Tom Holkenborg
Tom Holkenborg | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tom Holkenborg December 8, 1967 Lichtenvoorde, Gelderland, Netherlands |
| Other names | Junkie XL |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, producer, sound engineer |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Known for | Remix of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation"; film scores including Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice |
| Notable work | "A Little Less Conversation" remix; scores for Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Zack Snyder's Justice League, Sonic the Hedgehog franchise |
Tom Holkenborg (born 8 December 1967), widely known by his stage name Junkie XL, is a Dutch composer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, producer, and sound engineer. Initially gaining attention for his work in trance music, he later broadened his scope to include electronica, big beat genres, and film composition. His 2002 remix of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" achieved worldwide acclaim.
In the realm of cinema, Holkenborg has teamed up with Hans Zimmer and Remote Control Productions on projects such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He has crafted scores for prominent films including Zack Snyder's Justice League, Divergent, Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Tomb Raider, Alita: Battle Angel, Terminator: Dark Fate, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Scoob!, Godzilla vs. Kong, Army of the Dead, Three Thousand Years of Longing, the Rebel Moon series (including its sequels), and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Early life
Holkenborg was born in Lichtenvoorde, Gelderland, Netherlands. Under the tutelage of his mother, a qualified music instructor, he began learning piano at age three, followed by drums at eight and guitar at twelve. Inspired by bands like Pink Floyd and King Crimson, he picked up the bass guitar by fourteen. Upon relocating to Leeuwarden at seventeen, he worked in a music shop specializing in keyboards and digital instruments, cultivating a passion for integrating electronic and acoustic sounds. Soon after discovering synthesizers, he became a multi-instrumentalist and producer for the Dutch new wave group Weekend at Waikiki, touring extensively from 1988 through 1991 across Poland and regions of the former Soviet Union. He also contributed production and performance to their 1994 album, Sputnik.
In 1993, Holkenborg produced the album Almost a Dance for Dutch metal band The Gathering, subsequently forming the industrial rock ensemble Nerve with Phil Mills. After signing with Play It Again Sam in 1992, he released two LPs—Cancer of Choice (1993) and Blood & Gold (1994)—while continuing to produce for hardcore punk and metal acts such as Sepultura, Fear Factory, and Dog Eat Dog. Simultaneously, he licensed instrumental electronic compositions for racing video games including The Need For Speed and Test Drive 5. During this timeframe, he also composed the score for the Dutch feature film Siberia, distributed by Warner Bros. Netherlands.
1997–99: Saturday Teenage Kick and Big Sounds of the Drags
In 1997, Holkenborg debuted as "Junkie XL" with his album Saturday Teenage Kick, which included singles such as "Billy Club" and "Def Beat". This release combined breakbeat elements with rock and psychedelic influences and featured vocals from Patrick "Rude Boy" Tilon of Urban Dance Squad. Following tours alongside The Prodigy and appearances at major festivals like Fuji Rock and Roskilde, he established a presence within the American rave community. His 1999 album, Big Sounds of the Drags, again showcased Tilon on tracks including "Action Radius" and "Power of Big Slacks". The album concluded with "Future in Computer Hell (Part 2)", which gained prominence through inclusion on DJ Sasha's mix compilation Global Underground 013: Ibiza.
2002: "A Little Less Conversation"
After expanding his work into film scoring with contributions to Blade and The Beach, Holkenborg was tasked with remixing Elvis Presley's 1968 hit "A Little Less Conversation" for Nike's 2002 World Cup campaign, known as the "Secret Tournament". This project represented the first officially sanctioned remix authorized by Presley's estate. Released under the name "Elvis vs. JXL", the single achieved number one positions in 24 countries, including major markets such as the UK, Japan, and Australia. The track also gained exposure through its inclusion in television shows like Las Vegas and films such as Shark Tale and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
2003: Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin
Capitalizing on his prior success, Holkenborg unveiled the double album Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin in 2003. Named after his Amsterdam-based studio, the 3PM disc featured collaborations with notable artists including Robert Smith of The Cure, Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode, Chuck D of Public Enemy, Gary Numan, Solomon Burke, and included the Elvis remix. The complementary 3AM disc showcased progressive house instrumentals, highlighted by a partnership with DJ Sasha. Although initially intended to coincide with the launch of an internet radio station delivering exclusive EDM content, this initiative was eventually abandoned due to financial and logistical challenges. Subsequently, two downloadable albums titled 7AM Ambient and 7AM Dance were made available on the project's website.
2004–08: Today and Booming Back at You
Following his move to Los Angeles in 2003, Holkenborg released his fourth studio album, Today, in April 2006. The record reflected both his artistic evolution and personal changes, featuring a guitar-centric sound reminiscent of his earlier style and including only one guest vocalist, Nathan Mader. His fifth album, Booming Back at You, shifted toward a stronger club-oriented vibe with tracks such as "1967 Poem" featuring Steve Aoki. Contributions from Electrocute's Nicole Morier provided lyrical input on several songs like "Mad Pursuit" and "New Toy". Released through Artwerk Music—a collaboration between Nettwerk Music and video game company Electronic Arts—the album reached number 11 on Billboard's Top Electronic Albums chart, marking Junkie XL's first full-length entry on U.S. charts. It also included the successful single "More" with Lauren Rocket, who appeared on the cover of "Cities in Dust", originally by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
2012: Synthesized
Launched on 27 November 2012, Synthesized merged the reflective qualities found in Today with the energetic club sounds characteristic of Booming Back at You. The album was preceded by singles such as "Molly's E", featuring remixes by Azari & III and Canblaster, alongside "Gloria" with Fredrik Saroea of Datarock. Collaborations included Isis Salam on "Off The Dancefloor", Curt Smith of Tears for Fears on "When Enough is Not Enough", and Tommie Sunshine on "Love Machine". Additionally, "Leave Behind Your Ego" incorporates a spoken-word segment from Timothy Leary’s The Psychedelic Experience. Music videos for "Off the Dancefloor," "Gloria," and "Leave Behind Your Ego" were created by Japanese electro-pop group Trippple Nippples together with director John Christopher Pina.
Composing for film
Holkenborg joined forces with Harry Gregson-Williams to provide additional music for Tony Scott’s 2005 film Domino and created the score for the Dutch movie Blind, which received critical acclaim and several award nominations. His extensive work in both cinema and television includes collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer, serving as sequencer programmer on Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. This project represented their fourth joint effort, following earlier works such as Megamind, Inception, and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. Based at Zimmer’s Remote Control Productions, Holkenborg contributed to a variety of major films including Kingdom of Heaven, DOA: Dead or Alive, Shark Tale, and Resident Evil, while also providing original compositions featured in movies like Blade and The Beach.
In 2013, he composed the score for Relativity Media’s Paranoia and was later brought on by producer Zack Snyder for the soundtrack of 300: Rise of an Empire. He crafted the music for the 2014 film Divergent, with Zimmer acting as Executive Producer. Holkenborg is a member of the Magnificent Six, a collaborative ensemble including Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams, Johnny Marr, Michael Einziger, Andrew Kawczynski, and Steve Mazzaro, which jointly composed the score for The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
He served as lead composer for major productions such as Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Deadpool (2016), co-composed the soundtrack for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice alongside Zimmer, contributing themes that were later utilized in other DC films like Wonder Woman. Although initially assigned to score Snyder’s 2017 film Justice League, he was replaced partway through production.
Holkenborg continued to provide scores for significant releases including 2018’s Mortal Engines, 2019’s Alita: Battle Angel and Terminator: Dark Fate, 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Scoob!, as well as 2021’s Zack Snyder's Justice League, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Army of the Dead. His latest projects feature scores for the 2022 female-led spy thriller The 355, the sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and the fantasy drama Three Thousand Years of Longing.
Composing for video games
Since the mid-1990s, Holkenborg has been creating original compositions for video games alongside his work on artist albums and EPs. Prominent soundtracks include Xbox racing games like Forza Motorsport, Quantum Redshift, and SSX Blur. He licensed several tracks from his album Big Sounds of the Drags—including "Future in Computer Hell (Part 2)", "Synasthesia", and "Dance USA"—to the racing title TD Overdrive: The Brotherhood of Speed (2002). His song "Today" was featured in both Burnout Legends and Burnout Revenge, while "More" from his album Booming Back at You appeared in EA's racing game Need for Speed: ProStreet, which also contains an original score by Holkenborg. Additionally, his rendition of "Cities in Dust" was included in the soundtrack of Burnout Paradise. His contributions extend to various other games such as The Matrix: Path of Neo, Destroy All Humans!, The Sims 2: Nightlife, The Sims 3, multiple entries in the Need for Speed series, and EA's action RPG title, Darkspore.
Remixes
Holkenborg has crafted remixes for a distinguished roster of artists, including Scissor Sisters, Depeche Mode, Justin Timberlake, Fatboy Slim, Coldplay, Bloc Party, Michael Bublé, Avril Lavigne, Daft Punk, Madonna, and Hans Zimmer. His reinterpretation of Britney Spears' "Outrageous" was featured in the 2004 movie Catwoman, with another remix appearing on her 2005 compilation B in the Mix: The Remixes. In 2008, he received a Grammy nomination in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category for Madonna's "4 Minutes". Notably, his remix of Elvis Presley’s "A Little Less Conversation" reached number one across 24 countries, greatly enhancing his commercial reputation.
Commercial work
Holkenborg's compositions have been integral to international advertising campaigns for major brands like Nike, Adidas, Heineken, and Cadillac. His remix of Eagles of Death Metal's "Don't Speak" was featured in Nike’s 2008 "Take it to the Next Level" advertisement directed by Guy Ritchie. Tracks such as "Today" were utilized in ESPN’s promotions for Major League Soccer, while "A Little Less Conversation" served as the soundtrack for Nike’s 2002 World Cup campaign. Additionally, in 2003, he created the theme music for the Dutch television channel Nederland 3, demonstrating his adaptability across various media formats.
Personal life
Holkenborg holds an associate professorship at the ArtEZ Conservatorium in the Netherlands, where he instructs students in producing, remixing, and music composition. He currently lives in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California. When avoiding potential offense from the term "Junkie," he adopts the moniker JXL, most famously associated with his successful remix of Elvis Presley’s "A Little Less Conversation." Holkenborg has explained: "I chose the name Junkie XL as a reflection of being completely overworked and never wanting to return to that state. The 'XL' symbolizes expanding limits; broadening your horizons."
Studio albums
- Saturday Teenage Kick (1997)
- Big Sounds of the Drags (1999)
- Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin (2003)
- Today (2006)
- Booming Back at You (2008)
- Synthesized (2012)
Film
| Year | Title | Director(s) | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Siberia | Robert Jan Westdijk | |
| 2006 | DOA: Dead or Alive | Corey Yuen | |
| 2007 | Blind | Tamar van den Dop | |
| 2010 | The Happy Housewife | Antoinette Beumer | |
| Johan Primero | Johan Kramer | ||
| New Kids Turbo | Steffen Haars and Flip van der Kuil | ||
| 2011 | Bringing Up Bobby | Famke Janssen | |
| The Heineken Kidnapping | Maarten Treurniet | ||
| New Kids Nitro | Steffen Haars and Flip van der Kuil | ||
| 2013 | Paranoia | Robert Luketic | |
| 2014 | 300: Rise of an Empire | Noam Murro | |
| Divergent | Neil Burger | ||
| The Amazing Spider-Man 2 | Marc Webb | as part of Hans Zimmer & The Magnificent Six | |
| 2015 | Run All Night | Jaume Collet-Serra | |
| Mad Max: Fury Road | George Miller | ||
| Kill Your Friends | Owen Harris | ||
| Black Mass | Scott Cooper | ||
| Point Break | Ericson Core | ||
| 2016 | Deadpool | Tim Miller | |
| Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Zack Snyder | with Hans Zimmer | |
| Brimstone | Martin Koolhoven | ||
| Distance Between Dreams | Rob Bruce | ||
| Spectral | Nic Mathieu |
Video game soundtracks
| Year | Title | Director(s) | Note(s) |
|---|
Television soundtracks
| Year | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 'Nederland 3' | 'Composed the musical theme for the channel' |
| 2012 | 'Lijn 32' | 'Scored music for 8 episodes' |
| 2019–present | 'Love, Death & Robots' | 'Contributed to music in 3 episodes' |
| 2019 | 'Chimerica' | 'Score composed alongside Shigeru Umebayashi for 4 episodes' |
| 2020 | 'White Lines' | 'Provided score for all 10 episodes' |