BLOW UP DJ profile
PAUL TUNKIN (1993 – present)
Blow Up founder Paul Tunkin began his career as a DJ, promoting his own alternative / indie club nights in the Southend whilst studying photography at Southend Tech art college. His first club nights included The Monkey House and The Periphery, whilst he was also a resident Saturday night DJ and live promoter at the Pink Toothbrush Rayleigh.
Paul moved to London in the early ’90s launching Blow Up at the Laurel Tree Camden Town in 1993. His aim with the club night was to create a reaction and using the tag line “For the 90s Swinging London” and to bring together the music sets he had being playing at concerts for London bands Suede, Blur and My Life Story and at the Southend club night the Periphery. Blow Up’s impact was swift and its influence subsequently felt globally. Whilst Blow Up toured the UK and hosting events in Europe, Japan, Russia and the US.
Paul has compiled five Blow Up compilations (Exclusive Blend Volumes 1-4 , a series dedicated to 60’s & 70s library music and the Blow Up club Classics album Blow Up A-Go-Go). He also launched independent record label Blow Up Records releasing records for diverse artists including Big Boss Man, The Bongolian, Baltic Fleet, Add N To X and others. He was also the music director for the Metro Club Oxford Street, programming and booking the live show and clubs (Blow Up was also the resident club here from 2002-2009).
Career highlights: No.4 Time Out’s Top 10 Clubs of the ’90s (Blow Up at The Laurel Tree & The Wag); Time Out Live Venue of the Year (Blow Up Metro Club, 2003); DJing for The Queen’s Golden Jubilee at The British Ambassador’s Residence in Moscow; ‘Parklife’ tour DJ for Blur; tour/ aftershow DJ for bands including Charlatans, Suede, Pulp, My Life Story, JTQ; DJing at MTV Europe Awards Milan; DJ at launch of The V&A’s Sixties Exhibition (2006); DJ for NME Awards and aftershows 5 years running from 1995; booking/promoting live concerts including Dion, Faust, The Killers, Kings Of Leon, Bloc Party and many more.