Junkie XL

The big-beat electronica project Junkie XL was largely the work of Amsterdam-based remixer Tom Holkenborg, previously known for his work with acts like Nerve and Fear Factory. Beginning his career at the age of 14, Holkenborg initially played in area funk and reggae units, later switching to alternative rock; while working in a music store, he first began experimenting with synthesizers and technology, and in 1996 won the Grand Prix of the Netherlands as best house music producer. After completing Junkie XL's 1997 debut LP Saturday Teenage Kick, a blend of electronica and rock, he enlisted rapper Rude Boy (an alumnus of Urban Dance Squad), DJ Frankie D, drummer Baz Mattie, and guitarist Renee van der Zee to transform his one-man studio project into a working band. Big Sound of the Drags, released in 1999, was the first record from the lineup. More than two years later, Holkenborg masterminded the first (legal) remix of an Elvis Presley song, "A Little Less Conversation" (as heard in a Nike commercial to coincide with the 2002 World Cup). Released as a single, it hit number one in Britain by June.

from Wikipedia:

Tom Holkenborg (born December 8, 1967 in Lichtenvoorde, Gelderland, Netherlands), better known as Junkie XL or JXL, is a Dutch musician. He uses the name JXL in cases where the term "Junkie" might cause offense. XL is for "Xpanding Limits".

Biography

He discovered music by learning and playing many instruments, including guitar, bass, piano, and drums. Although he was classically trained by his mother (herself an accredited violin teacher), it was not long until he discovered synthesizers and joined the Dutch New Wave group Weekend at Waikiki as a multi-instrumentalist and producer. In 1993, Holkenborg then produced the second metal album Almost a Dance by Dutch band The Gathering. He then expanded his horizon further to form the industrial rock band Nerve with vocalist Phil Mills and released 2 full-length albums in 1994 and 1995. During this period, Holkenborg built his music repertoire by freelance producing and quickly landed projects for bands such as Sepultura, Fear Factory, and Dog Eat Dog, as well as for video games, movies, and TV spots.

Holkenborg’s solo efforts include 1998’s Saturday Teenage Kick, 2000’s Big Sounds of the Drags and 2003’s Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin. The latter counted collaborations with Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Gary Numan, Robert Smith from The Cure, and Public Enemy’s Chuck D.. The U.S. release included his breakthrough remix of Elvis Presley's moderately successful 1968 single "A Little Less Conversation" for a 2002 Nike World Cup Commercial. The updated version unexpectedly catapulted Holkenborg into the spotlight. The song became a No. 1 hit in more than twenty countries. Today and Booming Back at You (BB@Y) are his latest solo efforts.

Holkenborg is known as a talented remixer, drawing critical acclaim with remixes of tracks by Britney Spears, Bloc Party, Michael Bublé, Coldplay, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Rammstein, Scissor Sisters, Justin Timberlake, and the aforementioned Fear Factory. With an extraordinary work ethic, which routinely includes fourteen-hour days in his studio, Holkenborg keeps extremely busy creating the music for video games. He has contributed music to Sims theme music for the computer game The Sims 2, the soundtrack for the Xbox racing game Forza Motorsport, and the soundtrack for futuristic Xbox racing game Quantum Redshift. He has also provided music for the films Kingdom of Heaven, Domino, and DOA: Dead or Alive. His song "Today" was featured as one of the tracks on EA's Burnout: Legends, apparently before the album was released. "Today" is also on EA's Burnout: Revenge. He also produced a remix of the God of War 2 theme. Holkenborg remixed Yonderboi's "People Always Talk About The Weather" in exchange of Yonderboi's remix of Today. His cover of the Siouxsie And The Banshees song "Cities in Dust", which featured Lauren Rocket, is also on EA's Burnout: Paradise.

Holkenborg is responsible for the SSX Blur original soundtrack, along with contributions to many of the other SSX games in the franchise, and EA's Need For Speed: Pro Street.

Currently he is signed to Artwerk, the new Los Angeles-based label formed by Electronic Arts and Nettwerk One Music.

In September 2007, Holkenborg joined the ArtEZ School of Music as its special teacher of Composition & Music Design. He now lives in Malibu, CA.

Holkenborg's single "More" was released in Fall 2007. Both Joost van Bellen and Gerald van der Kaap have been shooting the video for the clip in New York together with female singer Lauren Rocket. "More" is also featured on the soundtrack of Need for Speed: ProStreet.

Tom Holkenborg remixed the Eagles of Death Metal's "Don't Speak" for the 2008 Nike advert "Take it to the Next Level". On August 17, his manager confirmed to a Dutch magazine that Junkie XL has written and produced 3 tracks for Britney Spears' upcoming album. He also added that it is still unknown whether the tracks will be on the record.

His song "Dark Territory" is included on newer Zune models.

Featured games

The Need for Speed (1995)Test Drive 5 (1998)Need for Speed: High Stakes (1999)Demolition Racer: No Exit (2000)Gran Turismo 3 (2001)Quantum Redshift (2002)EVE Online (2003)Need for Speed: Underground (2003)The Sims 2: Nightlife (2005)Forza Motorsport (2005)Destroy All Humans! (2005)Burnout Revenge (2005)Burnout Legends (2005)The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005)Infected (video game) (2005)Need for Speed: Carbon (2006)Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2 (2007)God of War 2 (2007)SSX Blur (2007)FIFA 08 (2007)Need For Speed: ProStreet (2007)Burnout Paradise (2008)FIFA Street 3 (2008)Mirror's Edge (2008)The Sims 3: Late Night (2010)The Sims 3 (console) (2010)FIFA 09 (2008)Tap Tap Dance (2008)

UEFA Euro 2004 (2004)