Real Hardcore 1-5 (1996-1997)

If you were born in the Netherlands during the 70s or 80s, and you were a full on Hardcore fanatic during the 90s, you must have seen this compilation I'm talking about. You must have seen them in the Arcade stand, among other rather unusual compilations. The first instalment being released in 1996, and the fifth was released in 1997, and thankfully it died straight after it being released. I've got to admit, I did have these in my collection, but that's only because I bought everything released by Arcade, which was Hardcore related. But what an embarrasment it was.

I had to Discogs it, and found out that they were produced by ID&T, but seeing as they were focussed on the mainstream public, they left the ID&T branding off, due to the stereotipocal use of the 'gabbers' on the cover. Fair point, ID&T. It isn't something to be proud of. Again something that made fun of the gabber community. If there were opportunities to fight against it, they were not been used. This compilation was named 'Real Hardcore', but did it do the name any justice? Was it real Hardcore, or just another way of getting gabbers to spend guilders (old Dutch coins)?

I had fond memories of the anthems on here, but not the message that was shared with it. It made the gabber community stand out, like freaks. XTC thrilled idiots. The music though, from time to time, was actually good. On these 5 CDs the music ranged from Hardcore, Gabber, Happy Hardcore, and a bit of Techno too.

Please remember that during 96/97 the gabber community was highly divided: you were a gabber or you weren't. You listened to Hardcore, but not Happy Hardcore. That was for hobos. Only true ravers appreciated the harder stuff, softies listened to this happy stuff. And to call a compilation 'Real Hardcore' and it having several Happy Hardcore anthems on it, was kind of a disgrace.

Don't get me started on those compilations which made the scene look like fools. Those cartoonish images on the front, and with titles such as 'gabbers in Mallorca','raving on the camping', 'raving with clogs on', etc, they were even worst. So this isn't the worst compilation ever? Wow. That might have been a shocker.

Let me show you the tracklist of each instalment.

Real Hardcore

01. Critical Mass - Believe In The Future (DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim Future Mix)

02. Lenny Dee vs DJ Paul - I Like Hardcore

03. Surrogate Daddy - Fable (A.I.R. Miles Remix)

04. Nina Feranzano & DJ Buzz Fuzz - Keep It Up (Original Mix)

05. Rob Gee - Ecstasy, You Got What I Need

06. Marshall Masters - Stereo Murder

07. Mindtrust - Ravers Groove (Cixx's Hardcore Remix)

08. Not-A-DJ feat Nathalie - Out Of Control (The Stunned Guys Remix)

09. Technohead - Happy Birthday (Scott Brown's Twisted Vinyl Mix)

10. DJ Delirium & DJ Weirdo - Open Your Eyez!

11. The Prophet - Nonono

12. DJ E-Rick & Tactic - Hysterical Drumbeats (Original Mix)

13. 4 Tune Fairytales - My Little Fantasy (Scarface's Remix)

14. Naughty Boys - Innocent Amusement (The End Mix)

15. Scott Brown - Synthetic

16. DJ Waxweazle - Legs ('96 Hardcore Remix)

17. DJ Isaac - We Like Marihuana (DJ Paul Remix)

Real Hardcore 2

01. DJ Isaac - I Wanna Be A Gabber Baby (Hardcore Mix)

02. 4 Tune Fairytales - My Little Fantasy (Bass-D & King Matthew Mix)

03. DJ Paul - Rave On (The Forze Mix)

04. Bodylotion - Always Hardcore (Radio Mix)

05. The Prophet - I Can't Stand It

06. Technohead - Banana-na-na (Phun Phactory Mix)

07. Rob Gee - Ecstasy, You Got What I Need

08. DJ Delirium - Your Local DJ

09. Pulp Shock - Far Away (DJ Sim's Hardcore Mix)

10. Party Animals - Misadventures Of The Spiegel Man (Part 2)

11. Rotterdam Terror Corps - Hardcore Slam

12. DJ Buzz Fuzz - Dreamgirl

13. Dutch Verg - Bestial

14. James Daltan - The Candle

15. English Muffin - Dum Dum

16. DJ Waxweazle & DJ Berry - We Are Animals

17. DJ Gizmo - Dopeman (Buzzy's Aaaaaarrrrggghhh!!! Remix)

Real Hardcore 3

01. Hakkuhnar - Gabbertje (Hakkuh Mix)

02. Flamman & Abraxas feat MC Remsy - Good To Go (Klote Mix)

03. Gabber Piet - Tandje Hoger

04. DJ Dave & The Chicago Hardcore - Punish Tha Sound

05. The Prophet - The Future Is Ours

06. Masters Of Ceremony - Hardcore To Da Bone

07. Das Xon - Psychopath

08. Rotterdam Terror Corps - To Da Vague

09. Critical Mass - Happy Generation (DJ Weirdo & Mtness Remix)

10. Blue Zone - Too Beautiful (Cixx's Happy Hardcore Version)

11. 4 Tune Fairytales - Take Me To Wonderland (DJ Jordens Point .44 Mix)

12. Megaman - Mega Man (DJ Weirdo & Guitar Rob Hardcore Remix)

13. 50% Of The Dreamteam feat Rob Gee & Narcotic - Born To Fuck Your Wife

14. Tiny Tot - La Bambolina (Bass-D & King Matthew Remix)

15. DJ Weirdo & Dr. Phil Omanski - One Tribes Jam (Org. Ragga Edit)

16. The Dark Raver & DJ Vince - Intelligent Hardcore

17. DJ Buzz Fuzz - Sweat (I Wanna C Ya)

18. DJ Paul Elstak - Unity (Bodylotion Mix)

19. Hakkuhbar - Vet Wel

20. MC Rage - Fuck Macarena

Real Hardcore 4

01. Hakkuhbar - Supergabber (Hakkuh Mix)

02. DJ Paul & DJ Rob & MC Hughie Babe - Lords Of The Hardschool (DJ Paul's Forze Mix)

03. Juggernaut - Ruffneck Rules Da Artcore Scene

04. Gabberwijffie - Klappus In Je Handjes

05. Frezerator - I.O.U.

06. Echte Gabbers - Kotze & Brake (Mix 1)

07. Euromasters - Alles Naar De Klote (Nog Iets Anders)

08. Dark Raver & DJ Vince - Thunderground

09. Rotterdam Terror Corps - We Would Die For Hardcore

10. De Mosselman - Mossels (Radio Edit)

11. Prezioso - Raise Your Power (Stunned Guys Vrs)

12. The Prophet - What Iz Life?

13. 50% Of The Dreamteam - Let's Get Back To The Oldschool

14. DJ Weirdo & Mt. Ness - Metrodome (Short Edit)

15. James Daltan meets DJ X-ess - The Damned

16. DJ Delirium & Guitar Rob - The Way That We Rocked It (Live In NYC)

17. DJ Waxweazle - 5x Bang!!!!!

18. Lords Of The Underworld - Fuckin' Them Beats

19. Rob's Project - A Moment In Time

20. System 3 - Shut Up

Real Hardcore 5

01. Hakkuhbar - Gabbersaurus (Radio Mix)

02. Mosselman - Opzij (Hardcoremix)

03. Highlander - Hold Me Now '97 (Rob Gee & Temper Tantrum Mix)

04. 3 Steps Ahead - Hakkuh (Loud Video Mix)

05. No Gravity - All The People (B.S.E. Remix)

06. Square Dimension - Baddestt Muthafucker (Buzzy's Anthem Mix)

07. Gabber Piet - Love U Hardcore (Miss Groove Remix)

08. Daytona - Love Is In Need (Slammin' Mix)

09. Swat - The Fly Is Dead (Public Domain Mix)

10. DJ Sim - Going Nord

11. Masters Of Ceremony - Hardcore To Da Bone (Masters Of Ceremony Dope Mix)

12. Unknown Project - Can't Get Enough Of Hardcore

13. Stunned Guys - Party Rico!

14. DJ Attic & Stylzz - God's Rock 'N Roll

15. G-Town Madness - Fucked In This Ho' Shit

16. Wayward - Hardcore Hijacked Me

17. Neophyte vs Stunned Guys - Get This Motherfucker

18. Clock - Fly Away (DJ Dione Hardcore Mix)

19. Tschabos - Chikkas

20. DJ Rob & MC Joe - The Crowd Is Moving

Now you might be thinking 'Martin, what the hell are you on about? This is the best compilation ever'. And if you are thinking that, you seriously need to check your self. Hospital visit is required, trust me. This is NOT the best compilation ever, nor will it ever be a contender of a top 3 spot. This is one of the worst, yet it also contains wicked anthems. So am I contradicting myself? A tad. But who cares? Who reads my opinions anyway?

The compilation has been made a shambles due to its stupidity. Embracing the cheap Happy Hardcore side of life. Don't get me wrong, I do love Happy Hardcore, but Hakkuhbar, Gabber Piet, MC Rage, Mosselman, and more of these fucking clowns, they make me sick. Even back then I never owner or purchased one of their records. It sad enough to see my own dad dancing to a Hakkuhbar record. That was just enough to make me eternally sick. Why did ID&T and Arcade give them a stage? These absolute lunatics. Idiots. Money grabbing bastards. It's our scene, not theirs.

OK, as I said before, there are some good classics, and here's a breakdown of 5 of the best records (one of each CD):

* DJ E-Rick & Tactic - Hysterical Drumbeats (Original Mix)

* 4 Tune Fairytales - My Little Fantasy (Bass-D & King Matthew Mix)

* Blue Zone - Too Beautiful (Cixx's Happy Hardcore Version)

* DJ Delirium & Guitar Rob - The Way That We Rocked It (Live In NYC)

* Swat - The Fly Is Dead (Public Domain Mix)

This is my selection. See, a bit of everything, Happy and Hardcore, all mingled together. But still, does that make this compilation worth purchasing?

Yes. This was at the height of Hardcore in the Netherlands during the 90s. This was sadly part of our culture. Even though we truly hated it, we still bought these albums. The fifth instalment became a memorable one: I looked at the images of the people on the bus, and only a few months later, I would actually take the bus to my first rave: Mysteryland 1998 Outdoor. I was a raver on a bus.

Still not worth it being the best compilation ever. If you are thinking of a definitive compilation, there are many others. But if you just want to reminisce, to the good and the ugly side of Hardcore, you should definately check it out. At least 90% of the artists were and stil are respected.

Artst: Various Artists

Genre/Style: Hardcore, Happy Hardcore, Gabber, Techno

CD Info: Real Hardcore - Full Compilation

Length CDs: +/+ 5 hours

Tracks: 94 (ninety-four)

Label: Arcade International

Product Number: various

More Information: --------