Paul Haswell, the Pop Fugitive, started DJing in Oxford, UK in 1996, where he played in bars and clubs around the city before co-founding the underground music night Strange Fruit in 1998. Working as promoter as well as DJ, Paul moved to London in 2000, taking Strange Fruit with him and organising shows, as well as a wildly successful club night, at venues around the capital. Strange Fruit saw Paul work with artists such as The Gossip, Belle & Sebastian, Kimya Dawson and The Postal Service, and as well as playing Strange Fruit's regular night he DJed guest slots at the likes of Erol Alkan's Trash and Brixton Academy.
In 2003 Paul set up Crimes Against Pop, a monthly night at the Buffalo Bar in London. The ethos of the night was to play music that people wanted to dance to with no regard for being stuck to a particular musical genre. Crimes Against Pop was intended not to take itself seriously, to be the best and craziest party you ever went to, every single month. Paul's energetic headlining sets, combining massive hip hop with pop tunes, earned him the "Pop Fugitive" title and proved to be a regular highlight of the night. Crimes Against Pop played guest slots at Koko and ULU, as well as appearing regularly at Rob Da Bank's Bestival festival on the Isle of Wight in front of over 5000 people.
In 2010 Paul moved to Hong Kong, where he continues to DJ regularly, for his love of music and partying more than anything else. Paul's over-energetic DJ style is a hit with crowds everywhere he plays, and he is a regular fixture at parties and events around the city, playing out at events such as Clockenflap, a sold out Halloween ball at Grappa's Cellar, the Rugby Sevens, and New Year's Eve.
