Saturday, December 3 was the return of Fresh Entertainment’s winter-themed festival to Los Angeles – Winterfresh Music Festival. The night promised to host a variety of styles in separate rooms throughout the venue, from hard dance, house, trance, dubstep and drum and bass -all of which I fully intended to check out at the beginning of the night- but, like a Siren luring unexpecting sailors to their doom, the Hardstyle Arena stage sucked me in at the be-ginning of the night and I remained until the end of the show.
The day had been marked on my calendar since the announcement of Partyraiser’s return to LA and DJ Thera’s US debut at the end of Hardstyle Arena: Raw and Disorder, and my Facebook timeline seemed to be teasing me and building my anticipation for this show. The complete lineup for the Hardstyle Arena stage featured artists Non Toxic, Eni, Alex Kidd (who unfortunately was unable to perform due to visa issues), DJ Thera, Partyraiser, Lady Dammage, and was to be hosted by the legendary MC Ruffian. I was excited for potential of the night ahead – 2 US premier arists and especially uptempo hardcore!
I walked into the venue and I caught up with some friends from AZ I hadn’t seen in awhile, grabbed a drink at the bar, and then proceeded to the Hardstyle Arena stage where I caught the end of Non Toxic’s set. I looked around and noticed the room had been converted into a winter wonderland to enhance the winter theme of the night. There were snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, large snow covered trees on the stage, Christmas lights, and Fresh had even thought to add a custom Winterfresh Snapchat filter! When Non Toxic finished with their final track my friend DJ Eni took to the decks. I had just interviewed Eni before the show, so I was excited for his performance and was really entertained by his track selection of reverse bass and oldschool to get the crowd warmed up! Approximately halfway through his set, Eni brought up a special guest, DJ Hauyon, and together they premiered their DJ team, the Druglordz, and even premiered their first collab – Dominator (Druglordz Reverse Bass remix).
Following Eni/Druglordz’s performance, MC Ruffian stepped up to the crowd and introduced DJ Thera for his US debut. Chances are if you’ve been a fan of hardstyle or hardcore for awhile you have heard Ruffian’s voice; he was the legendary voice of Qlimax until 2015 and can be heard in countless aftermovies and livesets from shows overseas. Ruffian’s familiar tone of voice paired with the cadence of his speech were instantly recognizable and I was exciting to hear him right in my hometown. Before Thera could perform his first track however, there was a special pause in the action- a marriage proposal! One of the dancers was called to the front of the stage, and the crowd created an opening. Her boyfriend stepped up to her and a banner unfolded behind him asking if she would marry him, she said yes! It was a very special moment in their lives and it was touching to be apart of it.
It was then time for DJ Thera to take the spotlight. Anyone familiar with DJ Thera’s music, or his Theracords label knew that his set would feature a variety of classics as well as raw hardstyle. It was exciting to see him perform and I thought he represented himself and his style well for his US premiere. A few of the tracks that he performed included MYST – Man Bear Pig, The Sexual Thrill, and of course the Winterfresh Anthem ft. MC Ruffian.
By the end of Thera’s set people getting wild, the laser production was on point, drinks were flowing, and looking around I could tell people were having a great time. I also had a feeling that everyone there had prepared themselves to go harder for DJ Partyraiser, and I knew moshpits were inevitable. Partyraiser’s high energy DJ style took the crowd to the next level, and his set include one of his most acclaimed tracks – Sound Becomes One with Destructive Tendencies, as well as his new track with F. Noise under their alias Scaphase – Enter the Snakepit (Snakepit 2016 anthem), but one of the most unique reactions from the crowd that I got to witness during his set was when he dropped F*ck It by Lunakorpz and American uptempo/terror DJ Tim Shopp. I was so proud of not only the recognition of the crowd to Tim’s track, but at the conscious effort of Partyraiser to play it and give a subtle nod to American hardcore during is set.
Finally to end the night, it was the US Premier of Lady Dammage, and I will say I don’t think anyone was prepared for what she had in store for us! Hardcore, uptempo and terror were all the menu and Lady Dammage serve it up relentlessly! I never thought I would get to see Lady Dammage perform, much less in the US! I don’t know if some partygoers even knew what hit them, and for anyone who may have missed it, check out her track with Broken Minds Thunder God (240bpm edit!!), and Fear Me Bitches that she played that night.
In closing, I would just like to say that this night was incredible! Fresh’s attention to detail and the quality of their events should put Fresh events on anyone’s “must attend” wishlist. Ruffian added an element to the party by interacting with the crowd’s energy, and along with the lasers, sound quality, and the banging lineup, I know Thera, Partyraiser and Lady Dammage will confirm that California knows how to party! I really enjoyed myself very much and I look forward to their next event, which will be sooner than you think- Fresh has just announced of the resurrection of another one their retired themes, Fresh Days… stay tuned for more info to come!
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”!
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
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 9th! 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:
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!
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, 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.
Great Scott! It’s almost time for GABBERFEST!
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
Kids of the Core, founded and operated by DJ En3rgy
You can stay up-to-date with all the “En3rgy” on his social media:
I am very happy to say that this interview is going to reveal a hidden gem for you all! One of the busiest minds in the American hardcore scene, with a most impressive Discogs page, an education from the Conservatory for Recording Arts & Sciences at the top of his class and a father of not one, but two [expecting] hellions. On the surface, Mr. Stephen Caparella looks like any ‘ol bronie to most, but deep down, this man is THE unsung hero of American hardcore and is deserving of your utmost respect and attention.
CAP, representing Arizona at Gabberfest 2016! I mean, just look how beautiful he is.
CAP, industrial hardcore producer from Mesa, Arizona!
Affiliations:Arizona Hardcore Junkies, Industrial Strength Records, Important Corestyle, Hard Kryptic Records, Dark Like Hell Records, Six Feet Underground Records, No Sleep Till Bedtime
How did you decide on your stage name?
It’s my nickname from football. We had tape on our helmets with our last name and my last name is pretty long so they shortened it to CAP. Football was pretty much my life from about 10 to 20 years old.
How did you start producing/DJ’ing?
I started learning to DJ when I was 16 but my rigorous football, training, and school schedule kept me from fully pursuing it. It wasn’t until I stopped playing football that I decided to pick up DJ’ing again. I had the basic skills down but working with the [Arizona Hardcore] Junkies helped refine me as a DJ. Soon after learning the basic skills [of DJing], I figured producing was the next logical step. Why play everybody else’s tracks when you can make your own? I’ve been producing on and off since 2006 and right now is happily one of my more “on” times.
How did you get interested in the harder styles?
Ah, the glorious “how did you get into it” question. I HATED hardcore at first. I thought it was noisy garbage. I even watched CIK vs. KORE and Omar Santana at a show in ’03 or ’04 and walked away thinking “how does anybody dance to this?” Irony and hypocrisy is my middle name, always has been, always will be. Fast forward not that far to 2005 when I was in college. It was the first time I had high speed internet. It was a big deal. I could download tracks and mixes in a fraction of the time than when I was at home. I made a commitment to myself to listen to all forms of EDM and yes, even hardcore. At the time, I had one of those old brick iPods with plenty of space so I loaded it up with everything I downloaded. I forced myself to listen to hardcore and one of the first sets I listened to was CIK’s Nocturnal Wonderland 2004 mix. I listened to it again, and again, and again, and again. Something about it just caught my ear. I was into UK hard house at the time and this was a step above; harder, faster, louder, more intense. It grew on me after a while and pretty soon I was hooked: I was listening to mixes before practice to get amped up, and downloading and searching for more and more hardcore mixes. After that it was the hardcore record habit that cost me a pretty penny then the producing bug. The love has been catching steam ever since.
What changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started?
There’s been phases of the scene. When I first started, pretty much every show was illegal and underground. It was special if a show was actually licensed and bonded. Our illegal warehouse hookup disappeared so the nature of shows changed; more desert parties and more legal venues. I was out of the scene a while after that; work, more school, moved away for about a year. While I was gone, parties got bigger and eventually the EDM divide happened. I came back to a scene that had legal, small budget “underground” parties and large budget “EDM” events. It’s nice now to see more than one “hard” crew supporting the harder styles, despite it being more hardstyle, rawstyle, etc. focused.
What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?
I have no idea where it truly stands, I can only assess it from my vantage point. From where I see it, SFX going under was a big blow because the huge shows under its umbrella hosted hardstyle. The good news is guys who have the main stage at current events are playing hardstyle in their sets, so there’s growth there. American hardstyle producers seem to be doing better than in the past but hardcore producer wise it seems to be down from where it once was. The good thing is hardcore has plenty of hype show wise and DJ wise. Aside from all that, I’m a big supporter of the idea that the US needs to cultivate and support its own artists to really grow into a new era that rivals the EU.
CAP putting in that work for hardcore techno
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?
My themes change from track to track. It’s as hard to pin down as asking a horror author to describe all their work in a single statement. Yeah, the genre is horror but every novel tells a different story. Most, if not all, my work is hardcore but each track has its own feel or style. There really isn’t any singular theme to my whole discography – although I probably need to do that with an alias – and every track pretty much speaks for itself. A lot of times I don’t even start with a theme. I just make a kick that I like and try to choose a direction from there. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s also a good amount of times I start out with a theme, typically a theme related to something that’s caught my attention lately. Recently, it’s been random stuff like movie trailers and video games. Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to let it in.
Do you have anything special planned for the event (b2b set, all vinyl, live PA, guest performers/dancers etc)? Original productions?
Well, it wouldn’t be special if I told you ahead of time! But… let’s say tons of new tracks for this year’s Gabberfest, and like every set I do, it’s 95-100% original production.
I have to ask before we part, are we potentially going to see the “return of the mask” this year?
Nah, that’s pretty much retired for a couple reasons, so you probably won’t see it this year. I initially did it as a mega-industrial gimmick but I have garbage vision so the combo of the mask and no glasses made it tough to DJ. Add to that, just about every hardcore act out there today has some kind of stupid gimmick whether it be vests, helmets, masks, fake blood, you name it. It’s not unique if everybody does it. Aside from that, I would rather have the stuff that matters – the music – be the driving force for people to remember me or have the desire to come see me.
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?
Don’t forget to support your locals! Thanks to the Hard Data for having me. Thanks to the Great American White Ape for continuing to put together Gabberfest year after year. Thanks to anybody who’s ever supported me on social media or bought one of my tracks. Thanks to the other producers out there for raising the bar as well as being down to earth enough to talk shop. Thanks to CIK and KORE for being my good friends, mentors, support, and colleagues for over 10 years. Last but not least: thanks to my wife for putting up with putting up with my noise as well as my persistent requests, demands, and deals for studio time.
CAP at Gabberfest 2015 (and was voted “best set of the day” by the Hard Data in issue #2).
