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Back | Some places where you can hear Gabber and Hardcore Techno in the UK | ||
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What is Gabber? Gabber or Hardcore Techno was started in the Netherlands in about 1989. The word Gabber is Dutch for “buddy” or "friend" and is the name given to the four-beat hardcore sound featuring distorted 180+ beats per minute kick drums and big bass drum sounds. About Gabber The boom of gabber began in 1991 in Rotterdam when Euromasters released the song "Amsterdam, waar lech dat tan?" .on Rotterdam Records. After some short time Stads Radio Rotterdam began broadcasting the first hardcore program ever - Turbulentie. "Amsterdam, waar lech dat tan?" was shouted by football fans before matches against Ajax and Gabber was heard everywhere. In 1992-1993 the popularity of gabber has risen in other places in Netherlands. Around that time the first Thunderdome album from ID&T - an organisation living near Amsterdam (now is ID&T, the famous hardcore organisation and owner of other big record labels). Through the Thunderdome albums the hardcore music was getting known also in other countries including the UK. Today on a global scale Gabber is one of the most well known of the Hardcore sounds but possibly the most underground in the UK. You rarely see Gabber Tracks in record shops and popular media - its almost as if it doesn’t exist! Gabber Parties tend to be small affairs compared to other dance styles, people in Gabber are often die hards and very committed to the music. Some are prepared to travel miles to attend as Gabber events can be few and far between. Gabber is not just a style of music, this term is also descriptive of the people listening and dancing to hardcore music. It's much more than only music; it's a life style. You can recognize male gabbers by shaven heads (most are bald, or almost), by clothing and by style of dancing. The dance style can't be described; you must see it and join in to appreciate it. Gabbers often wear dark black clothing; also army surplus trousers are popular as are bomber jackets. They are often decorated with some inscriptions and logos of hardcore labels and other hardcore businesses. To be a Gabber is to be part of a huge scene where you can go to any party anywhere in the world and be welcomed with open arms because you are “Gabber”. To the untrained ear the music can sound very hard and even “abrasive”. But to its fans it is the most innovative of techno styles as musical boundaries are pushed to the very limits! The Various Gabber Styles There are so many "Gabber" genres these days that I have only described the main ones. Hardcore - (approximately 180-210 BPM) – Styles are very different depending on the country of origin: Dutch hardcore has a very melodic line and usually an MC. UK hardcore is made by artists such as Hellfish & The Producer and can be quite dark sounding and is often mixed with hip-hop. Not to be confused with Happy Hardcore or its variants. Gabber (or Gabba) - Has a distinctive sound and it has around 200- 240 BPM; Usually silly samples of gangster or horror films and military style percussion. The sound of the Industrial Strength Label, for example, with the likes of DOA and Ultraviolence. This is the most popular style; the original early tracks are still the best to some Gabber fans. Speedcore - Is the "fastest" of all dance music; it starts at 250 and goes up to 600 BPM and even more. Tracks are normally made with percussive samples, which have more danceable rhythms so you don't start fitting! Tracks are very psychedelic, very hard and minimal or even with guitars and heavy vocals. Artists like Total Output (UK) and Nasenbluten (AUS) are good examples of this style. Darkcore/Doomcore – This is not generally a fast style (its normally around 150-170 BPM or even lower). The name "darkcore" is in the right place because this style is very "dark", macabre and creepy - almost as if the sounds were from hell and I think that they are! Frenchcore - This has "industrial" sounds: trains leaving the rails, traffic sounds, hammering, generally sounds which are very abrasive and beats which are not necessarily in "straight" 4/4 patterns all the time. This style jogs along at about 180-200 BPM and is mainly heard at free parties, where it originated. Terror - Pushes the boundaries of music to the furthest extremes! This isn't music for dancing to - its pure avant-garde noise! This sound is reasonably popular in Germany and Holland. The tunes can be too much for most even the most ardent Gabber fan as they music can be very distorted. Noizefucker (NL) is a good example; do not play any of his music to anybody of a nervous disposition! Newstyle and Hardstyle – Not really full on Gabber styles but very popular in the Netherlands and becoming more here in the UK. Newstyle is more like Gabber but slowed to 150-170 BPM and more “Happy”. Originating in Italy, Hardstyle is trancier at 150-160 BPM with Gabber bass drum drops. Some would argue that these are not hardcore sounds as they are not underground enough. But they are a good introduction to the harder Techno styles to the new listener, which is why they are rising in popularity. Also - Drill and Bass, Hardcore Techno, Speed Bass, Breakcore, Old Style (Rotterdam Tracks), HardTek, Dutch Hardcore, Artcore, Trancecore, Speed Bass, Broken Beats and many, many more. UK DJ/Artists To Look Out for: Matt Green, Hellfish, DJ Enigma, Hammer Damage, Simon Underground, DJ Smurf, Section 42, DJ Blaze, Joe ET, Broken Yolk, Total Output, Paul The Cripp, Producer, Alarm, and Max Death! |
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Bristol – Club MGK - The Depot, Lawrence Hill (Bi-Monthly) www.mgk.2ya.com London – Sick and Twisted, Crossbones Free Parties and Live Evil London. (Various Venues) www.crossbones.co.uk - www.liveevillondon.co.uk Manchester – Species – The Phoenix, Oxford Road, (monthly) www.species-manchester.net Leicester - Oblivion (Hard Dance) – Club Soho, Halford Street, (monthly) Stoke/Bristol/UK - Club North (Various Locations) - www.north-online.co.uk Newcastle - Geordie Gabber Mafia (Various Locations) - http://ggm.gabber.org/ Scotland – Twisted (Various Locations) - http://www.twisted.bog.net/ UK - Underground Music - The Main distibutor of Hardcore Techno, Gabber Merchandise and Information.- http://www.undergroundmusic.co.uk UK - Phuture Rave - Online Store - www.phuturerave.com UK - Deathchant Records - Producer, Hellfish, Skeeter - www.deathchant.com UK - Corrupt Records - Matt Green www.mattgreenproductions.co.uk Europe - Industrial Strength - Lennie Dee's Labels - www.industrialstrengthrecords.com USA - Apocalypse Recordings - A Queens, New York label promoting dark hardcore music - www.apocalypse-recordings.com AUS - Bloody Fist - Nasenbluten, Syndicate, Hedonist - www.bloodyfist.com.au USA - Drop Bass Network - Records & Events - www.dropbass.net
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 Musical equipment used to make Gabber! | ||||
 Gabber Logo for Deadly Productions |
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