has drawn criticism from medical professionals and public health advocates.[20]
In addition to his anti-vaccine views, Rampling has also been associated with right-wing political ideologies. He has supported various right-wing figures and movements, often sharing content reflecting nationalist and populist sentiments. This alignment with right-wing politics has further polarized public opinion about him, with supporters praising his outspokenness and critics condemning his views.[21]
The combination of Rampling's anti-vaccine stance and right-wing political views has sparked significant debate and controversy. While some fans and followers support his right to free speech and his questioning of mainstream narratives, others have distanced themselves from him, citing concerns about the spread of misinformation and the potential harm of his views.
Artists are nominated to theDJ Magazine top 100 list for each year the public decides who they rank as the World's No 1 DJ at the end of the poll. Rampling was the first winner of this award ranked as the World's No 1 DJ in 1991.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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1991 | Danny Rampling | World's Top 100 DJs | 1st place |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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2013 | Danny Rampling | Best of British Outstanding Contribution | Nominated |
Year | Position | Notes | Ref. |
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1997 | 7 | New Entry | [22] |
1998 | 9 | Down 2 | |
1999 | 19 | Down 10 | |
2000 | 13 | Up 6 | |
2001 | 25 | Down 12 | |
2002 | 71 | Down 46 | |
2003 | 61 | Up 10 |
TheDJ Awards organizes the annualelectronic music DJ awards event it is the only international ceremony for DJs and also the oldest. the awards are held once a year atPacha club inIbizaSpain it is one of the most important accolades an artist can win or be honoured by.[23]
Rampling has won the"Best Radio DJ Award" once from three nominations, he also received two special awards one for"Outstanding Achievement" as well as the events highest honour the"Lifetime Achievement Award".
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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1998 | Danny Rampling | Best Radio DJ | Nominated |
1999 | Danny Rampling | Best Radio DJ | Nominated |
2000 | Danny Rampling | Outstanding Achievement | Won |
2001 | Danny Rampling | Best Radio DJ | Won |
2005 | Danny Rampling | Lifetime Achievement | Won |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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1998 | Danny Rampling | Outstanding Contribution | Won |
Awards and achievements | DJ Magazine Number 1 DJ 1991 | Succeeded by |
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