Never lost their hardcore

I just received two CDs from New York label Industrial Strength, and it brought back memories of the mid-90s. For those who aren't aware of the imprint (I know that it used to be Lenny Dee's outfit but I'm not sure if he is still involved: please correct me if I'm wrong), it has been one of the main outlets for gabba/hardcore music in the past decade and a half. Gabba was one of those 90s cultural quirks that never turned into the society-changing phenomenon that the media believed it would back then. When I lived in Germany during that decade, there were frequent television reports about fascist skinhead gangs - and their soundtrack of choice was the 180bpm-plus distorted beats of gabba. No one can deny that Germany still has a problem with neo-Nazism - it was and still is a greater problem - but were and are gabba producers tailoring their sound to suit the neanderthal beliefs of these listeners? It's hard to say, but the music's tempo and sound is aggressive, and doesn't exactly leave any room for lyrics about flower arranging. The term gabba comes from the Dutch slang 'gabber', which means 'mate' and the music was as popular in Holland during the 90s with skinheads who liked to get tanked on cheap amphetamines. So what has happened in the past 10 years? Have the skinheads grown up and got real jobs or does gabba, like techno, have an ageing listenership (as well as teenage and twentysomething listeners)? Are there still thirty - and fortysomethings with shaved heads and flight jackets dancing around to DJ Fistfuck or Dark Raver (who ironically, given the music's alleged political connections, was a black former porn star who wore a cape when he DJed)? Do gabba events still take place in Europe or the US - there are none that I am aware of in Ireland. One thing is for sure: listening to Delta 9's new release, 'No Regrets' on Industrial Strength, it seems like the sound hasn't moved on much. The brutal, primitive-sounding tracks are still as fast as ever, sometimes sped up to cartoonish tempos, and the aggressive themes are unchanged, with track titles like 'Welcome To Hell', 'Son of a Bitch' and 'Watch Yer Back'. At times it sounds more like the venting of teenage frustration than a soundtrack to a sinister political sub-group, but just to be on the safe side, I'd rather not meet anyone who listens to this music in a dark alley.

Comments

[mkb]

A friend of mine played at Slimelight in the UK a while back and it was in a large part a gabber/hardcore fest. That was a couple years ago, but I still get notices about events with hardcore DJs, frequently mixed in with breakcore/industrial/powernoise/power electronics acts.

[Billy]

"cartoonish tempos"- my laugh for the day, thanks

[hum3]

They went pretty much underground (again) in Rotterdam, but there's still have pretty loyal fanbase for it, featuring both young and old 'gabbers'. Also, you still got the occasional big cash-in party, as well as a poular, slightly more toned down version called 'hardstyle').

It's not as outspoken anymore (no overwhelming amount of bald-shaven heads, bomber-jackets with the national flag - and on a lighter note; Australian gear and Air Max sneakers), but I respect those dudes that still like 'harcore' (as it's also known). They really love their sh*t - I can't front on that. Plus, most if these guys are pretty low-key and well, you know, just a bit simple-minded.

No real political fascist movement though - it's kicking against the establishment basically. Especially in a harbour-city where the immigration and employment problems are under a magnifying glass, most of these characters just have a frustrated, somewhat biased state of mind.

In the end, gabber has been chewed on & spat out by the Dutch commercial forces in the music industry (nothing new there). But I wouldn't rule out a decent comeback entirely. Now, to speak of a creative progression: that's another matter entirely...

[hum3]

They went pretty much underground (again) in Rotterdam, but there's still have pretty loyal fanbase for it, featuring both young and old 'gabbers'. Also, you still got the occasional big cash-in party, as well as a popular, slightly more toned down version called 'hardstyle').

It's not as outspoken anymore (no overwhelming amount of bald-shaven heads, bomber-jackets with the national flag - and on a lighter note; Australian gear and Air Max sneakers), but I respect those dudes that still like 'harcore' (as it's also known). They really love their sh*t - I can't front on that. Plus, most if these guys are pretty low-key and well, you know, just a bit simple-minded.

No real political fascist movement though - it's kicking against the establishment basically. Especially in a harbour-city where the immigration and employment problems are under a magnifying glass, most of these characters just have a frustrated, somewhat biased state of mind.

In the end, gabber has been chewed on & spat out by the Dutch commercial forces in the music industry (nothing new there). But I wouldn't rule out a decent comeback entirely. Now, to speak of a creative progression: that's another matter entirely...

[hum3]

Sorry for that double post (and now triple post...). Guess I'm tired.

[beat]

Gabba is so fucking retarded.

Hardstyle (toned down Gabba) is extremely popular here in Melbourne, and I hate going to mixed events where both trance and hardstyle are being played, as it always attracts an ugly crowd of people more intent on getting fucked up to their eyeballs on GHB, ice and amphetamines rather than enjoying the music.

Hearing 2 minutes of hardstyle, I really can't blame them.

[B]

I grew up a large part of my life in Belgium and Holland and I still go back there quite frequently...definitely do remember seeing adverts for "Rotterdam Terror Corps" and other such bands on TV and on the radio as recently as last yr so I guess its still alive and kicking somehow in the low-lands...Unfortunately as a South American I knew well to stay the f!@# away from anything related to that scene lest I get my face stomped in...

[Brophy]

The more I learn about gabba, based on these comments, the less i like about it

[tom/pipecock]

i used to do parties back in the late 90's with some friends of mine that included all sorts of experimental and hardcore (usually breakcore). this one time we booked a couple cats from NYC who were into hardcore. those guys were fucking maniacs, seriously insane. in a fun and entertaining way, but i wouldnt wanna piss them off. i cant remember their names right now, but they were fucking hilarious.

[GABBER_aNTIFA]

HARDCORE ANTIFASCISTA

HARDCORE 4 LIFE

FUCK HARDSTYLE
FUCK JUMPSTYLE
FUCK NAZIS
FUCK HOUSE

UNITED HARDCORE AGAINST RACISM & FASCIST

¡¡¡HARDCORE HOOLIGANS!!!