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Ken Masters
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
3,447 posts
Joined: Feb, 2007
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 Posted - 2008/09/21 : 18:30:00
I knew that scottish hardcore had a great impact on what we call Hardcore today but I had no idea just how much of an influence it was! It was basically Scott Brown taking the harder edge of Dutch hardcore & creating a more uplifting bouncey style from it! This inturn created the
hardcore that we love today & if it wasn't for him. Where would we be??? Even this nu hardcore sound that we listen to today, which kicked off again in the early 2000's was all created by the master himself, Scott Brown.
I'm sure a lot of u will disagree with this so I done my homework on Wikipedia & here it is for all u non believers! Trust me, give this a read through & learn just how our Hardcore sound came around.
This is probably the most important quote but all the rest is there for those who want to know;-)
"In southern England, where previously the bouncy techno music was normally only found in second alternative rooms, the breakbeat happy hardcore DJs started to integrate bouncy techno music into their mix sets at raves by the mid-1990s. The music soon appeared alongside happy hardcore on compilations. By then, happy hardcore artists started to use bouncy techno mannerisms in their productions. Happy hardcore's inherent breakbeats were lessened (or dropped) in favour of bass drums and off-beat techno stabs, effectively becoming a hybrid of the two styles in varying ways.[10] Several new English-based labels including Bounce!, Digital International Techno, and Techno Tunes pushed bouncy techno music outright, though the majority of productions found elsewhere tended to be a mixed fusion style on already established labels. Due to its new found similarity, the happy hardcore music made in-roads into the Scottish scene."
WIKIPEDIA
Origins
With a variety of music coming into raves during the early-1990s, the north of the United Kingdom would prefer European techno to be played. This was in contrast to the main rave scene found in the south of the United Kingdom where their own emerging breakbeat hardcore style was being produced in great quantities. This division would cause the scene in the north to differ musically from the south, thus evolve differently. Scott Brown, one of the most prolific names in the hardcore dance music scene, concurred that "there was a definite musical divide between the north and the south [of the United Kingdom], the north preferring it a lot harder..."[3]
Apart from any southern based DJs playing in the north, the south based breakbeat hardcore style received little or no coverage on the radio or magazines dedicated to the Scottish rave scene. The few Scottish based breakbeat DJs found it very difficult to promote this music, even with Scottish ravers going to such extremes to shun them by way of petitions. DJ Kid, the original Scottish breakbeat stalwart said that "when trying to introduce the all new breakbeat sound to Scotland - nobody liked any of the records I played.[4] I constantly pushed the breakbeat sound whilst the other DJs played underground techno".[5] DJ Kid once stormed offstage at a Scottish rave when objects were thrown at him by disgruntled ravers during his breakbeat set.
Much like other rave scenes, the emerging Scottish scene created its own network of DJs and artists, eventually carving out a sound akin to the particular tastes of its own listening audience, most noticeably Scott Brown. Cumbernauld based Brown had formed various acts including Bass X, with their Hardcore Disco (Shoop!, SHOOP 2, 1993) release considered to be amongst the first - if more quintessential sounding - bouncy techno releases from early-1993. The track was hugely successful across the north of the United Kingdom and soon heralded many similar sounding tracks from Brown, with other local artists soon following his formula. The music on pioneering labels such as Shoop! was exported into mainland Europe and beyond.[6]
Growth
Amongst other emerging releases from Brown was Bass Reaction - Technophobia (Shoop!, SHOOP 8, 1993) release. The track proved popular in the Netherlands scene, something that Brown said, "helped shape the Dutch and Scottish scenes for years."[7] With the music being much played at Dutch events, various Dutch producers such as Paul Elstak picked up on the hardcore sound made popular by Scott Brown. New Dutch labels such as Babyboom Records, Dwarf Records, Pengo Records and others, released their own similar sounding material. Dutch artists were in-demand at Scottish raves - and vice-versa. The two scenes running in tandem with each other.
As the Scottish scene grew, the Rezerection promotion - synonymous with the rave scene - threw its weight behind this north and south musical diversity, declaring "New Year's Eve 1993 proved to be a watershed event for Rezerection, as 1994 saw the demise of the traditional London style breakbeat sound favored by regular Rez DJs like Grooverider, SS and Seduction... as hard trance, bouncy techno and gabba dominated the Scottish scene."[9] The hardcore music scene peaked in 1995, with Rezerection drawing 17,000 people in Edinburgh for their 20-hour Event 3: Equinox rave extravaganza on September 2, for what was primarily a bouncy techno dominated event.
In southern England, where previously the bouncy techno music was normally only found in second alternative rooms, the breakbeat happy hardcore DJs started to integrate bouncy techno music into their mix sets at raves by the mid-1990s. The music soon appeared alongside happy hardcore on compilations. By then, happy hardcore artists started to use bouncy techno mannerisms in their productions. Happy hardcore's inherent breakbeats were lessened (or dropped) in favour of bass drums and off-beat techno stabs, effectively becoming a hybrid of the two styles in varying ways.[10] Several new English-based labels including Bounce!, Digital International Techno, and Techno Tunes pushed bouncy techno music outright, though the majority of productions found elsewhere tended to be a mixed fusion style on already established labels. Due to its new found similarity, the happy hardcore music made in-roads into the Scottish scene.
On another tangent during the early-1990s, Ultra-Sonic, one of the various Scottish live music rave acts, had topped the Scottish record charts with Annihilating Rhythm (Clubscene Records, CSRT015, 1993). Their Live In UV City (Clubscene, V-CSR001, 1993) VHS release even outsold the much hyped The Jungle Book in its debut week in Scotland. Annihilating Rhythm was re-licensed in 1994 around Europe, selling 56,000 units in Germany. Ultra-Sonic soon played around the world in countries such as Australia, Japan, Hungary, Poland, and also at the prestigious Mayday in Germany of 1994.[11] The combination of the group's energetic live stage performance, distinct music, along with high volume sales for something with no prior publicity, was picked up on by German music moguls as something they could capitalise on.
A local band specifically for a German audience was sought. Annihilating Rhythm was soon re-incarnated by the newly formed German act Scooter with their much marketed Hyper Hyper (Club Tools, 006073-0 CLU, 1994) release. The imitation was a European chart hit - selling 700,000 units in Germany - and brought about similar Ultra-Sonic-influenced tracks by Scooter. This in-turn kick-started the German scene, derived from the Scottish sound intertwined with the pre-existing commercial German Eurodance. Ultra-Sonic said, "Annihilating Rhythm was a ground-breaking track which changed the face of dance music. You just need to look at tosspots like Scooter who had top 40 hits out of copying our style. I can name countless groups who copied our style..."[12]
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Edited by - Ken Masters on 2008/09/21 18:33:18 |
skorpion
Junior Member
Slovak Republic
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Joined: Aug, 2008
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Posted - 2008/09/21 : 18:43:13
jj scotish scene is great! scott brown is classe.
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Edited by - skorpion on 2008/09/21 18:54:39 |
ferocious
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United Kingdom
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Posted - 2008/09/21 : 20:17:55
It's pretty much all down to Scott Brown on this side of things. All his peers agree. (Ultra-Sonic I guess should also have some credit, who performed many times in the like of Germany, Australia and Japan from the start, and were a direct inspiration for the commercial backed Scooter.)
Some of it's briefly mentioned on Brown's new DVD. Even ignoring all of that, the Alysium track pathed the way for today's UK hardcore. It's still the Scott Brown style with uplifting trance parts instead.
Only need to see the volume of events, artists and crowds back then in Scotland. They still draw 7,000 crowds today for Fantazia, probably now the biggest regular UK rave/dance event, and it's nowhere near the size or interest.
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Smoogie
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 Posted - 2008/09/21 : 21:02:20
Although Happy Hardcore mostly has it's origins in the English Breakbeat Hardcore of the early 90s rave era the Scottish also played a large role in the development of Hardcore breaking it away from the breaks & into a more stomping sound that was the original Bonkers! The original Happy Hardcore was all the 'hands in air' rave tunes with the fast pianos, chipmonk vocals & the 'Love buzz' feel where as Jungle was 'The Underground'
The Dutch themselves soon started making Bouncier types (known as Funcore on the Babyboom label!)
It is amazing how many groundbreaking tracks Scott Breown made between 1994-1997 being the classic Bouncy Techno such as The Scotchamn- happy Vibes (off Babyboom), harder stuff of Twisted Vinyl often under the name Genaside & more happier tracks & I belive the odd breakbeat track!
He bridged the gap between the English & Scottish rave scenes & his tracks where starting to be played in everyones sets & soon English artists where going over the border!
My next mix (should be up next Saturday) will have alot of Scott Brown tracks, in cluding some classics! 
It is a shame that the Scottish scene 'died' in 1997  (or so they said on wikipedia)
These days it is just 'UK Hardcore' & it is the same wherever you go...
I like Scottish Hardcore & im from the Southcoast which shows how far it is popular!
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Smoogie
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Posted - 2008/09/21 : 21:52:06
quote:
Originally posted by djkenmasters:
various Dutch producers such as Paul Elstak picked up on the hardcore sound made popular by Scott Brown. New Dutch labels such as Babyboom Records,
Happy Hardcore.com turned the [ 8 ] into an 
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95_was_the_time
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United Kingdom
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Posted - 2008/09/21 : 23:36:03
well, i like the Scottish stuff from 95
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hardcore anorak
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United Kingdom
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 02:12:14
used love scottish hardcore bouncy techno back in the mid 90s the rez and colosium in newcastle[its not scotland but played same sort of stuff] scott brown,dj obsession,bass generator,tom wilson [rip] to many more to mention . I agree with the title of the thread where would we be without scottish hardcore/bouncy techno who nos
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Smoogie
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 08:45:52
Bass X by Bass X is the
best exmple of Scottish
Bouncy Techno which be
in my future Bouncy
Techno mix (up
November)
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ferocious
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United Kingdom
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 10:24:11
It depends what is called "happy hardcore" though Smoogie as it can get unfortunately confusing. Chances are if people in Australia, USA, and anywhere outside the UK, were taking about "happy hardcore" from the very start, then they were on about the Scottish stuff which was popular the world over, like Scott Brown, Ultra-Sonic and Ultimate Buzz. (On the Livewire DVD, Elstak says it's thanks to Brown's happy hardcore he made it, whilst Brown says he's the bouncy techno pioneer.)
For example, the huge Rez promotion had an Australian rave on Jan 1996, headlined only by Scottish acts like Scott Brown and Bass X, not English breakbeat acts, and it lists them as happy hardcore acts on the flyer. In contrast, the same acts on the Rez Scottish flyers are listed as bouncy techno acts.
The word happy hardcore - the name of this site - could very well have came from Scotland to start with but was very seldom used. It's just that Brown and the rest prefer to call it bouncy here, which is the original first name used before happy hardcore. Over here it was bouncy (or hardcore). Happy abroad. It's all because "hardcore" could mean either breakbeat or gabber depending where you were. I very much doubt people outside UK ever called breakbeat as hardcore.
Without this music, whatever you call it, we know what it sounds like, then the stuff from then and of today would very likely not exist. It's largely thanks to Scott Brown. I guess "95_was_the_time" is more for the traditional English breakbeat going by there name, as by 96 it all started to change for them very quickly (for the worst IMO).
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Edited by - ferocious on 2008/09/22 10:25:16 |
protonic
Senior Member
Hungary
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Joined: Sep, 2005
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 13:14:59
Probably without scottish hardcore nowdays we could only listen Dutch gabba or turn towards trance or other electronic music. Without scott Brown happy hardcore would dissapper...
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Ken Masters
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Joined: Feb, 2007
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 15:50:26
Cheers for all the comments people, great feedback & great points! I agree, I think hardcore would be very different now if it wasn't for the "Scottish Invasion" It gave hardcore a more uplifting & musical feel compared to what was coming out before it. It gave Hardcore the kick up the arse that it needed as it wasn't really hardcore until it turned really bouncey.
I'm a great fan of original English Breakbeat aswell so don't get me wrong! I love all the old sounds of the scene but Bouncey hardcore is an addiction! It's something that makes u fell great when it goes on & I honestly couldn't turn my back on it! It's a type of music that some people just can't get enough of. Some people struggle to fully get into it but if you are then your struggle to move onto other things, forgeting hardcore completely.
Ferocious, I didn't realise u were a Scot! Where u from mate? I'm from Glasgow. We really are few & far between on here lol
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Smoogie
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 19:34:23
quote:
Originally posted by djkenmasters:
I'm a great fan of original English Breakbeat aswell so don't get me wrong! I love all the old sounds of the scene but Bouncey hardcore is an addiction! It's something that makes u fell great when it goes on & I honestly couldn't turn my back on it! It's a type of music that some people just can't get enough of. Some people struggle to fully get into it but if you are then your struggle to move onto other things, forgeting hardcore completely.
Same hear really, I love a bit of early 90s & still love Billy 'Daniel' Bunter's mix on Helter Skelter: United in Hardcore which was very Old Skool as well as a bit of early Gabber! I got hold of a DJ Paul mix which even had 2 Unlimited- No Limits thrown in (a differnt version though)
quote:
Originally posted by ferocious It depends what is called "happy hardcore" though Smoogie as it can get unfortunately confusing. Chances are if people in Australia, USA, and anywhere outside the UK, were taking about "happy hardcore" from the very start, then they were on about the Scottish stuff which was popular the world over, like Scott Brown, Ultra-Sonic and Ultimate Buzz. (On the Livewire DVD, Elstak says it's thanks to Brown's happy hardcore he made it, whilst Brown says he's the bouncy techno pioneer.)
I usualy refer to Happy Hardcore as the 'Bonkers' style which was fast, fun & with the vocals although alot of Scottish tracks could be both!
Don't forget DJ Eruption who was from Scotland but used to make English sounding Happy Hardcore! Dougal & Eruption- Partytime was one of the first big tracks of it's type that was not breakbeat & although ws really in the English style! As far as I know, Eruption had never made Scottish sounding Bouncy Techno (although his tracks where similar as most where at the time) & only did stuff with the English artists IE Dougal, Slipmatt & Seduction. I havn't heard any of his early sets so I don't know if he played both styles!
Same as in Newcastle we had Bass Generator doing Scottish sounding stuff & the Rezerection started there although for the first 3 years it was said to be more breakbeat where (as it says on wikipedia) DJs like Seduction & Grooverider played. A few of Scott Brown's early tracks where realesed off Bass Genertor records! When the Scottish scene 'died' the label also stopped (although there has often been some talk of a comeback )
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Samination
Advanced Member
Sweden
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Joined: Jul, 2004
195 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2008/09/22 : 19:47:54
Edited for epic win :P
anyways, Wikipedia isn't based on concrete facts, since it's user-change based. some or most could be true, some could have been edited to make someone/something look better/badder, so it's not much better than your local newspaper :P
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Happy, UK Hardcore, Freeform, Makina and Gabber
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Edited by - Samination on 2008/09/22 19:51:40 |
ferocious
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United Kingdom
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Posted - 2008/09/23 : 15:47:11
I'm from NE England djkenmasters. Had been to various Scottish raves back in the day many moons ago.
Regarding the "Bonkers" style, when Toytown was first released the Eternity Magazine review by DJ Brisk said it was bouncy techno as opposed to happy hardcore (breakbeat), taking into account it was something quite new for them. And Brisk was extremely clued up. You'd need cotton buds if you couldn't hear their change. Besides, the English guys said they picked up the Scots/Dutch sound in these magazines, though came up with their own merrier thing.
What I mean is, though difficult to put across, from the start what was generally used here was the opposite outside the UK. ie bouncy here was happy there, and happy here was breakbeat there. As a result, when guys abroad try and research "happy" (thus bouncy) then they'd likely be directed to the English breakbeat thing rather than Scott Brown and the Scots/Dutch thing, if you see what I mean.
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Edited by - ferocious on 2008/09/23 15:48:55 |
Chris B
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Posted - 2008/09/23 : 15:53:30
Gotta love the old bouncy techno classics but have to say imo the dutch in general done it better, jus better produced and more bangin in general.
But yeah sometimes all that hits the spot is a proper bouncy techno mix
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djbuzz1021
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United Kingdom
715 posts
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Posted - 2008/09/23 : 16:24:53
:) nice post ken :)
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