One of the UK's most innovative and pioneering figures
Paul Arnold is the founder and mastermind behind two of the world's most cutting edge labels, the huge Fat! Records and seminal Certificate 18. Paul's dedication to quality coupled with prophetic insights into the sounds of tomorrow has helped shape dance music as we know it today.
Paul has enjoyed equal success as a promoter, DJ, and Label Manager; everything he's done reflects how tight his finger is on the pulse of contemporary music. Originally from Ipswich, Paul had already booked and played alongside some of the scene's biggest and diverse names,
Derrick May, Plaid,
Fabio,
Grooverider and
James Lavelle before relocating to London. On Paul's arrival he established London's first dedicated breakbeat night Breaking Point. This spawned Chew The Fat! Brixton's weekly night at The Bug Bar, which Paul has now run for seven years and remains the longest running breakbeat night in the world. Chew the Fat! at The Bug Bar has remained a staple of the scene and the strength of the night proceeded to secure residences at some of London's most premiere clubs. In 2002 Chew The Fat! found a second home with a monthly residency at London's finest club The End. Hosting the lounge for
Steve Lawler's Harlem Nights, which is jam-packed every time. The strength of Chew The Fat! grew and their march north through London continued as Fat! were asked to host another monthly residency at London's most exciting new club The Key, which they have done for the past year with unprecedented success.
In May 2003 Fat! as it celebrated its fifth birthday with a special FAT IS 5! party featuring
Stanton Warriors,
Adam Freeland and
James Zabiela among many others. Paul also released a CD Fat! is 5 mixing up Fat! Records' enviable back catalogue. Chew The Fat! has also established itself on the international stage with groundbreaking breakbeat parties in Ibiza 2004. Chew The Fat! also has bi-monthly residencies in Hungary at Now Sounds, in Russia and the Far East. Paul recently completed a sell out tour of Australia where he headlined the Good Vibrations festival.
Paul's astute A & R ability first manifested itself in 1992 when he launched his successful proto-jungle label Certificate 18 which produced 75 singles and 18 artist albums. Paul almost single-handedly gave birth to the careers of many top name producers such as
Photek, Klute, Teebee, Pilote, Source Direct, Digital and Polar. Whilst running Certificate 18 the reputation of Chew The Fat! provided the perfect set up for Fat Records! which captured the sounds of the night on vinyl. Fat! Records was an overnight success boasting a fresh mix of new talent such as breakspoll's recently crowned Best New Act Friendly at the international breakbeat awards. Alongside established stars such as
Lee Coombs, Koma + Bones and
Meat Katie. Friendly's artist album has just been released on Fat! to huge critical acclaim. The next Fat! CD project will be a series of compilation mixes by Paul and the Chew The Fat! DJ's.
Paul has become an outstanding DJ in his own right, with regular radio work on Groovetech, Kiss 100, and XFM. Paul can effortlessly mix anything from breaks, house, techno, smattered with broken beats and rare gems. All done with an eye for the crowd, a result of hosting a highly successful weekly residency for over seven years. Ask anyone about Paul's ability to get a party going - from Brixton to Brisbane and Barcelona, on his numerous prestigious gigs at Space in Ibiza, The End, all over Australia and Malaysia - you'll get one answer... HE ROCKS IT!
