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The GABBERscene: BALD TERROR AUS & WAUS ...
...has a following of around 100.000 people in The Netherlands.
GABBERhouse: A fast aggressive HARDCORE housevariation...
...whereby the BEATS can go up to 220 PER MINUTE
DJ Rob introduced the GABBERsound in Parkzicht'...
...former Rotterdam hardcore GABBERimperium.
I think gabbers...
...think different than others generally think about them.
They think 'When I'm out to party...
...then Im going out to forget my problems.' Amongst other things.
And not to be looked at.
Like what's happening at the mellow parties and in clubs.
That's where people want to be seen.
Look how pretty I am, blablabla...
Gabber isn't about being noticed...
...some are just standing in a corner, having a good time.
Standing in a corner, alone... just listening to the music.
Standing alone, going on the music.
Emphasis on the music. People going crazy, just on the music!
Who doesn't like it, can *** off.
- What was that? If you dont like it *** off.
Gabber is ours. And it's the best thing there is.
It was invented at Parkzicht. DJ Rob invented it at Parkzicht.
Gabber is from Rotterdam.
My view? Gabber is about raving... - Pills, lines, tripping...
Just having good times with each other, you know.
Everybody is at the same level because of drugs. Stuff happens.
To be a gabber you don't have to shave your head.
It can also be someone with hair. Saying a gabber is bold is ***.
***, just like saying there's aggression here.
At a big party with people doing drugs there's fewer fights...
...than at an alcoholic party with thousands of people.
- Do you take pills? Huh? Yes, I do. Can you see it?
No, you can't see it.
Me? I've taken some doves and some playboys.
What does it matter? People talk anyway!
Gabber is everything to me. A feeling inside.
I can't explain, I just need to rave every weekend.
Otherwise I'll go crazy.
I started partying four years ago and now I'm old and worn out.
The parties used to be better.
- Why? Too many kids here.
It's like that TeleKids show.
Gabber. Gabber is a musicstyle, organized for the youth.
Mostly to keep criminals of the streets. Which was unsuccesful.
It's a compilation of beats arranged in fast tempo.
With a lot of drugs...
Lots of dancing, having good times with each other.
Take pills, snort lines... and hardcore will never die.
Have you got any idea what good times we have in there?
Any idea how cool it is?
At this age you also were looking for your own style.
- Is it my turn yet?
- I've got a long story. That's how it works.
LSD, speed, pills.
You name it. Coke.
All of them. As much as possible.
Of course stuff happens with this amount of idiots jumping around.
But it's always friendly here. Good times.
It's in your blood. Won't go away either.
I'm a dancer. - Gabberdance?
And not in ridiculous mellow clothes. Just in tracksuit.
With a DJ in Tilburg.
Every weekend.
Every weekend loosing one's mind. That's it. That's gabber.
- What's gabber to you? Gabber is my life, it's cool music.
It's everything. Really everything.
Outrageous. It's everything. Yes, that's it.
Hakkuh.
Without drugs. Wusses.
- And Feyenoord Rotterdam.
The beginning of house music was much more anonymous.
I made lots of records which were played at parties.
But only insiders knew I had produced them.
After a while you want to be recognized for your own name.
So last year I produced a record as Paul Elstak.
My advantage is owning three recordlabels.
Of which Rotterdam Records is the first gabber record label.
The first ever and it has really boosted the gabberscene.
And spread it worldwide.
Hardcore DJ PAUL ELSTAK has introduced HAPPY HARDCORE into...
...the mellow clubcircuit.
'RAINBOW IN THE SKY' sold more than 50.000 copies.
What would you call commercial?
Rough bands like Nirvana are also commercial. Because it sells.
Hardcore, gabber, is also commercial. Lots of money is being made.
Parties with 7000 visitors. That's not underground, it's commercial.
But people fail to see that.
They're at a party with 6000 people, telling me to stop being commercial.
You're at a commercial party! They don't see it.
Nowhere in the world it's as big as in The Netherlands.
I've been around the world, even as far as Australia.
Rotterdam Records is the big label to them.
But their scene is very small.
People tell me to make it in the USA.
But their scene is too small and won't become any bigger.
It's a different culture.
So I stay at the roots in Rotterdam.
Everyone's focus is on Rotterdam.
Release in Rotterdam and the world will take notice.
Our policy?
To release good hardcore. In whatever fashion.
A. Quality sounds. B. Well designed sleeves.
Work has to be done.
You have be prepared to put in time and effort.
Any record or CD with the Ruffneck logo should meet a quality standard.
People should know when they see a CD or *** single...
...that work has been put in.
A quality standard. Not a product made just for quick money.
Everyone needs money of course.
The least you can do is give the people a quality product.
And build the scene.
Otherwise it's useless. That's how we think about it. All of us.
Here it is. What we call 'The Tower'.
This is where it happens.
Here's a swish ***. By turning it I can create atmospheres.
Actually this is a Knightvision track.
I can make it a dark track. Make it a distant sound.
A lot of boring tracks are being produced.
Keep the sound dull. Like this.
Very dry. We don't like this.
At Ruffneck we like effects.
You can hear the sound turning.
When you've found a line to record you're ready to make a recording.
Try to create a certain atmosphere for five minutes.
Make it dark, work on the mixdown.
This doesn't work for all sounds of course.
It works for this line but for others it might not work.
This has a panicky feel to it...
...created by giving it a certain swish and mixing it down.
What is the mood?
It's like this. When we are making a dark record...
When I'm producing with this guy... The Predator...
When making such dark things we can see the party and...
How to explain?
Imagine all the people in your head...
...the sounds floating over them...
In your head you see these... these...
Damn, how to say this?
You see the lights and the total atmosphere.
It's hard to explain.
You visually imagine how it would sound at the party.
Hearing the sounds float...
Damn.
I don't know. You gotta feel it.
Create atmosphere with sound...
...combined with the images in your head.
But it's difficult to explain what darkness is.
What's dark to me might not be dark to you.