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D-Ceptor is one of the biggest names to represent Germany in the world of hardcore, and now, by the grace of the White Ape, he will be visiting and performing in America for the first time at GABBERFEST: America’s Hardest, day one of the festival! This is one of the most crucial interviews for the event as D-Ceptor offers some very interesting insight into the realm of hardcore and into the American scene itself. Hang on tight and enjoy the ride!

Dustin Leinesser aka D-Ceptor will be headlining this year's edition of America's hardest, GABBERFEST! — Dustin Leinesser aka D-Ceptor will be headlining this year’s edition of America’s hardest, GABBERFEST!

Will this be your first time in America? First time playing, if you have already visited?

This will be the first time visiting America for me, and so of course the first time playing there as well!

How did you get your start in hardcore music?

I started listening to hardcore music when I entered high school in 1998 through some friends who were already into it. This music style was new to me and from that moment on I was hooked by the sound. When I was 15 I visited my first hardcore event in a Belgian club. While listening and watching carefully how the artists performed, I knew that I wanted to become a DJ someday. I started practicing the art of mixing with vinyls and kept improving my skills on the turntables. A few years later, after sending many demo tapes to event promoters, my first gig was arranged in 2006 and my journey began.

What’s the hard dance scene like in Germany?

The Dutch hard dance scene has a lot of influence in Germany. Especially in west Germany where the scene is focused, because it is closer to the Dutch border. It is confusing to me that there are many hardcore artists in Germany (maybe the biggest scene after The Netherlands) but no big label, leading agency or international famous headliner. The Dutch and also the Italians are ahead to the Germans. I would even see Spain as the European country having now better prospects and talents as we have. Same story with large events. We have two big promoters here for hardcore festivals: I-Motion and A.L.E.X. events but I-Motion is cooperating with Dutch promoter Art of Dance bringing big pure hardcore concepts like Syndicate or brand new EXODUS to Germany. If you take a look on these line ups, you will see a lot of Dutch and Italian names and ask yourself: “Wtf!? This is a hardcore event in Germany, so where the hell are all those German artists?” So what I miss in this country are good producers. We have many internationally known artists for uptempo/terror/speedcore/industrial but just a few names who bring good quality in main style hardcore. For example Thorax is Germany’s new hope and biggest talent around here. His productions are brilliant and high quality, that’s why he got signed by MostWantedDJ agency (Masters of Hardcore) as the only German standing for HARDCORE. So all in all we have a huge hardcore scene here which is very enthusiastic with many crazy party animals who want to attend club parties and big events but what we miss are professional artists/producers and with it a professional agency and music label.

What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?

I see many legendary names from the US who had their career highlight in the 90s-00s like Rob Gee, DJ Delirium, Lenny Dee with Industrial Strength or Omar Santana with H2OH Records. These artists were not very present from 2005 – 2015 in the scene from an European/German point of view but it’s nice to see that for example Rob Gee and now also Lenny Dee celebrating successful comebacks! But I miss one or maybe two generations of new American hardcore artists. In the current state of harder styles in America I see a lot of potential for young artists. Go and use the current EDM-hype for infecting more people with your style of hard electronic dance music! Don’t make the same mistake as we did, move your ass to the studio and produce the music that you love. This is really my main advice to every artist who wants to maintain in the scene for long time and above national borders. Am I wrong with this evaluation about the American scene? Come and correct me over a beer at Gabberfest!

What are you trying to convey through your music? Are there any themes or ideas that are important to you? Is there anything in particular you find yourself wanting to communicate to the audience?

In my opinion it is pretty hard to convey a profound message in hardcore music. In other music genres it is much easier because you can express it in many words. Of course you can also choose your vocals very well in your productions or pick an MC for recording your own lyrics but techno music in general is

D-Ceptor will be visiting the US for the first time and can't wait to get a taste of the American lifestyle! — D-Ceptor will be visiting the US for the first time and can’t wait to get a taste of the American lifestyle!

about kick drums, beats and synths. My music is dance music so people want to go mad on it, it’s not that important to communicate a certain message, but a feeling. When I produce music I think of what I would like to hear when I am in a club or a big festival. Am I in a mood of a straight punchy stomper tracks, working with drive and rhythm, or do I want to dive into nice spheres, with an epic melody that makes me raise my hands up in the air? For me it’s not important to say that I love science, don’t believe in god, or wanna fuck the system, the main message is always the same: You are hardcore, so you are a rebel.

Do you have anything special planned for the event?

I hope to present some new unreleased tracks at Gabberfest and of course I will bring some gifts to my American supporters.

Will you be attending EDC this year as well?

If I can spontaneously get a hold of a ticket for a day, yes!

Which artists are you most looking forward to seeing?

Angerfist and Rob Gee of course! Full hardcore support! But also Knife Party, Pendulum, and Zedd would be interesting to me. The rest… I am really not a big fan of EDM and hardstyle. It bores me over time and I can also see many of these DJs in Europe. It is more interesting to me seeing the party people there and feeling the vibes this event transports, hopefully.

How did you land the Gabberfest gig?

Well, that is a question a lot of people around here have asked too. The answer is simple: I still send demos worldwide! Back in the days these were my mix tapes and nowadays my new releases. So I got in contact with some American artists and later on to the promoter of Gabberfest and we arranged everything. That’s it!

Anything that you’re looking forward to most on your trip (that’s not music related)?

Everything! I’ll be staying for 3 weeks in your country, arriving in Los Angeles, heading over to Vegas for Gabberfest, and going further to San Francisco! USA represents the western lifestyle; the life I live here. American economy, technology, movies, music, lifestyle, almost everything from your country influences the way of living and the society here in Germany. I am curious to make my own experiences and my own opinion about the US because I just know it from TV, internet and pictures. I am looking forward to my long road trips, to people I will meet, to beautiful nature and culture I can see. I am interested in the huge cities, skyscrapers, national parks, landscapes, the desert, the sea. A taste of how America feels is what I want!

Is there anything you want to say that we haven’t asked you about yet? Do you have any upcoming projects or tours to promote, or anything special or shout outs you want to say?

The gig at Gabberfest was the trigger for me to participate in Rob Gee’s remix contest. There is no final decision made yet but I hope to present my remix to you guys soon, doesn’t matter if I win or not. However I will play this one for sure in Vegas. Besides that I am working on new solo projects and also collaborations with my friends Quitara and Tritone are planned in the future.

USA better watch out! D-CEPTOR is coming for ya!

Follow D-Ceptor all over the world:

Snapchat: dceptor

Articles, Daybreaker, Interviews

Kore Hunter Interview: Gabberfest 2016

June 7, 2016 Daybreaker

Kore Hunter is a sappy love story between two already established DJs/producers Richard Riley (KORE) of Arizona and Megan Hunter (HK) of Colorado. Through the unifying powers of hardcore techno, these two found each other and are now combining their forces to further push the boundaries of hardcore and are hoping that they can take this scene (and their love) to new heights! Two is always better than one with this 2 for 1 interview with “hunters” of the “kore”!

KoreHunter will be playing at Gabberfest! June 18-19th, 2016, EDC Weekend, Las Vegas, Nevada!

How did you decide on your stage name?

Hunter: When Richard and I started dating, DJ Delirium and CIK were making jokes and throwing around names for what our future children would be named and Delirium threw out KoreHunter. Richard told me about their joke and we both decided that was better than our original duo name, HKORE.

How did you start producing/DJ’ing?:

Kore: I started producing in 1995, shortly after my first show. I was introduced to Hardcore from DJ Cetra back in the mid 90’s from the old IRC channel days. I went to Opium in San Bernadino to see The Stunned Guys and just fell in love. I went home, researched the music, found out how to use trackers and started teaching myself. When I turned 18, I took out a small loan to buy two tables, a mixer, and twelve hardcore records and just practiced every day. All I wanted to do was immerse myself in the new sound I had fallen in love with.

Hunter: I started DJ’ing back in early 2009. I used to travel for anime and gaming conventions and my friend, Mark Pieterick, DJ’ed the nighttime dance events they hosted. He would let me drunkenly mix a few songs here and there and then in 2010 I decided it was something I wanted to take more seriously. I received a set-up for Christmas that year and went crazy.

How did you get interested in the harder styles?

Kore: Growing up in Southern California, punk, rock, and metal were my main musical preferences until my uncle bought me an old 90s trance tape from Germany. It was completely different, but I was intrigued by the electronic sounds. During this time I was chatting in IRC channels all the time. So I found the channel #rave on efnet IRC (shout-outs to the old fucks that remember that!). One day DJ Cetra was streaming himself mixing on a Shoutcast I tuned into and remember hearing D.O.A. tracks. For someone that came from the harder styles of music, like metal and punk, it was easy for me to listen to it. It took all the aggressive elements I already loved growing up and took it further with unlimited possibilities.

Hunter: I went to an anime convention back in late 2007 and met a friend that wound up introducing me to happy hardcore. So that was the hardest music I listened to for a long time since my main squeeze back then was electro house. I eventually pulled myself away from mainstream electronic music and only listened to happy hardcore and that wound up being where my DJ career started. There was only one gabber DJ in the community that was playing out at mainstream shows in Colorado, and when I became friends with him he showed me an entirely new depth to this genre I already loved. Frenchcore, gabber, crossbreed, all the goodies. I was pretty floored and amazed at how large of a genre hardcore is. As a HHC DJ, I tried my best to stay away from overly euphoric songs and found myself attracted to the more quirky, harder side. It got to a point where it was a struggle to keep up because I couldn’t find music that fit my expectations and would only be able to add maybe 6 songs to my roster every few months. So about a year and a half into DJing, I decided to make the switch because gabber had what I was looking for in terms of aggression, musical depth, and community.

What changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started?

Kore: Well I grew up in California and moved to AZ back in 1998 so it’s a little different for me than it may be for most. In the mid 90’s the LA scene was huge and felt like a big family. Sure we all had our crews and whatnot, but it was about the music. When I moved to AZ it felt very similar but the scene was smaller. All the kids knew the songs and understood the strength of coming together. When I met up with CIK back then, we worked our asses off to keep pushing and growing the hardcore scene and now AZ has one of the bigger scenes in the states. Not trying to take credit of anything, so don’t get me wrong, but I would like to feel we had a part in it. We just made sure to never segregate another scene or another state. We wanted to keep that concept of family and unity

Kore Hunter will be playing at Gabberfest, June 18th-19th, EDC Weekend, Las Vegas, Nevada! — With Kore Hunter, you are literally getting the best of each end of the hardcore spectrum!

intact. Outside of the hardware differences (vinyl, to CDs, to Serato, to USBs) the music and the party itself has evolved a lot. Even though Hardcore is still a minority in the U.S.A., it has gotten its fair share of mainstream attention that even kids who don’t listen to Hardcore, still know a good number of the songs. Now with the rise of Rawstyle and Hardstyle still proving it’s a force that cannot be stopped, the scene is now growing to the point where I think soon we can pass the mid 90’s again. Unfortunately, we are also getting the attention of some people that are toxic and maybe a little money hungry, but if we can all remember to unite, then maybe this time we can keep this growth going.

For the music itself, the quality has gotten so much better, and again I think we have the access to all the information to help that. It also feels like the old guys (producers, DJs, and promoters) are back to becoming a family again and are now sharing all the experience they have acquired and are passing it on. This in turns helps, not just the new kids, but us old folks as well. Respect goes both ways, not just one.

Hunter: I started out in Colorado in ’08 where the hard dance scene was gaining some traction and then burnt out while the mainstream scene started to blow up. For a few years, there were only a few hard genre DJs playing out into the scene, the rest of us stuck to a radio show to cater to a larger audience. All of the hard dance DJs stayed really dedicated and through persistence, hardstyle and hardcore have been spreading at a fairly quick pace in the mainstream scene. As for the rave scene as a whole, I think everyone has taken notice of how quickly the scene has grown and how it’s no longer an underground ordeal. I’ve seen performance mediums evolve, DJs and producers come and go, trends rise and fall, and new concepts create new sounds while some concepts and genres die. With how many people are involved in the scene, I think the scene will continue to change at a rapid pace for a while.

What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?

Kore: I think it’s really starting to grow again with the rise of rawstyle, the reliable and consistent scene of hardstyle, and now the growth of hardcore again. The comeback of the harder styles is bringing all kinds of kids back and new ones are showing up. I feel like the hard styles reach to people in a different emotional way than some of the more mainstream options and this allows us to connect on a different level. All of us have experienced this one time or another where you hear that one track and your whole body just gets taken over with emotion. I feel like hardcore and the harder styles in general bring that feeling out in a lot of people and the more exposure we get the more we can connect, which is happening now and we are growing. As long as we can keep raising the bar on the quality of the music (production and performance) then it will continue to grow.

Hunter: I think the American hard scene is still in a smaller state. We’re starting to see many new producers and DJs that want to contribute to the genre as well and we’re starting to see more and more people support the music. I feel like we’re at a slight disadvantage right now compared to mainstream genres, though. As a producer for something like electro house, you can go to YouTube, type in what you need help with and the production program you’re using, and BAM, you have tons of videos to help you get better and learn. With hard genres, there aren’t as many so you’re kind of cornered into what you can learn without being self-taught (nothing wrong with that) and I feel that holds us back from creating new material as a genre. So if you’re an experienced producer with time on your hands and you get a lot of questions on how to do something, I highly encourage you to create video tutorials. Places like YouTube and Lynda.com have the potential to pay so it’s not like you have anything to lose in doing it, but there’s plenty for the scene to gain by you spreading your knowledge to others eager to learn but don’t know where to start. Outside of that though, I think the scene we currently have is more of a family than anything. We have a great understanding of unity through the music and I’m proud to be able to contribute to something so wonderful.

What are you guys trying to convey through your music?

Kore: Everyone has stress, trauma or some type of emotional event happening in their life and I want to help either remove that, even if it’s for a few hours, or heighten the good feeling you’re experiencing. I myself have had a roller coaster ride of events and I can say that this music has been the best cure. The general message is to enhance the best parts of life and take out your aggression on the worst parts and just say, “Eff it! This is my time to shine!”.

Hunter: For me, music has always been a form of expression. I’ve been playing instruments since I was 11 years old and it was always the best outlet for emotions. As a young adult, figuring out who you are, what you want to do, and trying to simply navigate through life is really hard at times. So Hardcore for me has always felt like a way to safely let out anger or sadness without emotionally hurting others and has felt like the slightly rebellious genre where you can jam out and give the finger to whatever stressful, shitty, or hurtful experience you’re going through. When I play, I hope that hardcore can be the same therapy for others as it has been to me.

Do you have anything special planned for the event?

Kore: For Gabberfest you will hear some original music, mainstream hardcore, and some uptempo music, we want to really ramp up the level of energy. This is a gathering of hardcore and hard genre addicts, so we are going to make sure to take the sound and ramp it up! We want to see everyone lose their fucking minds with us!

Is there anything you want to say that we haven’t asked you about yet? Do you have any upcoming projects or tours to promote, or anything special or shout outs you want to say?

Kore: We have a really big project that is the planning phases right now. I don’t want to give out too much information, but the concept really touches on an earlier question. We want to bridge a gap in respect by working with multiple genres and producers to bring out this massive release which will showcase each as an individual, and then everyone as a family. Keep your eyes and ears open for more information soon! We also have the AZ Hardcore Junkies 20 year celebration party September 9^th! Come help us celebrate 20 years of Hardcore with The Outside Agency, Fiend, Delta 9 and more! You can find tickets and full event information on the Arizona Hardcore Junkies Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/arizonahardcore/

I want to give a special thanks and shout-out to everyone in the Hardcore scene in LA and AZ. Honestly without you all I have no idea where I would be and because of you all I keep pushing and wanting to not only better myself, but everyone around me. Respect and love to you all!

Hunter: I want to tell people that are currently in the hard dance scene and people that want to get into it to just go for it. I feel like people get so caught up in the “what ifs” that they miss opportunities to create and to have fun. If people want to talk shit on you, understand that that’s a reflection of their poor dedication and discipline and their attempt to be complacent in not succeeding or progressing by making you feel bad. You’re gonna make mistakes, get hurt, be embarrassed, and fail. A lot. Instead of taking those experiences as bad, look at them from another angle and find out what you can learn from each one. That combined with discipline (NOT motivation) is the only way you will ever get better.

Shout-outs to everyone that has supported me over the years. All of you mean a lot to me and I definitely wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your encouraging words and enthusiasm for what I do.

Each one of these artists have their own networking pages but you can follow the work of the duo here:

https://www.facebook.com/KoreHunter/

Articles, Daybreaker, Events, Interviews

Vigor Interview: Gabberfest 2016

June 3, 2016 Daybreaker

Hard work, dedication, agility, persistence, potency, or in other words, VIGOR! He is a native of Los Angeles whose history in the early 90’s shines through in his productions; towering rawstyle combined with jumpstyle and US hard house influences present a new sound and experience that is making this artist’s rise through the hard dance scene a swift one!

Representing Los Angeles, CA, and his new home on Nutty Traxx UK, this is our very own, VIGOR!

Vigor will be bringing his own Rawstyle flavor to Gabberfest 2016!

How did you decide on your stage name?
I first started out by the name of DJ Intense. During the early 90s, I was a pioneer in the jumpstyle and US hard house scene. But it was in the late 2000’s, I discovered rawstyle and decided that’s the direction I wanted to take my music, so it was time to be reborn. My sound is vigorous and full of energy, that’s why I decided to change my name to Vigor, to combine my previous sound with today’s modern energy standard.

How did you start producing/DJ’ing?
I used to have a friend back in the days whose brother was a DJ, and from there I just ran with the passion. I wanted to start working right away to save money for my own setup! I started doing work for some audio rental companies, hooking up their systems for events and such. Eventually, it lead to my partnership investing in an event organization called Highlight Entertainment. That’s when I started playing on massive stages at big name venues such as Florentine Gardens. From there, I decided the next step was making my own music. I bought my first studio setup and was introduced to a producer name Mr. Goodbar who was on Up and Down Records. That landed me a release on the local record label Fuze Records based out of Montebello.

How did you get interested in the harder styles?

It started when I first heard the classic Zany sound in 2003. Ever since then, it has grown and mutated and has become more aggressive and I love the infection! I love that this music is challenging compared to other genres; it’s something that takes dedication and passion just to do the simplest things!

What changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started?
I can honestly say the changes in my local rave scene seem to be about isolation. A lot of producers in America are very isolated; we need to work as a group so our scene can grow and if companies were to partner up (instead of working against each other, we could have bigger organizations/artists possibly visit our country. A lot has changed from the beginning routes in my opinion but the scene is growing every year so I’m hopeful, still!

What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?
You have different levels and quality: some people have a certain format that they prefer over others and some of that creativity has been lost because of “industry” standards, being told what is good and what is not what; happened to the days when people would put on a track and it would be very different and fresh? I think it was like that during early times because there was no pressure. You can’t even put a track out without some type of criticism, where’s the love of the music? Production quality is a big factor but I think the music and the story is more important. So I think that people should go back to being able to make music for a more party feel then just a generic sound. It’s all about pushing boundaries and I think that’s the reason why some people that attend events have lost interest including some top artists who have switched over onto a different path, they didn’t feel that spark anymore this happens because cookie cutter tracks are not cutting it. Originality and unique styles are overlooked; everybody wants to sound like another person instead of just creating their own vision. Get back to the originality, try something new and different. Stand out!

Is there a message behind your music?
I’m just trying to make music for people to have a good time to. I’m just trying to be different and unique, not following the cookie-cutter ways the industry standard. If it makes my head bob while I’m in the studio, more than likely that will also occur at a live performance. From my past experience, I’m trying to combine some of those elements into my sound for today, trying to keep my roots true. The learning curve is my drive; it’s what keeps me interested and motivated because it is not easy to be a part of this musical revolution unless you have dedication and passion and that’s what I’m all about. Proving to all of those that hard work really does pay off.

What can we expect to hear from Vigor this year at Gabberfest?
I’m planning on a lot of fresh tracks from artists all over the world including collaboration tracks that will be released soon. My goal this year is to push boundaries and hope that everyone enjoys my vision of hardstyle.

Is there anything you want to say that we haven’t asked you about yet? Do you have any upcoming projects or tours to promote, or anything special or shout outs you want to say?

I’ve been waiting to announce this for a while now,

Nutty Traxx UK is the new home for Vigor!

and I figured the Hard Data would be the best way of letting you all know that I just recently got signed to a new record label! I will be releasing music under Nutty Traxx Records based out of the UK. I will also be participating in a label tour that will be hitting the states soon! It’s called the DECADE OF DARKNESS TOUR, celebrating ten years of Nutty Traxx Records! Featuring Vigor and other artists signed to the label. I’m also doing collabs with artists Dishonored, Nutty T, Next level, Adroit, JACKO, Hybrid Code, and previews of these tracks will be online soon!

Follow Vigor on social media!

http://facebook.com/VigorHardstyle
http://www.mixcloud.com/Vigormusic1/

Twitter: @VigorMusic1
Instagram: @VigorMusic1

Articles, Daybreaker, Events, Interviews

System Malfunction Interview: Gabberfest 2016

June 2, 2016 Daybreaker

We are nearly two weeks away from one of THE biggest hardcore parties of the year! Next up on our #RoadtoGabbermania series of interviews is, in this writer’s opinion, the single most incredible spectacle (and very good friend) that American hardcore has ever been graced with. Providing us with one of the breakfast sets (potentially) at GABBERFEST this year is none other than Las Vegas native, and he hardly needs an introduction (we all know who this man is), SYSTEM MALFUNCTION!

System Malfunction at Gabberfest 2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, EDC Weekend — System Malfunction: the rowdiest mother fucker in the American Hardcore game! You don’t want to miss his thrilling performance at Gabberfest!

How did you decide on your stage name?

Made it up one day.

How did you start producing/DJ’ing?

Experienced hard dance music for the first time in 2012 and I wanted to share the incredible feeling with others!

And how did that all come about?

Q-Dance had a stage at EDC 2012, I had never heard hardstyle (or hardcore) before that, and that was the best electronic music I had ever heard. I started in hardstyle, because what it offered (a harder, more abrasive sound) was enticing to me… then I found hardcore and it was game over.

What changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started?

A lot more people, and in my scene, not many ass-hats to deal with. The mainstream stuff has been overwhelmed with the exact people I, and others like me, absolutely despise.

What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?

Still too small, and no growth currently. Basscon has sold 5k tickets to the same venue, across multiple instances, for the last 18 months, very little improvement/increase (maybe 200-300 more tickets sold year over year). Apocalypto, same amount of tickets sold year after year… There’s just no growth. Something big has to happen, or it will stay about as big as it is, which is a shame, because these parties should be larger. My preference of course is hardcore, and for that, there is even a smaller target audience.

What is your goal with your music overall?

My goal is to entertain the audience while still playing music I enjoy. To be fully honest, my main goal in DJing, besides reaching people with music that can change their lives, is to build a scene large enough where I don’t have to be the one playing hardcore on the stage, but instead can be in the crowd enjoying myself.

What can we expect from you at Gabberfest this year?

I’m usually asked to open Gabberfest, and that time slot fits well for modern mainstream hardcore. I have a fetish for the Italian stuff, so expect a lot of Brutale, Hardcore Italia, and Next Cyclone.

Anything else you would like to say? Do you have any upcoming projects or tours to promote, or anything special or shout outs you want to say?

Shout out to everyone working in the hard dance scene. You could throw house/trap/generic parties and make a lot more money, but you do this for the love. Mad respect to that.

Stay up to date with System Malfunction as he is literally EVERYWHERE hard dance music is throughout America on his Facebook page!

Articles, Daybreaker, Interviews

En3rgy Interview: Gabberfest 2016

May 23, 2016 Daybreaker 1 Comment

Here is a jam packed and raw interview with an artist/promoter/raver/teddy bear that has literally been with hardcore since its uprising in the United States. All of California has witnessed this man’s work in some from or another, and to have this kind of energy grace us at this year’s edition of GABBERFEST: AMERICA’S Hardest (June 18th-19th in Las Vegas, Nevada, EDC Weekend) is not only necessary, but a true lesson in hardcore for a lot of us (this man is a literal history book on the scene).

Representing California on the main stage this year, and representing TopDawg SF, CKM Records, and Kids of the Core: DJ EN3RGY!

How did you decide on your stage name?
At my first rave in 1990 I was introduced to the scene at a large desert gathering. I remember the sheer excitement of being inside this new place and losing track of time which turned out to be days just running on the adrenaline in my body. On the third day of the gathering I was asked if I was tired yet. When I told them no, one said I had too much energy. At that moment of the three who brought me said “That’s perfect, we’ll name you that.” So I ran around introducing myself as “Energy”. About 10 years later we added the “3” to dispute multiple identical names and “En3rgy” was born while I was with the production company NeoSapiens. I would later be known as the artist who would also include 3 styles of hardcore into his sets. And the rest is history. No really, it’s history.

How did you start producing/DJ’ing?
During the early 90’s urban music, dance, and breaking was still very popular. And DJ’ing was still a craze. I used to be a b-boy and with some friends. I used to practice with them and they would have me play a record and switch over the track during performances where the DJ, who also danced, would jump in. Soon after I started my own party crew and we started doing events. I met a DJ who used to rent us out his system and asked if he would teach me how to mix. For months I begged until one day I eventually got a shot. Within two weeks he dropped me and told me that I should just give up and that he found a better protégé. So after finding a job, I bought my own turntables and began practicing everyday. Eventually I would become a self taught turntablist developing my own style and technique still not seen today. As far as producing goes, when I got into that I had done everything there was to do with just DJ’ing. Though I haven’t been signed to a major label I still produce original works and fun remixes of US hardcore. I push the style of US hardcore because of where we are from and it still various in style. It’s just about pushing things to the next level.

How did you get interested in the harder styles?
I remember listening to certain styles that set the ground roots for me such as techno and early house. But along the way I made friends and had one in particular who would travel with his family to Europe and the UK and would pick up mix tapes from artists out there and bring them back for me. So growing up I had a ton of tapes that were of the harder genres. Then locally I discovered a distributor that sells these tapes. I bet not many knew some of the mellow artists now used to rock out hard back in the day. I was lucky to pick up hardcore tapes as well and since then I’ve been hooked. I still remember the early days of hardcore and was introduced to the faster stuff before I really got into the happier stuff. People like Speed Freak, The Hammer Bros., Buzz Fuzz, DJ Paul Elstak, Tron, Delta 9, Delirium, DJ Bike etc. Ever since then I’ve been hardcore. And I mean truly hardcore. I eat, breath and live the physical being of hardcore.

What changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started?
In all honesty a lot has changed. Now I know most people won’t want to hear the truth but lets be honest. I never gave a crap about what anyone ever thought if they didn’t lift a finger to help me get where I am today. So to lay it out, the politics have entered the scene again. People only playing favorites while others drunk with power try to stop others from doing what they do even before they got there. Before there were a lot of DJ’s, and I mean a lot. You had to earn your spot, but that’s no longer the case. People think that they deserve to be there without putting in work or effort only because of “who” they know and the few hours they spent playing in their rooms or for friends. The long time tradition of respect is missing again as well as honor among artists. Add that everyone has some gimmick or tries to live off someone else’s hard work or style and it dilutes what used to be whole and p

En3rgy from last year's edition of Gabberfest. — En3rgy, representing California at the 2016 edition of the American Gabberfest!

retty much flawless. I’ve seen long time artists, great artists get replaced by untalented hacks who are friends with promoters and just retired never to share their sounds again. I’ve encountered promoters low-ball the hardcore rooms for other stages even more or cut them completely because they don’t want to fork out the money or they do not have it to begin with because they are only in it to make money. I’ve seen people steal personas and looks from eras they weren’t even really around in. I’ve seen people call themselves “Emcees [MC’s]” yet they couldn’t wrap a present let alone a verse. Now I’m not naming names in particular and people can read it how they choose to. But it’s the truth. People are afraid of competition and proving themselves as deserving. Competition truly never hurt anyone. In fact it’s what made me a better man and a better artist. Because in life you cannot learn how to win, until you learn how to accept defeat. And that’s the truth. There truly is a lot wrong with things today vs how things were in the past for good reason. Because deny it as people must, there was a time when hardcore flourished more underground than commercially here. And we all did our part for the music if we got along or not. A lot has changed, but there are still signs of hope. Some promoters put their everything into the events to give people great shows. That’s how I built my company. I didn’t have much or at times anything at all and I would risk it all to have great shows so people could enjoy themselves. I say this as an artist/promoter/raver. I have a pretty good balance on watching the scene closely
for over 26 years.

What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?
I think currently there are ups and downs. Now is it at it’s highest it’s ever been? No, far from it. I think it did have a short bounce back but not withouts ome disasters here and there. I do however believe it did get a bit of notice but if you really pay attention it’s kind of lost in the shuffle of the mainstream and in the underground too hidden from the ones who need to listen to it. Also there needs to be an influx of artists to change things without having to worry about politics. The headliners who grace the stages are already there but the ones below need to be shuffled more before it becomes stagnant and stale. Currently we’re experiencing a slow period and has happened before. Again it’s because of the never changing line ups, the people who choose it’s “who you know” or “how you look” vs talent and hard work. Even with the digital age it still seems like it’s not being utilized correctly in a manner that would make the scene whole again. Very few companies have the right formula while others refuse to change it only to add to the problems. One company I will give credit to is American Gabberfest out in Las Vegas, Nevada. They are doing something that needed to be done and that is unite all national artists and veterans and show the masses what the true harder styles are. With the overtaking of massives and festivals, you have people unaware of various sounds in North America or they just clump them together in one failed acronym. By throwing a show that showcases the harder sounds new fans ears are opened up and the music can continue to flourish. But by just having a personal interpretation like other groups, you really don’t do anything other than throw just another party. This is where I question a lot and see the difference and why more artists are pickier with their events. Most of us still love the music more than anything.

Will you be attending both Gabberfest and EDC this year?
I will only be attending Gabberfest honestly. It’s a fun place with music I enjoy who are actual fans of the genres. Gabberfest is North America’s catalyst for bigger things every year as it grows. Like most things it’s most important point is the beginning. The best times are the early years. It’s like a plant, first you plant the seeds, then you water it and watch it grow into something great. I know from first hand experience with the shows I’ve done. I’ve created name brands and event brands with my company and family. So watching something grow from the beginning while letting it flourish not only benefits the community but also expands it.

In brutal honesty, Insomniac hasn’t really done anything even with a Basscon stage. Sure their events are packed with party goers and big name artists. But they are the main reason why the smaller promoters and communities have taken huge hits. They do nothing to expand the music among people really. The music is flooded in between generic terms like EDM and hard dance. Community artists who have paved the way for others are pushed out or deemed unworthy to just wave their hands around and pose for cameras. They cram various styles into one area which confuses people. For a million dollar company, they focus more on this imaginary image, stolen ideas and concepts and how to make themselves appeal as part of the people. However you know for a fact they’ve never been in the pit or on the speakers with the rest of us. For the hard dance community to grow, the underground needs to rise again. The veterans need their true moments to shine and the smaller long time supporters should be supported fully not selectively. Only then will things be as they were in the early years and only then with the community united will hard dance be as dominant as it was at its highest point. To coexist with the past, present, and future has always been the key to any great community. It’s the true meaning of unity and is the only way to truly expand the sounds that we love.

What are you trying to convey through your music? Are there any themes or ideas that are important to you?
For me this is something I can’t put into words. When I play I’m connecting with everyone on the dance floor. Whether it’s 1 person or 10,000. When I get on the decks I speak to the audience in hopes they hear the happiness/feeling in my soul. I’ve never been about themes or gimmicks. When I play, I step onto the decks and just let myself be free. It’s the moment I’m able to escape the madness, the reality of life, the things we deal with everyday. The only mission I have is to represent my heart, the music and to have everyone join me on a journey into the deepest, happiest part of your soul. It’s one of those things you have to see live in order to understand. It’s the closest thing I can compare to paradise in your brain.

Do you have anything special planned for Gabberfest? Any surprises this time around?
There wouldn’t be any surprises if I told you! But I will definitely be bringing out some fun tracks, possibly some original works and more. Who knows maybe I can get a few strippers! But know I’ll be bringing out the heat during my set, even the sun is going to have to catch up to me on this one. The hardcore will rise this day for sure!

Anything else you’d like to say to the readers? Any events coming up in the summer?
Currently my booking calendar is open and I have nothing else really planned except for a few events later this year and will be organizing the “Rise Of The Hardcore Tour”, so if people are interested they can book me through my sites or email at kidsofthecore@yahoo.com. As far as everything else is concerned I will be hitting the studio working on new projects and mixes so my mix pages will be getting an influx of stuff. I also will be posting more videos on my YouTube pages including tour videos, paranormal investigations and music previews. I’m focusing more on making music these days but love performing and when I have new events I’ll definitely be adding them to my calendar.

And how about shout-outs?
I want to give shout outs to my family for always believing in me, my Kids of the Core family for always working hard. My production partner and sister Natalie aka Squirt for not only being my number one fan with mum, but also for continuing to believe in me and being there even at my roughest points. My best friends JayJay, Robin & Scott. I don’t see you often but you guys are always there. To my TopDawg San Francisco family (Scooby & Glow). To Tiffany, you keep me going and thank you for pushing me and making me smile. There really is too much to name off but you know who you guys are that helped all this “En3rgy” truly flourish. And as I say it can not be created nor destroyed, you all carry “En3rgy” on forever. I hope we
continue this journey in the next phase and show them just exactly how we do it. So live happy, live true, live hardcore. – En3rgy