Tag Archives: Trauma Live

Trauma Prelude 2: Kari’s World

“I pretty much feel like I’m gonna die.” Said Kari Lambou, jerking his head at the last minute before he was to make an impromptu pillow out of his MacBook Pro. Kari’s the head of Trauma Live, who are embarking on a 7 city North American music tour. Any music tour is tough, but Kari is pushing North America’s first hardcore E.D.M. tour (purists would call it hardcore techno), undoubtedly the least popular subgenre of the EDM world. The genre is squarely a mix of house music, hip hop, punk rock, heavy metal, and industrial noise. It’s as old-school ravey as it gets, and despite its detractors, it refuses to vanish. Mixed into the chaos is hardcore’s younger, cuter and more popular little brothers in music, hardstyle and rawstyle, to make sure the crowd is comfortable with the rock hard beats-per-minute.

Kari’s been up for a few days with limited sleep and the comfort of a few complimentary beers doled out by his office workspace in El Segundo, CA. There are numerous causes of his sleep deprivation, for example, his washing machine recently backed up and destroyed his family’s apartment, but even more so is the fact that he has almost 40 different DJs spread out all over the 7 city tour. Most are from Europe, requiring flights, hotels, and transportation.The email inbox starts blowing up again, and must be dealt with as adroitly as a 2 hour window of sleep will allow.

“I do it, because I hate commercial music. I want our own sound.” Says Kari, as I dutifully pry into his life for the benefit of my readers. “This is about us, about sticking to what we want to hear. I don’t really care if people say my line-up is too hard. Well, too bad. This is what Trauma is about. Events you’ll never forget.”

I point out that 40 artists, is a little overboard. “Well, ok, frankly I didn’t see that coming.”

It all happened because DJ Distortion of Rotterdam Terror Corps happened to mention to Kari that he could get a few people to play in America. As soon as the feelers went out, every huge name in hardcore techno immediately lobbied for the gigs. No one took no for answer. Basically, the American market has eluded hardcore techno for decades, and it gnaws at the soul of all hardcore aficionados around the world, because frankly, America seems like the perfect place for it. These names may not mean a lot to the average American yet, but how do you say “no” to Mad Dog, Amnesys, Rotterdam Terror Corps, Tommyknocker, The Melodyst, Scott Brown… the list goes on and on. Though such a line-up might exist in Europe, such a tour as this does not. Everyone constantly undercut each other’s playing fees because they HAD TO PLAY. Everyone wanted to play. It was as simple as that. And when you have the combined talent, basically a line-up that would be historical anywhere in the world, well… you roll with it.

Vowing to document this first historical tour, I find myself jetting to its first stop in North America, Edmonton, Alberta, where it’s -11 degrees Celsius. “Well, we looked at the map and it seemed there were lots of harder styles fans in a few of these areas, basically.” Kari explained. I’m thinking like, “but this is like 12 degrees Fahrenheit,” but Trauma picked their first cities. Edmonton is the first stop before San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix (Mesa), Denver, Pittsburgh, and New York. So I packed up the long underwear, gloves, ski jacket, toboggan, a few stacks of The Hard Data magazine, and my trusty smartphone, and I board the plane for Canada….

 

DJ Deadly Buda: Interview from Trauma: Harder Styles Tour 2016

What inspired your stage name?

Back in the late 1980’s-early 90’s, people knew me as “Buda” when I wrote graffiti. So when I started DJing I wanted to have a tough, kung-fu sounding DJ name like, “Grandmaster Flash” so I put “Deadly” in front of Buda.

Were you a DJ first, or a producer?

Well, I tried to make music on a 4-track recorder, with a guitar and drum machine, and had a punk rock band, but… I guess I would really have to say DJ because I started scratching up my parents records after I saw people breakdancing, and that was really my first step into music.

Turbo Zen Soul Flyer
Buda’s artwork for the Turbo Zen parties.

How did you get into the scene?

Really I had to help make the scene in America. That was 1991 and things were just starting over in UK and Europe a few years earlier, and we wanted to make raves and techno big over here. In my case, Pittsburgh, PA. So we got our friends together and threw a party. People responded and that led to other things like writing for magazines, fanzines, owning record shops, DJing, producing, etc.

Soul BackWhat was the first record you ever purchased?

I think Kiss Alive 2 or Dynasty.

Who was your biggest inspiration in the early part of your career?

The early PCP and Dance Ecstacy 2001 sound. All the stuff that Lenny Dee had a hand in, The Under One Sky/Groove crew, Caspar Pound, Woody McBride, Zekt, Underground Resistance, Plus 8.

Deadly Buda Trauma Dates
Deadly Buda Trauma Dates

Would you describe your first DJ gig?

I was 15 and playing in a bar in Shaler, PA with my friend Sean Payne. It was before rave or techno. His Dad was a DJ and we were just introducing scratching/mixing to the crowd for the first time. I totally messed up! But Sean started breakdancing and the crowd forgave me.

What was your favorite party you’ve ever played? Why?

Probably Catastrophic’s New Years 1993/94, in Washington DC. Not a lot of people talk about Catastrophic these days, but their raves in D.C. were the most insane, gigantic, illegal events. The Baez brothers were sons of a diplomat and could get away with all kinds of stuff. So it was the first time I ever played out of Pittsburgh, and it was a massive 5000+ crowd in a warehouse. I laid it on super hardcore going into midnight and me and the crowd went nuts. I wasn’t nervous at all, strangely, I just laid down the law that night! Also the sets I played at Even Furthur, the same night as the legendary Daft Punk show and the year previous.

What was the funniest moment during any of your performances?

Well it wasn’t’ my set, it was my buddy Controlled Weirdness’s set at Morph 1. This guy who DJed a few of the parties in Pittsburgh back then took too much of something and decided he would just walk up to the decks and start playing in the middle of CW’s set! Like he ducked down to get his next record and then this nutter just jumped on the decks! There were some other stories, but I gotta wait for the statute of limitations to expire before I say!

What important changes have you witnessed from the time you got into the scene, until now?

Well, it’s more corporate. That is good and bad. It helps bring more money into the scene, but can homogenize things. The trick really is for everyone to organize their own corporations to compete, and that should make things better and better, I think. We’ll see.

High Voltage Front
Deadly Buda’s flyer artwork from back in the day!

Did you ever think you would be touring the United States? What do you think the Trauma Tour will be like?

I’m only playing two dates, but I am writing a journal of the whole tour, to document it. I’m not sure what it will be like, I just know it hasn’t been done yet, and so I want to preserve the memory.

What made you want to start producing Hardcore music?

I just wanted to express myself through that creative endeavor. After you DJ a while, you naturally want things to sound “your way.”

High Voltage BackWhat is your favorite track that you have produced?

It’s a toss up between Style is Terrifik, Esto es Los Angeles, and My Theory

What advice would you give to up and coming Hardcore producers?

I’m not sure if I can give the best advice here, because my path has been a long and circuitous one. If you are looking for advice on how to get from point A to point B fast, I’m not your guy. If you want stories about planting seeds in the underground, maybe that I can give advice.

Have any of the other artists on the Trauma tour ever inspired your work? If so, how?

Lenny Dee was doing 25+ years ago what we are doing now. I often find I’m playing stuff or interested in stuff that Lenny was on the case of months or years previous. I should say that many of the new artists from Italy are very inspiring to me now, too. I think it’s a golden time for hardcore, right here, right now.

What are your top 3 favorite tracks of all time? Why?

Party People – Marc et Claude

We have Arrived – Mescalinum United (Aphex Twin Remix)

Vortex-Final Exposure

What was your favorite track of 2015 (that wasn’t your own)?

Mad Dog’s Good Ol’ Times

Are there any exciting projects or gigs coming up you want our readers to know about?

Well, The Hard Data magazine and website is all about the harder dance styles, so I’m pushing that hard. We need a communication node! I might be coming out with some comics soon, too.

What artists would you like to collaborate with that you haven’t already?

The Traxtorm/Next Cyclone crew, and after all this time I’d like to work on some stuff with Lenny Dee finally if he ever stops flying around the world long enough for me to catch up with him!

If there’s anything we haven’t asked, what else would you like to say to the readers of The Hard Data?

Share The HARD DATA with your friends, and write and take pictures for the magazine and website. When I look back at all the years, I notice that the one thing that really makes a scene pop is when it has a ‘zine or two that people can bug out with. Don’t take it for granted, make it better by contributing!

Check out Deadly Buda’s special mix for the Trauma Tour:

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Prelude to Trauma: Trauma Harder Styles Tour 2016 on the Horizon

By Joel “Deadly Buda” Bevacqua

Pittsburgh, PA, 1993: “You know what my problem was?” His drunken ankle buckled, dropping his punk-rock body into the plastic rainbow-colored carpet of my little rave shop.

Two stoned teenagers in fat jeans and Fresh Jive T-shirts pried him off the ground. Rising undeterred, John’s beer belly plopped out of his faded Ramones t-shirt. He flicked off the long, black, fifty-something-year-old hair stuck to the saliva on his face.

”I never…” He made a basketball-sized globe with his hand gestures and stared into it—like it was fucking Rosebud or something and swayed back and forth as the two anemic rave kids braced to catch him. “I never…”

I couldn’t have cared less what John had to say. Smelling of booze and vomit, he had been frequenting Turbo-Zen Records—I assumed to get high with the college kids and high schoolers playing hooky at the store. I could never say no to him—he was a drinking buddy at Chief’s and did the sound at the Electric Banana, Pittsburgh’s finest punk rock club (R.I.P.) That conferred too much underground cred. But, he was creating a ruckus and I already was fielding calls from irate parents looking for their kids.

“Will you get him out of here?”

“No!” he croaked and stared into the imaginary globe. ‘I never took the time.” Then he got real ornery, waving his arms at me “to look at what I’d done, to look at it! To apprecccciiiaaaaaate it.” As he lunged at me for emphasis, the momentum of his arms threw him off balance to fast for anyone to catch. He smacked his forehead straight on the floor this time.

“He’s not moving.”

The paramedics came and took John to the emergency room. He was discharged and days later was back on the Electric Banana soundboard. But that was the last time I saw John Krom. A few weeks later, he was found dead in his apartment. He’d been dead a while when they found him.

Back in the 1970’s John was one of Pittsburgh’s biggest rock promoters, jet-setting with Led Zeppelin and all the other stars of the day. John was primarily responsible for orchestrating one of Pittsburgh’s most amazing concerts, but one practically forgotten. One summer day in July 1975, he ran a full page ad in the Pittsburgh Press, simply announcing something big was happening downtown. He then floated 3 barges down the Allegheny River to where Pittsburgh’s three rivers meet, Point State Park. In those barges were Suzi Quatro, Alice Cooper, and their bands. An estimated 80,000 people showed up that summer afternoon. The police were unable to control the masses of people doing whatever they wanted that day, such as: jumping off the Fort Duqesne Bridge, for fun. John Krom made that wondrous summer day happen.

Turbo Zen Soul Flyer
Until I can find pictures of John Krom, Turbo Zen, and related materials, I will post some of these old flyers so you can see how we did it in Pittsburgh in 1992-3

Many great events can get lost in time, through error or intention. I had only heard of this amazing concert by word of mouth, by Pittsburghers I knew who were at the show. I have found virtually no written documentation of it other than this web post a guy did in 2001. http://www.drunkenbum.com/20010620.html

Someday I will search the Pittsburgh Press and Post Gazette microfilm for more details, as they surely must exist. But until then, the drunkenbum’s report stands as testament, and it corroborates all other stories I have heard verbally about the event. Amazing, wonderful things get lost in the shuffle of history. We read about wars, but never about wonder! Is it not as interesting I ask? Does it not fire the soul as much? Of course it does!

Anyway, something happened to John between floating Suzie Quatro down the river in a barge, to passing out in Turbo-Zen Records. I still haven’t the fine details, but John told me exactly what happened, and it’s my job to tell you. He never stopped to appreciate what he did. He just kept driving forward, oblivious to the joy he created, and never really took part in it himself.

John could have got wasted at a lot of places, but he chose my record store to get fucked up at towards the end. Now I know why. He could see us young raver kids loved the music too. The electric moments of music never left his soul, even as the booze grabbed control of his body and mind.

I didn’t respect John the way I should have the last time I saw him. I guess I can forgive myself considering the circumstances, but I can honor his memory and the man he truly was by relaying his accomplishments and one of his important messages. John’s legacy, and accomplishments will survive just a little longer, because they deserve to. So it is written, and I begin with John Krom’s story for my diary of the Trauma Harder Style Tour 2016.

The “Trauma Harder Styles Tour 2016” is America’s first hardcore techno music tour. It’s about forty-plus electronic music artists pushing the most extreme version of electronic dance music. This is EDM you might slam-dance to, pogo, mosh, or stage dive to. It is the type of electric hybrid John might have loved to hear, if he were only here.

Probably the most neglected segment of the EDM world in America, hardcore techno is actually one of its oldest—chock-full of rave pioneers and the perhaps overly-curious youngsters that found out about them. Like some others on the tour, I’m one of those rave pioneers with a nagging sense of unfinished business in the back of my mind. When I found out the tour would stop in my old hometown, Pittsburgh, PA, like a moth to flame I lobbied like hell to get on the tour, and vowed to document its entirety. This tour could be a boom, or bust, or just… whatever… but I want to remind myself, and whoever will listen to me, that what we’re doing is special, it’s important, and we’ll lose a part of ourselves if we take it for granted. So I dedicate my following journal entries to John Krom, who reminded me to take the time to look and appreciate what we all do.

MC Mike Redman Interview on the Trauma Harder Styles Tour 2016

What inspired your stage name?
This is actually my real name. I adopted my mother’s last name which is Redman.
I use this when I’m hosting events. My alias Deformer that I use as a DJ and producer came from the various styles of music that I combine to get the dark and heavy sound that I like. Influences of Hardcore, Metal, Hip-hop, Soundtrack, Breakcore you name it. As long as it fits the Deformer concept, I’ll integrate it.

MC Mike Redman Tour Dates
MC Mike Redman Tour Dates

Were you a DJ first, or a producer?
I was a producer first. Experimenting with tape-loops, messing with Atari and Akai samplers. Mostly at other peoples places, because, believe it or not, only few people had a computer back when I started. I always bought records to sample sounds from, but started djing later on. Now my Deformer sets consist of 100% own productions.

How did you get into the scene?
Paul Elstak spotted me in the eary nineties. My first Hardcore gig was at the iconic Rotterdam based Energiehal. These events are memorable. Not only because there were always 10.000 hardcore fans loosing it at these parties, but also because the sound was new and still in a very experimental phase. It’s a shame that they eventually took the venue down.

What was the first record you ever purchased?
Wow, that was way back.. I’m not sure which came first but I got ‘Hey You!’ from The Rock Steady Crew from an uncle, which made a big impact. ‘Pass the Dutchie’ (Musical Youth) and the first Iron Maiden album were my first records. Later it really got out of hand and I now have a collection of a few thousand records of various genres…

Who was your biggest inspiration in the early part of your career?
That’s a very difficult question. I got bits of anything and anyone I’ve heard and seen I guess. Mostly unknowingly. But everything inspires. Sometimes the most un-inspirational artist can generate ideas. When it comes to House music definitely Holy Noise, Joey Beltram, Marc Acardipane and many others.

Would you describe your first DJ gig?
My first DJ gig was pretty scary I gotta admit. The biggest concern was to not let the needle skip. But luckily the first gig was a great success which got me a residency at the club the same night!

What was your favorite party you’ve ever played? Why?
There are multiple. I’ve had many wild gigs in The Netherlands, but later on the gigs abroad seem to stick more, because you never know what to expect and not only is the gig special, so is the environment and the people that you meet. It’s always exciting to explore new territory and other cultures.image

What was the funniest moment during any of your performances?
I have to dig deep for that one. There were many, many funny moments. Also some really bizarre moments that sometimes turn into funny moments when you look back at them..

What important changes have you witnessed from the time you got into the scene, until now?
People are talking bpm’s more than music sometimes. There are also more genres than DJ’s that play them. But it all got far more professional than it ever was I think. I mean, the events are smooth and there are more jobs in this industry now than one could ever imagine.

Did you ever think you would be touring the United States? What do you think the Trauma Tour will be like?
I’ve only been doing stuff on the East Coast, so thank you Trauma for getting me some vitamin D. I’m having high expectations. I can’t wait to have a good time with everyone.

What made you want to start producing Hardcore music?
Well, the Deformer stuff is mostly filed under Breakcore, but Hardcore to me was always a challenge and it still is. Most outsiders that are not necessarily fans of the genre will mostly leave the studio with much respect when they see what effort goes into making the music.

What is your favorite track that you have produced?
That’s a hard one. ‘The Possessor’, ‘Slasher’, ‘Freaqks’ and ‘Gamecore’ are somewhere in there, but I’m still working on my favorite track…

What advice would you give to up and coming Hardcore producers?
Keep breaking down barriers!

image

Have any of the other artists on the Trauma tour ever inspired your work?
Definitely. The line-up is incredible and most of them have come a long way.

What are your top 3 favorite tracks of all time?

I can’t name a top three. This varies each day and with each mood-swing…

What was your favorite track of 2015 (that wasn’t your own)?
Omg, give me some time for this one..

Are there any exciting projects or gigs coming up you want our readers to know about?
Yeah, there is a release in the pipeline with The DJ Producer, Predator, N-Vitral and others. I’m currently also writing new lyrics for various artists, and check out my latest project Voodoom. This is a collaboration with Bong-Ra. Madness…

What artists would you like to collaborate with that you haven’t already?
I like to work with artists that dare to step out of their comfort zone and are passionate about their craft. The collaboration with Public Enemy was a dream come true as well as Chino XL. It was amazing to have collaborated with legendary filmstudio Full Moon Features. Working with Paul Elstak is always great. Rotterdam Terror Corps and maybe even a Metal band..

If there’s anything we haven’t asked, what else would you like to say to the readers of The Hard Data?
Don’t party by genre, have fun as much as you can and never stop exploring! The time is now, party on!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Redman

 

Rob GEE Interviewed! The Trauma Harder Styles Tour 2016

Rob GEE, you’re playing at ALL stops on the Trauma Harder Styles Tour- Edmonton, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Mesa, AZ, Denver, CO, Pittsburgh, PA and Brooklyn, NY! That’s going to be almost 1 month straight of spreading your crazy style across North America, are you excited? What can people who’ve never seen you before expect?

I am very very very excited. Everybody should just expect 1,000,000% Pure EnerGEE 😉 Let’s see who sweats harder 😀

Have you ever done anything like this before? What other experiences stand out in your mind?

Well, I have done full tours throughout Europe and Australia with my Hardcore peers, but I have really only done one-offs in the USA. The only thing that comes close to this are the times when I was on tour with Hatebreed, Biohazard, Slipknot, and System Of A Down, so this will be very be awesome to tour my country with my Hardcore and Hardstyle peers.

Photo by : PierreW.de
Photo by : PierreW.de

How have you seen the scene change over the years and how have you had to adapt your style?

The scene is constantly changing, and production keeps getting better and better. The more technology grows, the sky is the limit with what you can do. Besides my solo productions, I have had the honor and pleasure of working with the generations that came after me like Adaro, AniMe, The BeatKrusher, Furyan, Mad Dog, & Noize Suppressor. In the past I used to save my voice for my productions, but I have opened my mind and I’m glad I did. We have a mutual respect for one another and we always have fun. That’s important, and I love the result.

And of course, I have made the switch from Vinyl to CDs to USB and I might be moving onto Media Card as well. I’m sure one day we will be able to just think the music and project to the crowd. lol

As you said, you’ve worked with a handful of international artist for collabs in the past (Neophyte, Adaro, Mad Dog, and Anime just to name a few), what will it be like playing alongside some of the biggest names overseas here in North America? Any future collabs we should be watching for?

Rob Gee at Trauma
Rob Gee at Trauma

Well, I play along side them already in Europe all the time, but this will be nice because it’s my homebase.

Future collabs for 2016 include-

Hardcore wise: be on the lookout for Brutale & Rob GEE, The Sickest Squad & Rob GEE, Art Of Fighters & Rob GEE, PartyRaiser, DJ Paul & Rob GEE, Dr Peacock & Rob GEE, Motordogs, F-Noize, & Rob GEE, and more with Noize Suppressor & Rob GEE, Mad Dog & Rob GEE.

For Hardstyle and Rawstyle : The Prophet & Rob GEE, Adaro & Rob GEE, and Gunz For Hire & Rob GEE.

Right now go check out Chem D, The Mastery, Da Mouth Of Madnes & Rob GEE “Old Dog New Tricks” off my brother Da Mouth Of Madness‘ new album “Old Dog New TriXX”

Also 2016 marks the 20 years anniversary of my hit “You Got What I Need” : There will be special remixes from the Art Of Fighters, The Sickest Squad, F-Zoize, and Dr. Rude to name a few, but I will also be launching a remix contest for up and coming producers to take a shot at this classic. The winner’s remix will be released commercially.

Photo by : Gerard Henninger
Photo by : Gerard Henninger

Hardcore is generally a particularly brutal genre, can you explain what inspires your #PositivianVibes concept?

The beats might be brutal, but the message is positive. Life is too short. I choose to lift people up. We all have our bad days, but at the end of day I believe we all want to be happy with the least amount stress. Sometime that is hard, but we must be strong. I have no time for negativity and hate.

Lastly (See our interview with Lenny Dee here to see what Lenny said) who would win in a pie eating contest between you and Lenny Dee?

From my size you would probably think me, but Lenny can eat. I think we should just actually do it. lol

Thank you so much for taking the time to interview with us Rob, it was a pleasure to hear from you and we’ll catch you at ALL the stops along the Trauma Tour! 

Connect with Rob here:

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealRobGEE/

www.ReverbNation.com/RobGEE

www.twitter.com/THEREALROBGEE

www.twitter.com/THEPOSITIVIANS

www.MySpace.com/RobGEEADAMWorldWide