Bonkers #17: Rebooted (2007)

Today is the first day of a long bank holiday weekend ahead. We are to celebrate the Queen's amazing job of being so many years on the throne, so in honour of her Majesty, let's take a trip back in time, not 70 years, but 15 years ago. Do we all remember where we were when Bonkers 17: Rebooted got released? Did you purchase this album when it was new? Were you one of those Bonkers fanatics who literally purchased each and every one of them? And what's your opinion of this CD series' death in 2009?

This mixed CD series was legendary, and many mixes are to be found online, commemorating them, and basically people screaming for a revival of the series. A bit like the Hardcore Heaven series. The people at HU took ownership of it, and brought it back to life. Wouldn't that be a possibility for the Bonkers series? Would that work? Or would it be a disappointment? What would you think?

When I was still living in the Netherlands, I purchased many of these CDs. Some came all the way from Australia, and some directly from the UK. I've spent a good amount of Euros on this series, and still to this day I hold it close to my heart: this series made me fall in love with UK Hardcore even more. Yes, it's not the first CD I've ever purchased that had UK Hardcore on it, but it's certainly an important one. But sadly it never grabbed anyone's attention in the Netherlands. They weren't ready for UK Hardcore (and still aren't).

The series had some big names mixing the CDs, and let me name all of them: Hixxy, Sharkey, Dougal, Sy, Vibes, Scott Brown, Breeze, Styles, Re-Con, Marc Smith, Neophyte, Gammer, CLSM, Kutski, Brisk, Ham, Kevin Energy, Chris Unknown... that's a big list of names. They all made an appearance, some on multiple occasions, some on nearly every disc (Hixxy and Sharkey, the originators of this series). For me this series is important to the UK Hardcore fanatics, and shows the growth of the scene. It started back in 1996, and continued up until 2009.

I was never a huge fan of the early UK Hardcore/Happy Hardcore sound, but roughly around the seventh CD I got hooked. There have been some amazing CDs after number 7, and the one I'm about to review, has to be one of my favourite, or even my all-time favourite. Bonkers 12. 13, 16, and Best Of Bonkers. Those are all the finest of the finest, but 17 was the right CD at the right time for me. To me it's the best disc, highlighting the scene being at its all time peak. The music screamed quality, and it had found its core audience. And it surely lost it when the 18th CD was released (that was a bit of a bummer). 2007 was a really good year, with a lot of wicked songs.

You might have a different vision on this, and that's fine. But remember, I'm an outsider. I only joined the Hardcore scene when it was already reaching for the stars, when it was bigger than it ever was. And this was around 2002-2003.

For the '07 edition they had Brisk & Ham, Sharkey & Kevin Energy, and Scott Brown & Marc Smith. At the time three amazing duos. If they did a fourth CD, it should have been Dougal & Gammer. Hell, they could have done a fifth CD too, and give it to Sy & Unknown. Those were the creme de la creme. Oh I miss them a lot.

Why does time move forward? I fucking hate it. Wish we could go back to '07 and enjoy the music again. Oh wait, we can!!! It's called YouTube! Or blowing off the dust of your collection, and relive the moment again. Close your eyes and pretend to be dancing the night away, and hearing these tunes blasting through the speakers at your favourite event/club.

This edition was made up of three discs, and each disc had the best of the best tunes on it. And I'm not fucking joking. Have a look at this tracklist:

DISC 1 : Brisk & Ham

Brisk & Vagabond vs Uraken - Tokyo Rush
Brisk & Vagabond vs MC Wotsee - The Last Word
Ham & DMO - Every Single Day
Uplift, Sc@r & Vicky Fee - One
DJ Stormtrooper feat MC Knight - Hardcore Raver
Druid & Stormtrooper feat Kirsty - Electrified
Brisk & Vagabond feat Lisa Marie - Free
Ham & DMO - In Your Eyes
Fracus - Snowstorm
Ham & DMO - This Emotion
Sharkey - My Everything (Ham Remix)
Euphoria feat MC Wotsee & Tess - Final Goodbye
Drew Derivative - Rock Da Groove
DJ Fracus feat Ali - Your Guiding Light
Scott Brown - Roll The Track (Gammer Remix)
Eclipse - Hearts Desire (Brisk & Vagabond Remix)
Brisk & Vagabond - Lift Me Up
Joey Riot vs Davey Forbes - Rock The Dancefloor
Ham feat MC Casper - Detonate The Sound
DJ Kurt - World Domination
Brisk & Ham - Step 2 Da Flaw (Bonkers VIP Mix)
Brisk & Vagabond - Night & Days (Joey Riot 2007 Remix)
Brisk & Vagabond - Mental Mission
Nerve Centre - Get Busier
Darwin & Obie feat Mr E - Hits You Like Thunder
Thian Brodie - Beat Master
The Wishmaster - Pump Up The Pressure
Bodylotion - Neighbourhood Crime (Tha Playah Remix) i

DISC 2: Sharkey & Kevin Energy

Sharkey - Today's The Day
K90 - Red Snapper (K Complex vs ADT Remix)
Darwin - Peak 1.1
Sharkey - My Everything
Kevin Energy - Tribal Resistance (Rave Mix)
Firefly - Dimensions
Alek Szahala - Alanamra (Arkitech Remix)
Lost Soul - Taking Over Me
Infinite Dimensions feat Ephexis - Krater
Darwin & Entity - The End Of Time
Vibes vs Splash - Techno Wonderland 2007
Mister Stewart & Barry Diston - 7 Colours
Sharkey feat Lisa Abbott - Bonkers Anthem
Arkitech & Double Decka - I May Be Dreaming
MDA and Spherical vs DJ GRH - Illusion (Splash Remix)
Darwin - Coral Beach
Nick Xero, Arkitech & Douglas - Hardcore Junkie
Robbie Long & Stormtrooper - Acid Man
Freeza - Virtual Darkness
S3RL - Weekend
Ham - Bass Kiks
Arkitech - De Humanise 2007
Robbie Long & AMS feat Ethos - Wakey Wakey (Orbit1 Remix)
Darwin & Obie - Futureshock
Sharkey & Arkitech - Quadraphinix

DISC 3: Scott Brown & Marc Smith

Scott Brown - Enlightened (DJ Weaver Remix)
Fracus - I Can't Stand It
Sean Apollo & DMO - I Can Feel You Now
Fonzarelli - Moonlight Party (DJ Kurt Remix)
Scott Brown & Kelly C - Hold You In My Arms
Robbie Long & Stormtrooper - Nasty Time
Scott Brown - Do It Like We Do (Al Storm Mix)
Al Storm, Mike Euphony & Donna Marie - Runawau (Exclusive Bonkers Mix)
Darwin vs Rampant feat Ant Johnson - No More
Darwin - Floor Damage
DJ Weaver & DMO - Paradise
Scott Brown & DMO - Fall Into Your Arms
Joey Riot - Party Alarm
Firsky & Hujib - Get Away (Gammer Remix)
Weaver & Andy L feat Fran - Cannonball (Scott Brown Mix)
Scott Brown - Livewired
DJ Marc Smith & Gammer - You Can Dance
DJ Marc Smith - Let It Hit Em
Brisk & Vagabond - Environmental Product
Men Of Steel - The Future Is Ours (Panic & Tha Playah Remix)
Hard Creation - I Will Have That Power (The Stunned Guys Remix)

This is my porn. This is my guilty pleasure. Whenever I feel down, I put these three CDs on, and I instantaneously become happy. Certain CDs do have that kind of power. You know when you put them on, you are in a different world all together. Nothing is real anymore, and the world around you just disappears into thin air. And this, Bonkers 17, gets me back in time. Back to the glorious late 2000s UK Hardcore years. The best year (for me) for UK Hardcore was certainly 2007, right?

Just imagine being alive in 2007. Some kids are even too young to have been alive then. But imagine. Buying this CD, with 6 of the finest DJs on it. You couldn't wish for anything more. This was the ultimate purchase, the best of the best. And all 6 DJs gave it their all. Not just mixing this together, but also making a few of these songs.

All three discs contain the finest UK Hardcore/Freeform anthems available, and all did a remarkable job. I cannot pick one favourite disc, as they were all lit. But I'll be able to find a favourite song on each disc. Here it goes;

- Disc One: the first song, 'Tokyo Rush'. Such a wicked song to start the disc with!

- Disc Two: Lost Soul 'Taking Over Me'. Dark and edgy, just the way I like my Freeform

- Disc Three: 'Moonlight Party' remixed by Kurt. Fuck me, what a masterful remix!

These are just the best of the best. If aliens would land on this Earth, and they wanted to know what UK Hardcore was/is, I would hand them this CD. I wouldn't hesitate. UK Hardcore was at its all time peak, and I remember being extremely delighted, hearing new music. I purchased a lot of CDs and had them shipped to NL, and whenever a new CD came out and I heard it for the first time, it blew me away, and made me happier. Yeah, for sure, 2007 was the best year.

Do you agree of disagree? Which Bonkers CD was your favourite, and why? Leave a comment below! And do you think it needs to be brought back to life, or leave it the way it is?