Biography
An English producer of acid house tracks, Guru Josh achieved widespread recognition across Western Europe when his 1990 single “Infinity” climbed into the Top Five. The track underwent repeated remixes in subsequent years, yet its most substantial resurgence arrived in 2008 after Klaas delivered a fresh version titled “Infinity 2008.”
Recording under the name Guru Josh, Paul Walden first surfaced in 1989 with a limited white-label 12-inch pressing of “Infinity” issued on his own Infinity Records imprint to promote a rave event bearing the same title. Although the run reportedly totaled only one thousand copies, the cut rapidly gained traction as an acid-house staple at Manchester’s Haçienda club, where resident Friday-night selector Mike Pickering championed it. Capitalizing on the momentum within Britain’s acid-house community, Walden secured a deal with Deconstruction, the dance-focused BMG subsidiary. An updated take on “Infinity” followed and registered Top-Five success in England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Norway, while a full-length album also called Infinity appeared. Additional 1990 releases comprised “Freaky Dreamer,” “Holographic Dreams,” and “Whose Law (Is It Anyway?),” with “Hallelujah” arriving the next year. Shortly thereafter Walden launched Guru Josh Productions, through which he issued numerous music-video compilations credited to Dr. Devious; that same year VR released the 12-inch “Cyberspace” featuring Dr. Devious and His Wisemen.
Walden subsequently traveled extensively as a performer and DJ under the Guru Josh moniker, pursued skydiving while establishing an aerial-photography enterprise, experimented with glass sculpture, acquired a restaurant, and eventually relocated to Spain. A Mike Dragon remix of “Infinity” surfaced in 2001, succeeded by further reworkings in 2004 and 2007. In 2007 Walden assembled the Guru Josh Project alongside Anders Nyman, known as Snakebyte, and Darren Bailie, alias DJ DazPerkz. Big City Beats subsequently licensed the original recording from EMI UK and commissioned German producer Klaas to create “Infinity 2008,” which topped numerous national charts worldwide. The trio issued one further single, “Crying in the Rain,” in 2009 before disbanding.
Walden continued releasing material as Guru Josh, including 2009’s “Eternity,” recorded with DJ Igor Blaska; 2010’s “Frozen Teardrops,” which featured Lauren Rose; and 2011’s “Love of Life.” In 2012 he delivered another updated version of his signature hit for Big City Beats. After relocating to Ibiza following that release, he died suddenly in 2015 at the age of fifty-one.
Recording under the name Guru Josh, Paul Walden first surfaced in 1989 with a limited white-label 12-inch pressing of “Infinity” issued on his own Infinity Records imprint to promote a rave event bearing the same title. Although the run reportedly totaled only one thousand copies, the cut rapidly gained traction as an acid-house staple at Manchester’s Haçienda club, where resident Friday-night selector Mike Pickering championed it. Capitalizing on the momentum within Britain’s acid-house community, Walden secured a deal with Deconstruction, the dance-focused BMG subsidiary. An updated take on “Infinity” followed and registered Top-Five success in England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Norway, while a full-length album also called Infinity appeared. Additional 1990 releases comprised “Freaky Dreamer,” “Holographic Dreams,” and “Whose Law (Is It Anyway?),” with “Hallelujah” arriving the next year. Shortly thereafter Walden launched Guru Josh Productions, through which he issued numerous music-video compilations credited to Dr. Devious; that same year VR released the 12-inch “Cyberspace” featuring Dr. Devious and His Wisemen.
Walden subsequently traveled extensively as a performer and DJ under the Guru Josh moniker, pursued skydiving while establishing an aerial-photography enterprise, experimented with glass sculpture, acquired a restaurant, and eventually relocated to Spain. A Mike Dragon remix of “Infinity” surfaced in 2001, succeeded by further reworkings in 2004 and 2007. In 2007 Walden assembled the Guru Josh Project alongside Anders Nyman, known as Snakebyte, and Darren Bailie, alias DJ DazPerkz. Big City Beats subsequently licensed the original recording from EMI UK and commissioned German producer Klaas to create “Infinity 2008,” which topped numerous national charts worldwide. The trio issued one further single, “Crying in the Rain,” in 2009 before disbanding.
Walden continued releasing material as Guru Josh, including 2009’s “Eternity,” recorded with DJ Igor Blaska; 2010’s “Frozen Teardrops,” which featured Lauren Rose; and 2011’s “Love of Life.” In 2012 he delivered another updated version of his signature hit for Big City Beats. After relocating to Ibiza following that release, he died suddenly in 2015 at the age of fifty-one.
Albums
Singles
