Ministry of Sound
The short answer
Ministry of Sound is the London nightclub founded in 1991 by Justin Berkmann in Elephant and Castle, south London. Inspired by New York's Paradise Garage, it opened with almost no publicity and grew into one of the world's best-known clubs and a major independent dance label.
History
The story of Ministry of Sound.
Justin Berkmann built Ministry of Sound after a trip to New York, where the Paradise Garage showed him what a club built around sound could be. He found the site, a car park in Elephant and Castle, and the club opened in 1991 without a press release.
Over the following decades Ministry of Sound became one of the world's most famous nightclubs and one of its most successful independent record labels, with mix compilations that reached far beyond the club itself.
Trance
Ministry of Sound and classic trance.
Ministry of Sound was a house club first. Its role in classic trance came mainly through its compilations and label, which carried trance records to a mainstream UK audience in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Profiles of classic-era headline DJs: Sasha, Paul Oakenfold.
Timeline
Key dates.
- 1991
Ministry of Sound opens in Elephant and Castle, London.
Frequently asked
What was Ministry of Sound?
Ministry of Sound is the London nightclub founded in 1991 by Justin Berkmann in Elephant and Castle, south London. Inspired by New York's Paradise Garage, it opened with almost no publicity and grew into one of the world's best-known clubs and a major independent dance label.
Where was Ministry of Sound?
Ministry of Sound is associated with London, United Kingdom.
When did Ministry of Sound start?
Ministry of Sound began in 1991, founded by Justin Berkmann (co-founder).
Research & sources
These references support the factual claims on this page. Editorial interpretation is identified as such; a source link is not an endorsement by its publisher.
- 'It was secret and naughty': the birth of Ministry of Sound – a photo essay
The Guardian
Opening without a press release; club and label status.
- How we made: Ministry of Sound
The Guardian
Justin Berkmann on finding the Elephant and Castle site.
- About Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Founded 1991 by Justin Berkmann; Paradise Garage inspiration.