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| Rick Rubin in 2009 |
Not sure how legit this rumor is - it originates from the uppermost echelon of the HC world, so it might actually be quite true. It's a shame this did not work out, because it would have been interesting to see a huge Gabber scene on American soil growing under the reign of rick; and if Gabber went big in the US, it would surely have conquered the world from there.
Would make an interesting plot for an alternate history novel.
But even though that, "in our timeline", it did not happen, there is reason to believe that Rick Rubin had an important and lasting influence on Hardcore Techno nonetheless.
So let's begin. I don't think I need to introduce Mr. Rubin, but in case you lived under a rock (maybe the 3rd rock from the sun), you can read up about him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin
But, what is his connection to Hardcore Techno?
First, the best known track with Hardcore origins worldwide is probably "I like it loud". Originally by Marc Acardipane, it went into platinum-like spheres after being "re-released" together with Scooter. This track can be heard during football matches (both american and "real" football), TV adverts, on the radio, at restaurants, cafés, and street parades and festival, I even heard it being chanted at rock concerts.
Some would argue the scooter "version" is not so hardcore anymore - that's why I said "a track with hardcore *origins*". Also, the original hardcore version is quite popular, too, and when the famous melody is being chanted by people, does it make a difference?
the history of the track is quite interesting. the line "my radio, believe me, i like it loud" (misunderstood by scooter as "maria, believe me...") is taken from a rap song by LL Cool J; that song was produced for the movie "krush groove", which is a half-biographic, half-fictionalized account of the def jam label, of rick rubin and russel simmons (who both ran the label in the beginning), and the artists connected to the label and the scene. quite a few artists play themselves in the movie, like run dmc or sheila e.; and rick rubin is actually portrayed by - himself - too!
the story runs that ll cool j was never meant to be in the movie, but that he kept gate-crashing the shooting of the film, talking to the crew and insisting that his music was to be included, until they said "well, damn it, let's give him a chance".
ironically, in the movie he is shown busting an audition too, and then being given a record deal by rubin and his crew.
did marc first hear that song by watching this movie? could well be the case, as it was an infamous movie in its time - at least to listeners of rap music.
either way, it's a rick rubin production and the sample landed inside this gabber hit.
But it's of course not just about this track - when one takes a closer look it turns out that many, many hardcore and gabber tracks use samples that originate from the hands of rick rubin and his label (we'll get back to that later).
keep in mind that, unlike in many other genres, samples provide the backbone for many hardcore productions. it's a 90% "voiceless" genre without singers and vocalists, so the "voice" of a specific track often comes from a vocal sample. these samples set the mood, topic, theme of the track then, and in many cases they end up defining the very track.
And i don't think it's an accident or coincidence that so many samples originate from rick rubin productions.
if we look at his life as a producer, we see that he had his roots in hardcore punk / rock, then switched to hardcore rap by the mid 80s, only to later "switch" back to extreme forms of guitar music, like thrash metal etc again; and going in *any* direction from then on.
these drastic "jumps" from opposite genres to each other confused many people in the 80s; and when rick was asked about it, his reply went along the lines of: he doesn't care if it's rap or rock, as long as it's hardcore.
wouldn't it make sense then if he does not care whether it's hardcore rock, hardcore rap, or *hardcore techno*?
but leaving that aside. rick is known as a producer who does not just push knobs (actually, he claims he never pushed knobs at all), but also gets directly involved in the songwriting and other aspects of production, changing lines of lyrics occasionally, and generally infusing the songs and tracks of his artists with the thoughts of his own mind, too.
And I make the hot claim that a certain "hardcore attitude" can be found in his productions, and thus it would only be reasonable that so many hardcore techno producers fell in love with his releases, decided to sample them, and that this 'hardcore legacy' lives on in numerous tracks and helped to shape and define the scene! (and, in my opinion, many songs that have rick rubin as a producer still sound more "hardcore" then quite a few actual 'hardcore techno' tracks of today).
take it like you want - but i believe it to be the truth.
the history of the track is quite interesting. the line "my radio, believe me, i like it loud" (misunderstood by scooter as "maria, believe me...") is taken from a rap song by LL Cool J; that song was produced for the movie "krush groove", which is a half-biographic, half-fictionalized account of the def jam label, of rick rubin and russel simmons (who both ran the label in the beginning), and the artists connected to the label and the scene. quite a few artists play themselves in the movie, like run dmc or sheila e.; and rick rubin is actually portrayed by - himself - too!
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| Rick Rubin playing himself in "Krush Groove" |
the story runs that ll cool j was never meant to be in the movie, but that he kept gate-crashing the shooting of the film, talking to the crew and insisting that his music was to be included, until they said "well, damn it, let's give him a chance".
ironically, in the movie he is shown busting an audition too, and then being given a record deal by rubin and his crew.
did marc first hear that song by watching this movie? could well be the case, as it was an infamous movie in its time - at least to listeners of rap music.
either way, it's a rick rubin production and the sample landed inside this gabber hit.
But it's of course not just about this track - when one takes a closer look it turns out that many, many hardcore and gabber tracks use samples that originate from the hands of rick rubin and his label (we'll get back to that later).
keep in mind that, unlike in many other genres, samples provide the backbone for many hardcore productions. it's a 90% "voiceless" genre without singers and vocalists, so the "voice" of a specific track often comes from a vocal sample. these samples set the mood, topic, theme of the track then, and in many cases they end up defining the very track.
And i don't think it's an accident or coincidence that so many samples originate from rick rubin productions.
if we look at his life as a producer, we see that he had his roots in hardcore punk / rock, then switched to hardcore rap by the mid 80s, only to later "switch" back to extreme forms of guitar music, like thrash metal etc again; and going in *any* direction from then on.
these drastic "jumps" from opposite genres to each other confused many people in the 80s; and when rick was asked about it, his reply went along the lines of: he doesn't care if it's rap or rock, as long as it's hardcore.
wouldn't it make sense then if he does not care whether it's hardcore rock, hardcore rap, or *hardcore techno*?
but leaving that aside. rick is known as a producer who does not just push knobs (actually, he claims he never pushed knobs at all), but also gets directly involved in the songwriting and other aspects of production, changing lines of lyrics occasionally, and generally infusing the songs and tracks of his artists with the thoughts of his own mind, too.
And I make the hot claim that a certain "hardcore attitude" can be found in his productions, and thus it would only be reasonable that so many hardcore techno producers fell in love with his releases, decided to sample them, and that this 'hardcore legacy' lives on in numerous tracks and helped to shape and define the scene! (and, in my opinion, many songs that have rick rubin as a producer still sound more "hardcore" then quite a few actual 'hardcore techno' tracks of today).
take it like you want - but i believe it to be the truth.
a look at some hardcore tracks that sample songs which were produced by rick rubin, released on def jam recordings, or are otherwise connected to him:
(these are just a few examples - there are literally thousands of tracks out there like this).
Marshall Masters - I Like It Loud
Chosen Few - Name Of The DJ
Technological Terror Crew - The Ripper
Nasenbluten - Machete
Bertocucci Feranzano - XTC Love (Buzz Fuzz Mix)
DJ Rob & Tim B - Loud and Proud
DJ Skinhead - I Don't Understand This ??
Industrial Terror Squad - Unbelievable
Search & Destroy - Def Jam
Re-Charge - Bumrush
DJ Dano - Something Bigger (Here We Go Again Remix)
Omar Santana - Boy Is Banging
Wedlock - I'm The Fuck You Man
The Original Gabber - AD-DA
Syndicate - Watch Me Bash This
The New York Terrorist - Short Fuse
Charly Lownoise - A Whole Lot of "Lownoise" (Mental Theo Remix)
Shapeshifter - The King
Obituary H.C. and Jonny B. - Time Is Ill
Omar Santana - Panic Button
The Speed Freak - Fight!
Sonic Subjunkies - Formula of Terror
Cirillo - Wake Up Brooklyn
Les Diaboliques - Just Another Victim
Nasenbluten - Blows T' The Nose
Space Cube - Session
Tellurian - Petition The Lord
The Prophet - Alright Now Here We Go
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Wonderful Days (Rotterdam Mix)
Steve Shit - Having Sex
Jackal & Invisible S.P - Pirate Base
Nasenbluten - Cunt Face
Mutoïd - Don't Move Slow
Kill:Out Trash - Straight Outta Berlin
(these are just a few examples - there are literally thousands of tracks out there like this).
Marshall Masters - I Like It Loud
Chosen Few - Name Of The DJ
Technological Terror Crew - The Ripper
Nasenbluten - Machete
Bertocucci Feranzano - XTC Love (Buzz Fuzz Mix)
DJ Rob & Tim B - Loud and Proud
DJ Skinhead - I Don't Understand This ??
Industrial Terror Squad - Unbelievable
Search & Destroy - Def Jam
Re-Charge - Bumrush
DJ Dano - Something Bigger (Here We Go Again Remix)
Omar Santana - Boy Is Banging
Wedlock - I'm The Fuck You Man
The Original Gabber - AD-DA
Syndicate - Watch Me Bash This
The New York Terrorist - Short Fuse
Charly Lownoise - A Whole Lot of "Lownoise" (Mental Theo Remix)
Shapeshifter - The King
Obituary H.C. and Jonny B. - Time Is Ill
Omar Santana - Panic Button
The Speed Freak - Fight!
Sonic Subjunkies - Formula of Terror
Cirillo - Wake Up Brooklyn
Les Diaboliques - Just Another Victim
Nasenbluten - Blows T' The Nose
Space Cube - Session
Tellurian - Petition The Lord
The Prophet - Alright Now Here We Go
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Wonderful Days (Rotterdam Mix)
Steve Shit - Having Sex
Jackal & Invisible S.P - Pirate Base
Nasenbluten - Cunt Face
Mutoïd - Don't Move Slow
Kill:Out Trash - Straight Outta Berlin
Sources for this feature:
Rick Rubin - In The Studio (book by Jake Brown)
Krush Groove (Movie)
Discogs.com
Whosampled.com
Wikipedia
Anonymous and other sources
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