Gabber

Origins#

Gabber is a style of electronic music and a subgenre of hardcore. It was derived from house and techno in the early 1990s. blended with house-style breakbeats and hi-hat fillers. The music is generally between 140 and 190 beats per minute with samples taken from films or other tracks. The word gabber comes from an Amsterdam Bargoens slang, based on the Hebrew chaver meaning “mate” or “friend”, loaned through Yiddish. The word gained popularity in the Rotterdam music scene and people started to call themselves “gabbers”. Some, however, state that ‘gabber’ derives from usage at house clubs which gabbers visited, where ‘gabber’ became an insult that club security used to collectively describe these people, with often raucous and hooliganish behaviour, that were often seen as undesirable.

Music#

Influential early labels were DJ Paul Elstak’s Rotterdam Records, Mokum Records in Amsterdam, and Lenny Dee’s New York based Industrial Strength Recordings. Alongside Elstak and Dee, other early artists included Marc Acardipane, The Prophet, and Rotterdam Termination Source. In the Midwestern United States, gabber inspired the foundation of the label Drop Bass Network.

Subculture#

The popularity of gabber created a youth subculture in the Netherlands. Gabber ravers were often stereotyped as wearing tracksuits, bomber jackets, and Nike Air Max shoes. Another popular brand in tracksuits was Cavello, which suits were more colorful than the straight forward designs by Australian. Most men shaved their heads bald, while women braided their hair and shaved the sides. Drug use was common, with ecstasy and speed the popular choices. Later the look became blouses and short skirts for women. In order to repudiate the connection, labels and artists began to release anti-fascist and anti-racist statements. Some examples include “Chosen Anthem (Against Racism)” by DJ Chosen Few, “Die Nazi Scum” by Party Animals featuring MC Rob Gee, “Time to Make a Stand” by United Hardcore, and “Fuck the Nazism” by Hellcore. Mokum Records made its slogan (printed on all records): “Hardcore united against fascism and racism”. Some producers are themselves black, such as The Dark Raver and Loftgroover. Its popularity also led to parody tracks, such as Gabber Piet’s “Hakke & Zage”, which drew on the theme tune of the Peppi & Kokki children’s television show. Gabber fans were angered by the commercialization of their scene, and Gabber Piet was fired from his job at ID&T. His album Love U Hardcore attempted to make amends but it did not sell well. The 2023 film Hardcore Never Dies is set during the 1990s gabber scene in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Artists#

• 3 Steps Ahead
• Angerfist
• Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo
• Critical Mass
• Despairful Tomorrow
• DJ Mad Dog
• DJ Paul Elstak
• DJ Sharkey
• DJ Skinhead
• Evil Activities
• Euromasters
• The Horrorist
• Lenny Dee
• Marc Acardipane
• Miss K8
• Nasenbluten
• Neophyte
• The Outside Agency
• Party Animals
• The Prophet
• Ralphie Dee
• Rotterdam Termination Source
• Rotterdam Terror Corps
• Ruffneck
• Scott Brown
• Teranoid (alias of Kosuke Saito)
• Tommyknocker
• XOL DOG 400