Rave to the Grave

In the final epsidoe of our hardcore series with Dance or Die, we're joined by London-based DJ, producer, and Rag & Bone label founder Jason Alexander, better known as Warlock, who documents his 36 years inside UK rave culture. We revisit the early days of breakbeat hardcore, the impact of Belgian and Dutch rave records, and the rapid mutations of jungle, darkcore, techno and dubstep. We talk about dodging the DTI while broadcasting pirate radio, the parallel rise of squat parties and mega-raves, and how media panic, the Criminal Justice Act, and major labels all reshaped the scene. You'll also hear stories from legendary spots like Labyrnth, SW1 Club and Helter Skelter and learn about Rag & Bone's raw, punk-adjacent take on breaks, electro, and early dubstep before we take it up to the present and find out about this wizard's current obsession with 160+ bpm bass music, Hooveran Blur, and the joy (and labor) of digging for new sounds in an algorithmic age. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

This is Part 2 of our episode with Baseck, as part of our collaborationg with Holly Dicker and her book, Dance or Die. We pick up where episode 1 left off, with Baseck discussing his later journey in the hardcore rave scene, the formation of L.A. crew Dark Matter Soundsystem and his transition from turntablism to using drum machines and modular synths. We talk about his collaborations with Boys Noize, AG Cook and Lady Gaga, his favorite sounds and gear and the resurgence of trance. We also talk about talk about creativity, community and the meaning of this music and culture, plus fun stuff like Terminator, arpeggiators and the mall! This is part two of a two-part episode, hosted by Vivian Host aka Star Eyes. For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

In this special collaborative episode with Dance or Die, I'm talking to Derrick Estrada, better known in the worlds of breakcore, hardcore, jungle and sonic synthesis as Baseck. Baseck was raised in Lancaster, California halfway between the Angeles National Forest and the Mojave Desert. As a youth he became intoxicated by car bass test CDs, scratch records, jungle mixtapes, gangster rap, and illegal raves. Put this all in a blender with DIY punk, Chicano subculture and a battle mentality and you get halfway to what Baseck is about. Sometimes Baseck is playing wild shows that combine turntablism, live hardware, modded gameboys and thrash vocals; sometimes he is throwing raves, designing clothes, doing noise shows at the museum, or making synth modules. He's collaborated with Boys Noize, Charli XCX, A.G. Cook and Zach de la Rocha and recorded for too many labels to name. He calls in from his current home in Tulsa, Oklahoma to talk about cutty L.A. raves, Midwest hardcore, sonic transformation and how he became a warrior of the breaks. This is part one of a two part episode, hosted by Vivian Host aka Star Eyes. For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

In this special collaborative episode with Dance or Die, author Holly Dee sits down with Siuli Ko in the Netherlands. Siuli has been integral to the Dutch free party rave scene since its late '80s acid punk beginnings. From fronting the noisy DIY group MINIGOD to organising some of The Hague's first basement raves, Siuli was a rebel youth with a diehard love of music and bringing people together beneath the blinding flash of a strobe. Whilst living in one of Holland's most famous squats Blauwe Aanslag, she organised the infamous Acid Planet parties where Unit Moebius and the Bunker label forged their cantankerous acid techno punk sound. Linking up with the newly exiled Spiral Tribe in the early '90s, she helped establish the Network 23 record distribution network and launched her own labels Grijs and Nocturnal State a.o. to support local talent. Four decades in, Siuli is still playing vinyl, raving, and producing multimedia exhibitions and festivals – we find out more about the extraordinary journey of this cornerstone of the scene. Hosted by Holly Dicker (aka Holly Dee). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

This episode kicks off our collaborative mini-series with Dance or Die on hardcore and what better way to start the whole thing than by talking to Holly Dicker aka Holly Dee. Holly is a music journalist and raver who has devoted over a decade to covering the history of hardcore while working for places like Resident Advisor, Boiler Room, Tresor and PRSPCT Records. Then she spent four years of blood, sweat and tears writing Dance or Die, a book that traces the history and evolution of hardcore electronic music. Holly and I talk about her formative experiences from renegade UK drum 'n' bass bunker raves to free tekno parties, breakcore squats and Dutch gabber mega-raves. We also discuss the cornerstones of hardcore, compare notes as rave journalists, discuss changing visual and surveillance culture and explore current women-led, queer and inclusive hardcore movements. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Journey from Montreal to various raves on the African continent with San Farafina and Hervé from Montréal's post-border interdiscipinary collective Moonshine. We explore their journey from throwing full-moon house parties in 2014 to linking up with the African diaspora around the globe, along the way building a brand, creative hub, and party institution. We hear about what's going on in Kinshasa, Abidjan, Dar es Salaam, Lisbon and beyond and learn how not even electricity cuts, high tides, police and giant insects can keep them from a party. We also discuss their relationship to Vanyfox (our guest on episode #39), the evolution of batida, the changing landscape of DJing worldwide and our run-ins with Game of Thrones characters at the rave. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Vanyfox is a DJ/producer taking the Portugal-born dance music genre batida to the world. Raised on the outskirts of Lisbon near the Quinta do Mocho neighborhood (home to many batida pioneers including Marfox and DJ Nervoso) and based in France, Vanyfox discusses his early memories and the emotions, experiences and production techniques that influence his sound, which borrows from trap, deep house and the rhythms of kuduro, kizomba and zouk. We talk about the deep life questions behind his Melodias e Choros EP, working with Montreal's Moonshine crew, his Angolan-Zairean heritage, the lineage of the coxes and foxes, his approach to DJing and his unique experiences traveling to Ivory Coast, Zanzibar, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Paul Harrington is a British raver with a story to tell. A story about getting arrested in Ibiza with hundreds of E's in a cereal box. A story about the London acid house spots of the late 1980s and early 90s and running with violent football firms until euphoric anthems and a night on the doves at Legends turned his life around. A story about trading Hummers for mangoes with Afghani arms dealers. This real estate dealer from Essex fell into the London club scene fast and hard, lived a wild life, crawled out of cocaine addiction in his 40s and is now writing an autobiography about the whole thing called Beautiful Chaos. While we wait for the book to emerge, I spoke to Paul about burning bright, turning up, burning out and his adventures with the E Team. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Terre Thaemlitz aka DJ Sprinkles talks about her musical life, from the roller discos of Minnesota and Missouri to the transsexual bars and ambient rooms of NYC in the 80s and 90s, from deep house and noise shows in Japan to present-day Panorama Bar and Dekmantel. Vivian and co-host Thomas Venker speak to Terre about electronic music and queerness, softness as rebellion, memorable nightlife characters, sampling, hedonism, ACT UP, ambient music, performance, identity and the politics of the club. Come along for the ride. Recorded at the Monheim Triennale Festival in Germany. Visit RavetotheGrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave for more info and extras.

In anticipation of her new album, HUMANISE, on Mute Records, we talk to DJ & producer HAAi about how a young hairdresser from a small town Down Under landed in London, broke up with her psych rock band, fell in love with house and techno and ended up on the world's biggest stages. Topics include wild rave locations, drug trips, fat pants, dinosaur energies and doof sticks; how she selects records and the elements that play into her otherworldly musical style. Teneil also sheds some light on what it's like to go B2B with The Blessed Madonna, shares advice, talks about the importance of safe space and queer space and shares tales from the making of her latest album with collaborators like Jon Hopkins and the Trans Voices choir. From tree shakers to yacht people, it's all in here. Get amongst it! Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.