Danny Rampling

During a holiday in Ibiza in 1987, Rampling, along with fellow DJs Paul Oakenfold, Nicky Holloway and Johnny Walker, attended Amnesia, a then open air nightclub in San Rafael. At the club the group were introduced to the unique eclectic style of DJ Alfredo, playing, among other genres, the new house music that had been exported from the USA. The group also discovered the music's powerful combination with the drug Ecstasy (MDMA),{{cite web |url=http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/danny-rampling |title=Danny Rampling |website=DJhistory.com |date=4 December 2011 |access-date=9 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209162123/http://djhistory.com/interviews/danny-rampling |archive-date=9 December 2011 }} that reduced inhibitions and created a sense of Oneness on the dance floor.

Upon his return to England, Rampling, along with his then wife, Jenni,{{cite web|url=http://www.dontpaniconline.com/magazine/music/southwark|title=Southwark|website=Dontpaniconline.com|access-date=5 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-the-doorpickers-londons-original-club-custodians/|title=Meet the Doorpickers: London's Original Club Custodians - Thump|website=Vice.com|access-date=5 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.databass.co.uk/Artists/danny_rampling.php|title=DataBass - Artist profiles - Danny Rampling|website=Databass.co.uk|access-date=5 October 2016}} attempted to recreate the Ibiza experience by promoting what is regarded as the UK's first Balearic rave club, Shoom.{{cite web|url=http://wikimapia.org/10747407/Fitness-Centre-SHOOM|title=Fitness Centre, SHOOM - Wikimapia|website=Wikimapia.org|access-date=5 October 2016}}{{cite book|title=Generation Ecstasy: Into the world of techno and rave culture|url=https://archive.org/details/generationecstas00reyn|url-access=registration|publisher=Little, Brown and Co.|year=1998|isbn=0-415-92373-5|first=Simon|last=Reynolds|author-link=Simon Reynolds}} Shoom{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/23/acid-house-dawn-rave-new-world|title=Acid house and the dawn of a rave new world|first=Luke|last=Bainbridge|date=22 February 2014|access-date=5 October 2016|newspaper=The Guardian}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/aug/12/electronicmusic|title=The birth of rave|first=Emma|last=Warren|date=12 August 2007|access-date=5 October 2016|newspaper=The Guardian}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.hardcorewillneverdie.com/historyHWND.html|title=Rave Timeline|website=Hardcorewillneverdie.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/clubs-nightlife/rave-remembered|title=Rave remembered|website=Timeout.com|access-date=5 October 2016|archive-date=25 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525223459/http://www.timeout.com/london/clubs-nightlife/rave-remembered|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dummymag.com/Features/the-dummy-guide-to-acid-house|title=The Dummy Guide to acid house|first=Ruth|last=Saxelby|website=Dummymag.com|access-date=5 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/apr/20/electronicmusic.culture|title=A second summer of love|first=Luke|last=Bainbridge|date=19 April 2008|access-date=5 October 2016|newspaper=The Guardian}} ran for three years, starting out at a gym in Southwark, London. It was a launching point for acid house culture,{{cite web|url=https://davidlubich.net/2013/11/03/house-88-paradise-glimpsed/|title=Paradise Glimpsed|date=3 November 2013|website=Davidlubich.net|access-date=5 October 2016}} while contributing to worldwide dance culture.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fc8x9qeCekQC&q=Danny+Rampling+Jenni&pg=PA66|title=Altered State: The Story of Ecstasy Culture and Acid House|first=Matthew|last=Collin|date=9 December 2010|publisher=Profile Books|isbn=978-1847656414|access-date=5 October 2016|via=Google Books}}

Danny 'Happy' Rampling played for the original pirate Kiss radio station with the main Saturday night slot in the early 1990s, setting many people up for a great night out with the "Love Groove Dance Party". He, along with others such as Judge Jules, were poached by BBC Radio 1.

In the following years, Rampling continued his career in music as a DJ and producer,{{Citation needed|date=July 2008}} while forming a band, The Millionaire Hippies. In November 1994 he joined the BBC, presenting the "Love Groove Dance Party" on BBC Radio 1 until March 2002, making it the second longest running dance music show in radio after Pete Tong's Essential Selection.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

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', at The 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-disc 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.dannyrampling.com|title=Danny Rampling's website|website=Dannyrampling.com|access-date=16 October 2008}} Rampling is a keen eco-entrepreneur and built ten eco-friendly carbon reductive houses in St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex, England.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2009/jul/25/careers-after-fame|title=Life after the limelight|first=Claire|last=Hughes|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|date=25 July 2009|access-date=1 May 2010}} Along with business partner Simon Hinton they launched 'Green Town Revolution', a reward and offset system to encourage individuals and small businesses to offset their {{CO2}} emissions. 'Carbon Neutral DJ' with Norman Jay MBE is GTR's first project.

In an interview with The 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."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2009/jul/25/careers-after-fame|title=Life after the limelight|first=Claire|last=Hughes|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|date=25 July 2009}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-the-far-right-is-radicalizing-anti-vaxxers/|title=How the Far-Right Is Radicalizing Anti-Vaxxers

|first=Nick|last=Robins-Early|newspaper=Vice|location=New York|date=November 29, 2021}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/21/anti-vaxxer-politics-on-rise-european-populist-parties/|title=Fueled by pandemic frustrations, populist parties are embracing anti-vaccine figures overseas|first=Andrew|last=Joseph|location=London|date=February 25, 2025}}

Artists are nominated to the DJ 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.

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| 1991

| Danny Rampling

| World's Top 100 DJs

| {{won|1st place}}

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| 2013

| Danny Rampling

| Best of British Outstanding Contribution

| {{nom}}

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The DJ Awards organizes the annual electronic music DJ awards event it is the only international ceremony for DJs and also the oldest. the awards are held once a year at Pacha club in Ibiza Spain it is one of the most important accolades an artist can win or be honoured by.{{cite web|last1=Matthews|first1=James Paul|title=The Annual DJ Awards To Kick Off At Pacha Ibiza This Monday|url=https://www.hitthefloor.com/music/electronic/annual-dj-awards-kick-pacha-ibiza-monday/|website=Hit The Floor|publisher=Hit the Floor On-Line Magazine|access-date=20 April 2015}}

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".

{{awards table}}

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| 1998

| Danny Rampling

| Best Radio DJ

| {{nom}}

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| 1999

| Danny Rampling

| Best Radio DJ

| {{nom}}

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| 2000

| Danny Rampling

| Outstanding Achievement

| {{won}}

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| 2001

| Danny Rampling

| Best Radio DJ

| {{won}}

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| 2005

| Danny Rampling

| Lifetime Achievement

| {{won}}

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{{awards table}}

|-

| 1998

| Danny Rampling

| Outstanding Contribution

| {{won}}

{{end}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{official website|http://www.dannyrampling.com|Danny Rampling}} – official site
• {{discogs artist}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120407035708/http://www.djtutor.com/tutor/ellaskins/?ref=iBjfgj1aAk0 Danny Rampling] interview at DJ Tutor

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Category:DJs from London

Category:English house musicians

Category:English record producers

Category:English expatriates in Spain

Category:Living people

Category:People from Streatham

Category:1961 births

Category:People from Ibiza

Category:English electronic dance music DJs