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Lenny Dee – Hard Electronic Interview Series

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Techno and Hardcore pioneer Lenny Dee started Industrial Strength Records in 1991 and put New York and American Hardcore on the map, Now on the heels of the labels 25th anniversary, ISR is touring the world with a crew of hardcore artists from all over. The tour hits the US this week with stops at Union in LA Friday, November 18 and The Paper Box in Brooklyn Saturday, November 19. We got a chance to talk to a few of the artists on the lineup, including label founder Lenny Dee about the event and the history of Industrial Strength.

THD: What inspired you to start Industrial Strength records?

I was already producing a lot of music and it became a natural progression. I wanted to inspire more artists to create Hard Electronic Music and I felt this music needed a place to grow and be heard. On my travels DJing, I also went on the hunt to seek out the most hardest electronic music I could muster up. Looking back – I did.

THD: What initially attracted you to hardcore and the harder styles of dance music? What is your favorite part of hardcore music and/or the hardcore scene?

It came from within me really. There was no hard electronic music before (maybe some gothic Ebm tracks, – if you could even find them). I made sets picking odd tracks, b-sides anything and everything and played them all back to back in my sets. I’d been doing sets all around the globe since the 80s man, so all the music i produced and mixed to this point lead me down a path as i grew as a DJ and a producer and then A&R.

What I was feeling the people were feeling. It was like magic. I grew as the feeling grew. This shit was new..

I wanted to explore electronic music to the max and have made and had hits in most major styles. Creativity lead to genres of music being realized. We made the music, and then it was called something, Techno for example….we did not go in the studio to make a ‘certain style’ — it just was. I wound up and the end of the road and stayed when I hit hardcore, but I still always look at the future.

THD: What was the hardcore and harder styles scene in America like before you started ISR? How has it changed in the last 25 years?

There was nothing here in the start of the 90’s. Frankie Bones was doing some parties at that time and we had also created club nights prior to ISR. We were pushing electronic music sounds to NYC which at that time no one cared about it.

The music was not Hard Electronic though. It become the essence of what was to come for me later on, but as I think back, it was hard for the time. Bones and I really broke down doors for NYC and this Country as a whole. No one here really realizes how much Europe actually looked to us as the leaders in electronic music. We have a earned a large place in electronic music history (they might even recognize that one day ) But here we are 25 years – still kicking ass !

THD: What is your favorite subculture or sub-genre of hardcore/hardstyle that has emerged since you started playing and producing hardcore?  

I love all styles of music in fact & listen to a vast range of things. What I play is my choice. I love to be excited by the music and play it like no other. I so like crossbreed. I think its hard edge drum n bass flavor with tight Hard electronic elements really is great new addition to Hard electronic music. It furthers the expansion of both styles while forging ahead with new music ideas pushing the growth of something new, which is a good thing no matter how you look at it.

Some styles of music are more like a description not a really a style (like ‘Techno’ is a style) and are set up with simple arrangements so an amateur can play it well. I like a challenge when I play. But I try not to diss any styles, it’s whatever people dig.

THD: What is your favorite memory from your years with ISR?

I had Laurent Garnier over to my place in Brooklyn. Laurent and I go way back, so we tried to make a track in the short time we had to work. Believe it or not we made a track on my Ruff Beats label ! It was fun and unexpected, we made a simple track, but the experience was over the top to have Laurent over in in Bensonhurst Brooklyn the home of Saturday Night Fever.  We rented a house off 86th St.  next to Lenny’s Pizza – that where Travolta ate the two slices of pizza doubled up in the start of the film.

THD: What are you most excited about for the Hard Electronic 25th anniversary shows? 

I am super chuffed to celebrate that we have been here this long !  Not many can say this in the USA, especially being we created a style of music. I think we are one of (if not the) longest running Electronic labels in the USA now.

I am excited to do this party in NYC and LA. Trauma Live have been great to deal with on the West Coast and we could not have done it without them & Rave Till Dawn. And of course our crew in Brooklyn – Distort the 909 & Kontaminated Recordings – have rocked this (w/ support from Audio Havok from the east coast too). And needless to say, I couldn’t do any of it without my partner Jules who makes it all happen, incl running the ISR and our Labels etc etc.

We’ve also made ISR25 parties in Vienna (Mechanizm), Tokyo (SuperBad Midi Breaks), Glasgow (Sector Events), Fukishima (DarkRave), showcase at ‘Radikal Styles Festival in Colombia, and have a leg in Paris with Audiogenic this Dec. These collabs are exciting and the responses have been off the chain.

‘Hard Electronic’ is a night we will do more of showcasing new & established artists, from all styles of hard electronic music. One party with all different sounds to excite the brain and body in one room. We are already talking line ups for the next one (and tour coming soon too). Get ready boys n girls – the Brooklyn Monster has woken up !

Lenny will be djing both American dates alongside heavy hitters like Unexist, Art Of Fighters, The Sickest Squad, Tymon, Rob Gee and many more. In his spare time he also has been mixing an album for up and coming artist Pop Criminal.

 ISR just released ISR 100 on vinyl as well as collaborations with Akira, Mr Madness, Jason Little, Nuke, DJ Terror and many more for the 25 Years of Industrial Strength compilation coming out this December. 

Producers keep an eye out for a new studio pack to help new and seasoned producers make original hard kick drums, featuring over 300+ bass drums and 30+ ISR artist kits.

Announcements, Articles, Interviews

Satroniq – Hard Electronic Interview Series

In preparation for the upcoming celebration of Industrial Strength Records’ 25th anniversary at the Paper Box in Brooklyn, we’re talking to some of the artists on the lineup. Today we spoke with Satroniq about his history with ISR and what to expect from him on November 19th. Catch him spinning with Delirium in the second room alongside Kontaminated and Audio Havok artists.

HD: How long have you been working with Industrial Strength?

My first solo release on ISR was in 2007. Little known fact: I also did a lot of album covers for ISR around that time and website work.
 

HD: What is your favorite memory working with ISR?

The early ISR parties at CBGB’s were really cool because I get to say I played at CBGB’s! Being a huge fan of punk, this was a great moment for me to stand on the same stage as The Ramones (even if I was dj’ing instead of rocking in a band). 
 
 HD:What initially attracted you to Hardcore and the harder styles? what has kept you coming back to produce and mix and perform?
It was like the new punk rock. Anyone with a laptop could take/steal/mash/screw/chop any sounds up into an aggressive maelstrom. These days the production has gone way up but I always feel like there could be some surprises coming down the pike. 
 

HD: What do you think sets American Hardcore apart from other styles and scenes? What do you enjoy about performing at shows in New York City?

The American hardcore scene has some real die-hard fans who are more appreciative when we get top caliber acts here as it’s not something you see in the States every day. I live in New York city so I love seeing my peers jamming out to the harder styles that I love! 
 

HD: Do you have anything special planned for the ISR 25 anniversary party?  

I’m going to be doing something a lot of people haven’t heard yet. I will be doing a Satroniq set rather than Satronica. I have been focused recently on a new record label that works very closely with ISR to explore the harder sounds of edm that don’t quite fit into the “hardcore” category. Think subground, freestyle, and rawstyle.

Satroniq has a new collaboration with Delirium out now on their label Kontaminated Recordings, check it out here.
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DJ Thera: Five Thumpin’ Tracks you gotta know!

Pieter Heijnen, known for the fans as DJ Thera, is a raw hardstyle DJ and producer. He is also the founder of the famous label Theracords. Son of a musician, he started playing several instruments at an early age, but as he said it himself, he was too stubborn to play in a band, and his musical taste always aimed towards electronic music, so it was only natural that he would become a DJ.

His tracks are known for being unique and positive, and his art has established a brand new sound design in the rawstyle world. It’s powerful, melodic, hard and energetic, a combination bound to be successful.

From Canada to Australia, and even Russia, DJ Thera has performed pretty much everywhere in the last few years, proving that a diverse set of sounds in raw hardstyle never hurts. His popularity has been growing since his first album release and it doesn’t look like it’s going to change anytime soon, given the huge fan-base he has created for himself all over the world.

Check out these thumpin’ DJ Thera tracks:

  1. The Paranormal:

A mix between raw hardstyle and trance, this track is a perfect description of DJ Thera’s musical style. This combination of sounds has been called “the new era of hardstyle” by more than one specialist, and we can see why. It’s new, it’s fresh, but most of all, it’s perfect for raving!

  1. It’s a Fine Day:

This collaboration with Yuna-X shows how open minded DJ Thera can be with his musical creations. The sounds here are at the same time fast and soft, creating a perfect harmony.

  1. The Alliance:

Another collaboration that went extremely well for DJ Thera! Dark sounds and mysterious vibes, we can imagine this being played in a masked rave.

  1. Desolation:

Be ready to headbang like a madman, because this is what this track will do to you! The storytelling in it is great, but what’s better is the crazy strong beat that is definitely not for the faint of heart!

  1. Hate Society:

If you’re feeling rebellious, then this is the track for you! This song is for the freaks, the odd ones, the outsiders and the alien ones. It’s a cry of rebellion, a literal “F***you” to a society that doesn’t accept difference.

DJ Thera is a strong artist, with years and years of experience behind him. But more than that, he’s a visionary who knew that to be a good producer, you have to think outside the box and be unique.

To know more about DJ Thera, look up his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/DjTheraOfficial/

Or… go to his upcoming show Dec. 3, 2016 in Los Angeles, WINTERFRESH MUSIC FESTIVAL!

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Trauma One Year Anniversary: All My Expectations Were Broken

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It didn’t feel like it we attended Trauma Oldschool for the Headstrong just this time in August 2015. However just this past Saturday marked the one year anniversary for Trauma’s return (formally TR-99) and saying we celebrated accordingly would be an understatement. I started my night off early already knowing what to expect, well at least I thought I did….

The night began with a unique set from LA’s own Deadly Buda,whom played a hard electronic set for his first hour. This would be my first time hearing it live, but when guy’s like Lenny Dee are pushing this style, I guess I couldn’t ignore it. The best way I could explain it would be “Subground style with an industrial soul”. It wasn’t easy to get into at first, but the industrial heaviness paired with the clashing effects of modern electro is definitely up and coming. The doors opened and kids dressed in their handmade fur and kandi attire, to throw back T-shirts started to fill all the rooms at Union gradually. It seemed like the music only got louder as more people filled the floors. Deadly Buda had the chance to fill the second slot after him, in which he transitioned into a classic/mainstream hardcore set which set the pace for the whole night. (Well at least till Tim Shopp hit the decks but we’ll get to that later)

By the time he was done I had already been freely moving between the venue, sometimes getting lost, but it wasn’t hard to pick out who was playing in the different rooms. I found myself gravitating towards definitely the main stage and the smaller downstairs for separate reasons. The main stage was pumping out the best production and sound with the largest crowd, but there was something special to be attributed to the smaller room. I caught a good portion of Demigod early in the night. I was surprised when I was outside and I saw someone bust out “United States of Hardcore” cassette tape for him to sign. After that I knew it was going to be sweet classic satisfaction every time I curved that corner to hear the sound that caught me in the first place. It wasn’t long till almost all rooms were packed, bars were busy and there wasn’t a time when people weren’t busting out a fat hakkuh. (Including myself)

Tim Shop, Deadly Buda, Levenkhan
Tim Shop, Deadly Buda, Levenkhan at Trauma 1 Year Anniversary

Although I live for hardcore, I would occasionally have to side step to the sounds of Drum n Bass & Jungle as I moved between downstairs and main stage. I can’t recall a time where I would walk by and not have the urge to stop. Not being an expert on the subject matter, it didn’t take a jungulist to look to the small side stage to see the same dedicated fans dancing their hearts out.

I returned upstairs to prepare for the last half of The Pitcher but over the years my ear for Hardstyle has been getting worse. That didn’t stop myself from jumping to the absolute Rawstyle and Old-school he was throwing down. I’m even sure the crowd never missed a beat as he slipped in a couple Hard House hits from the origin days. I’ll have to admit I was itching for some faster pace at that point but I may have tried my luck a shuffling again, poorly.

I migrated downstairs for a while because I kept hearing rumors that Ron D Core and DJ Dan we’re still playing a tag vinyl set together. I did some quick thinking and realized that they were already almost playing for 2 hours, some say 3 but regardless I showed up that weekend to hear some classic Hardcore and I left only wanting to hear more. I simply couldn’t get over the attachment everyone had in that room to the music. Even to some of these native west coast hard heads, this music is blood to them. The sweat and tears was only reinforced my thoughts. I hope to experience that again soon.

Between the familiar faces from people traveling all around for different acts, and the nice weather, it was hard to prevent myself from going outside. Not once did I hear a shred complaints (Except the unplanned absence of Kevin Kaos, sorry Lisa). I wasn’t really sure why I didn’t buy a taco once while I was out there but, who knows? I got into a couple conversations and I was surprised that to some this was their first Hard Dance event. I assumed the line-up and anniversary title would bring out a specific older crowd. I guess the theme of the night was how much I could be proved wrong. Anyhow, the newcomers were stoked to say the least and in their reaction I only knew that wouldn’t be the first time I’d see them

Oh man, I haven’t even got to good part yet. I returned to my rightful place at upstairs main stage, some would call it entitlement but if you’re not causing damage, well you might be in the wrong place. Decipher took the decks and I could’ve swore the floor almost went down under. The tall shadowy Ozzy  stepped up for his first time in LA and makes you wonder why only the first time? The ground was shaking, fists were pumping, and you would be wrong if you thought there wouldn’t be a pit for the angriest. It was a mix mash of some of the best hardcore mixing I’ve heard in awhile and I hope that people will notice what kind of unique talent he brings to the decks.

Jerome Hill looking out for Flapjack!
Jerome Hill looking out for Flapjack!

As Decipher ended his set you could already tell by looking around the room who was next to take the stage. The room went black, the strobe hit and before you knew it you we’re in Noize Suppressor’s world. The look on people’s face went from cheery to hard frowns and ugly grins. The madness had arrived. Being a fuge fan of Noize Suppressor for a long time I was more than excited to hear my favorite tracks and from the way the crowd was screaming the lyrics without a care for having a voice the next morning, I wasn’t the only one. For a good while there the solo strobe combined with a violent mosh made for a experience I thought only existed at concerts but the music had people feeling a certain way, and not in the typical loving way at most events. The highlight was easily the successful crowd surf which apparently is a once in while opportunity. He smashed out the ending with well preparation for was about to be in store…

Everything went silent, the room filled, and all you could hear people screaming for and calling one name, america’s own Tim Shopp. An abnormal BPM took over if you aren’t too familiar with the name but that was a good night to learn, and easily one of the best sets from the man in my opinion. Although we didn’t see him in his usual bomb vest, that had nothing to do with how he had the crowd to their knees. Well at least most of them, it almost as he felt he was challenging the crowd. How fast and hard could he go? Turns out this is the future and no one was missing a beat. Being the number one talked about hard dance upcoming producer in the US since his release of “Terror Squad” hitting top charts on Hardtunes it wasn’t difficult to see why. The ante kept climbing with the murderous kicks and faster tempo, the weak one’s feet began to slow down but not a soul went anywhere till the sound shut off. The party continued downstairs but by that time I had barely enough in me to go on but also wanted more at the same time.

The next morning the posts keep flooding my newsfeed and from everything I saw and heard the following night it was the first I actually got what I expected during that weekend. Ever since my interaction with Trauma Live and their staff it’s been nothing but good intentions and even sicker parties that aren’t just catered to the usual hard head, and for that reason I will always respect what’s to come next from the Trauma crew. The inside jokes and mixed memories will live on in the legacy of Trauma events. The mayor of Hardcore has my vote.

-Jarred M

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Project Z Report

My car hurtled to the Inland Empire Saturday night towards the much anticipated “Project Z”, which promised to be a grand marrying of two of Insomniac’s hardest brands, Basscon and Bassrush. These brands represent their hardstyle, hardcore, drum and bass, and “bass” music as it’s increasingly being called, I guess to obscure the fact what’s really being played is hyped up dubstep.

The techno rabbits invade Project Z! - photo by Mike Ortiz
The techno rabbits invade Project Z! – photo by Mike Ortiz

Parking was 15 bucks if you didn’t want to risk your car getting jacked in San Bernardino that night. I think $15 is actually a pretty fair price, considering most cars are filled with 4-5 people going to these shows. I had no problems getting in or out. Getting into and out of the party was pleasantly hassle free unlike some events I’ve been to over the last few years that seem more like a slog through airport security than a concert.

Upon entering the NOS Events center, I was surprised to feel that “old school rave” feeling amongst the crowd. I even, I swear to BASS, smelled Vic’s Vapo-Rub at one point. The party featured two arenas with amazing lights and sound, and a walkabout area that featured merchandise booths, food trucks, some spray paint graffiti murals, and a small sound system playing a lot of rawstyle. Plus, there were various places people just hung out at and chilled.

Project Z ravers! - Photo by Mike Ortiz
Project Z ravers! – Photo by Mike Ortiz

Musically, the high point of the night for me was SNAILS. This surprised even me, as I usually stick to the Basscon arena more than Bassrush. But, the production in the Bassrush arena had a bit of an unfair advantage. They got the fancy video screens and lighting rig from the old Circuit Ground arena from last year’s Nocturnal Wonderland. It’s an amazing set-up and it was nice to see it utilized for the harder styles.

The sold-out show was a testament to the marriage of the two brands that some might argue should have never been separated in the first place. America has always like breaks with their kick drums and it’s arguably the distinctive sound of the rave era. The 10,000 ravers that filled the NOS Events Center Saturday might be the vanguard of a new style of American rave music unencumbered by the prejudices of the European establishment. We shall see!