100%. Certain people acted as gatekeepers. Funnily enough a few of those gatekeepers fucked off as soon as people got bored of the same old artists on everything
This is what we like to see, no bollocks just hard cold facts of Wotsee's experience within in the scene. Even as a raver you could see the scene slowly dying off because of the same old lineups and no one actually nurturing anyone through. Big up Wotsee for your honesty bro!
All the fears I've had for the scene that I loved so much all wrapped up in one conversation and if even a small fraction of the rumours during James time are true he hasn't even gone into half of the politics! The man does echo the issues I remember us all having at the time though. Repetitive lineups, very little new blood coming through despite a wealth of new producers, becoming a stagnant platform for the same few top DJ's and MC's. I feel sad that with the dying of the scene those times mean less. Those few top guys should be legends in a thriving genre instead they're the ones who've allowed the ship to sink on their watch.
crabs in a barrel comes to mind lolol...i used to love hardcore till about 96...i was always into jungle and used to sneak off n dance to clarkee in the techno room lolol... that tune you have a heart of gold was the beginning of the end for me with hardcore/happy....jungle/drumnbass and techno in the rave scene these days is what i listen to these days ..
Ioved this interview, i think Wotsee Brisk sets were second 2 none and were some of my fave sets, i have been into the hardcore scene since the beginning 1990, and its so true about what has killed hardcore, same lineups, only the odd few new djs made it through in the whole of the 25+ years, this interview was a very good insight to what really goes on behind the scenes, proper hats of to Wotsee for being honest but most of all his massive contribution to the scene, much love to Mc Wotsee
Wotsee was the best Mc his lyrics told a story and could Mc to anything. Went to loads of raves to see him and chatted loads to him. Krafty radio with DJ denzo every Thursday was awesome and the chat room challenge he did at the end of the sets was legendary. Will listen to his sets forever
This was an interesting watch as I never saw Wotsee out performing but saw him on loads of line ups in the later years. I was well out of the Hardcore scene by about '99. I struggled with the ultra cheesy direction it went in about '97/'98 tbh but I loved the vibes at the raves so I was clinging on as long as I could. 😅 D&B was just too amazing at that time to ignore so many migrated over, although I've always loved both. The glory days of Happy Hardcore for me was the breakbeat era of '94-'96 when it just started to change sounds. I always knew the Hardcore scene went to shit later on but Christ, I didn't realise to that extent. There's nothing that says peace, love and unity more than death threats on big video screens at raves to rival promoters... 😂
Wotsee is a lovely geezer, I've had the pleasure of meeting him a few times over the years, so down to earth, such it's a pity the hardcore scene is so toxic as it could be the best thing ever if it was truly PLUR, it really was for us ravers.... But behind the scenes it was very different, so so sad and a kick in the teeth...... Wotsee should really do an expose of it all
ABSOLUTE GEEZA your the most genuine, kind, nicest mc in hardcore, I agree with everything you say but the plur bit I don't but I respect it. I try my best to spread the love and make ppl not like how u said. Loved watching this, big big respect to James ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Mate we should create a nice culture behind the scenes, the new breed, you are one of the best mcs!!! Massive respect x come back x remember that 160bpm is bollocks haha xx lets do this xx
Really enjoyed that, I am one of those 30 year olds, sat here right now in front of me deck and vinyl. I tried so hard to get into the "new" sound but lacks that raw sound. I like going out drugs etc, but it's the music that was always the main pull. I think that was lost by the people in "charge". It's not ment to be cool or the in thing it's ment to be different an escape. I miss it as sad as that maybe. Thanks for this, I needed it
Good interview. Surprised at how honest he is but that’s a breath of fresh air. In my opinion the reason the hardcore scene is dead is not due to line ups but the music. It’s shite!!! So unrecognisable from how it was in the early 90’s. Too fast,they took out the breakbeats.no bassslines,way too cheesey. yeah I agree music has to evolve to stay fresh but it got too far ahead of itself to quick. Look how massive drum n bass/jungle is now! Why,because you can hear a track from 1994 and one from 2021 and still hear similarities because it’s fundamentally stuck to its roots. Such a shame
It seems to be a thing with the harder UK dance scenes...ive noticed it in Hardcore and the Hard Dance scenes, arguments and bitching going on all the time between DJs/producers/promoters/label owners. you dont seem to see that much in other scenes. Maybe its because Hard dance & Hardcore scenes are so small these days so you see and hear everything
The Hardcore scene needs a complete 'year zero reset' for me and it's needed it for a long time. The last event I went to was HTID at The Custard Factory in 2008 and man was it shite! I remember that night being the slap in the face realisation that sadly this watered down, commercial bag of arse is no longer the scene I fell in love with.
Very true. I remember back in mid to late 90s always same names on flyers. Many young DJs would have loved to had a chance or even if some key figures had helped young djs to produce the scene could have gone on to so much more.. seems odd that the few who did so well kept it to themselves, which was sad to see happening, 98 onwards. Whatever happened to DJ Dodgee.. His mixes were pretty awesome.. Saw him on a flyer for a big event Magma? Never seen since, alhough i lost interest after Bonkers 13, around 2004
He’s still in Wales I think, does the odd set. He played a set at Olly Thumpa’s Back 2 The ‘90s event in Kings Cross about three years ago. Nice to see him.
Idk about all the fans being 30+ I’m only in my 20’s and I love hardcore got into it when I was a kid during the late clubland extreme era and loved it ever since and I know plenty of people around my age and younger who like it too. I feel like hardcore is just being marketed wrong, I think it would appeal to lot more people if done correctly. Btw gonna be completely honest here there reason you’ll only got like 300 people going to a and Hardstyle/edm “new style hardcore event is because it sounds awful . Bouncy basslines and uplifting melodies and vocals is what people want. Just modernise the clubland era sound, thats essential what the bounce scene have done and it works.
I only really followed happy hardcore to 99 so not heard wotsee but remember the name on flyers and he seems a sound guy with a honest perspective on the scene. Shame it’s the way it is but think all genres have big names keeping the circle small, politics and greed having an impact. Still guys had a top careeer in hardcore and still knows the score haha! Nice one wotsee
Who? But maybe it was just me losing interest in the latter Happy Hardcore from late 96 onwards. It got too well produced and sounded like it was trying to break into commercial pop music. I got into dark gabba at that point! The machines used to create the music and creativity dropped out during mid 00's. Even I've had a crack at something old sounding, please take a look!
96 was the last good year. In the Slipmatt interview he said they wanted to lose the hard euro beats, but without that it was just fast pop music. Thus, it died on it's arse. Easy for me to judge from a laptop I suppose. I think if the sound didn't try and progress and just incorporating all styles from 92-96 that would have pleased more people.
Would love it if you could interview at least one of the Scottish guys; Scott Brown and the like? (not really my thing, but it would be good to get their perspective on the scene?) Rezerection was a great night. Loads of different kinds of hardcore, from the proper cheese, to the DJ Producer, Lenny Dee and people like that. The Scottish dance music scene has sort of died on its arse in the past 10-15 years. All the decent clubs seem to have disappeared, from Glasgow to Edinburgh and everywhere in between. Pre-Covid as well. The free party scene looks like it could be big after this period, though...as long as it doesn't get too rigid with the styles of music. Tried to play techno at a psy-trance sort of party a couple of years back, and it was like I'd shat in their mouths...
@@ROARUKPods it would be nice. My earliest rave experiences involved Marc, Scott Brown, Ultrasonic, etc. As I said, it's not really my thing, my tastes have changed over the years (loved the Ray Keith interview, btw) but there's so many Scottish folk that had a massive influence on that scene. Pity that Tom Wilson has passed, he would have been a great man to interview...R.I.P Tom xx
When Gammer an Recon made it certain Dj's got scared and pulled ranks and made it impossible for any new talent to break through....Unless they were signed to their record labels that is Its not about how good you are its about who you know The only peace love an unity is between the ravers The Dj's Mc's and promoters are all about the drama The same people its always been The same people some in their 30's Others in their 50's still thinking they're relevant livin it oldskool... Wotsee his sly dig Mc's not changing set, no bookings an at a certain Dj with the dubcore Bit rich when he's kicking it with Kieran and Terry Two of the biggest backstabbing sly two-faced peeps on and behind the scene at the moment 🤔 There is no loyalty in hardcore Narcissism and middle aged men killed hardcore that an a few 🐍🐍🐍 ...Allegedly 😉
Gatekeepers killed hardcore. There were 5 artists that milked the scene fir all it was worth and did nothing to support emerging artists. Eventually people got bored of the same old big 5 fornula. What takes the piss even more is that these artists sped up the death of hardcore by fucking off to milk other genres the second hardcore needed a resurgence or got tough. Compare that to other niche scenes where youll see big artists supporting unsigned ones and grow the scene from those. Has always left a bitter taste in my mouth about Hixxy, Gammer, Styles et al as much as i loved some of their stuff.
He started after the 90's ? Wotsee didn't arrive until the noughties. But none the less he was a good MC , and well the politics and bullshit that was happening doesn't surprise me at all. And he's right, UK Hardcore scene is dead n buried, but I bet something good will come from it's ashes.
Yes, that's made clear in the interview. We ask him about his 90s influences and he discussed many of the artists who he worked with who were there in the 90s.
Hardcore died late 90s end of. When it went from break beat to kick drum was the start. Then you had certain djs pushing the same cheeder core shite mainstream. Hixxy being one example
mc magika was only a hardcore mc long before you. and once he saw the change late 2000s he switched over to dnb and now prior to covid had bookings on all at the biggest dnb events on a regular basis. so you could easily of jumped on dnb mate, maybe your heart just wasn't in in. magika was a lot further down the road than you when he decided to change styles. and dnb is now bigger than hardcore ever was so once everythings back to normal. the dnb lot have at least another 10 years of their careers left.
Aslong as it is still being talked about it will never leave. Hardcore will never die
Hardcore died in the 90s. Everything since is just cheddar
@@markovnottz nothing ever really dies when it comes to trends. Watch the hardcore scene explode again in the year 3000
@@chickennwatermelons1 I love your optimism but i don't think I'll be here for that lol
As someone who worked in "the scene" I 100% respect everything Wotsee has said here. Truth spoken. Bull shit politics ruined hardcore.
100%. Certain people acted as gatekeepers. Funnily enough a few of those gatekeepers fucked off as soon as people got bored of the same old artists on everything
This is the best roar interview yet. 100% honesty, and a lot of the same things can be said for the DNB scene
There needs to be a genuine love for this music.
This is what we like to see, no bollocks just hard cold facts of Wotsee's experience within in the scene. Even as a raver you could see the scene slowly dying off because of the same old lineups and no one actually nurturing anyone through. Big up Wotsee for your honesty bro!
Always thought Wotsee came across as a great bloke. Top guy and down to Earth in a world of big heads, at the time.
All the fears I've had for the scene that I loved so much all wrapped up in one conversation and if even a small fraction of the rumours during James time are true he hasn't even gone into half of the politics! The man does echo the issues I remember us all having at the time though. Repetitive lineups, very little new blood coming through despite a wealth of new producers, becoming a stagnant platform for the same few top DJ's and MC's. I feel sad that with the dying of the scene those times mean less. Those few top guys should be legends in a thriving genre instead they're the ones who've allowed the ship to sink on their watch.
crabs in a barrel comes to mind lolol...i used to love hardcore till about 96...i was always into jungle and used to sneak off n dance to clarkee in the techno room lolol...
that tune you have a heart of gold was the beginning of the end for me with hardcore/happy....jungle/drumnbass and techno in the rave scene these days is what i listen to these days ..
Amazing eye opener, my fav. Thanks for the music and talent bro!
There is 1and only Mc Wotsee ! Always something new lyric most of the rave, Great personality ,MC, Father and successful business men 🥊
Bang on the money dude - calling it out as it was/is; a stagnant scene with a few guys desperately clinging on to their power. Big up fella
Couldn’t agree more
Ioved this interview, i think Wotsee Brisk sets were second 2 none and were some of my fave sets, i have been into the hardcore scene since the beginning 1990, and its so true about what has killed hardcore, same lineups, only the odd few new djs made it through in the whole of the 25+ years, this interview was a very good insight to what really goes on behind the scenes, proper hats of to Wotsee for being honest but most of all his massive contribution to the scene, much love to Mc Wotsee
I was just about to post how good brisk and wotsee were together😂
@@paul-soundaffected you should seek out his sets with Kevin energy. Unreal man
Wotsee was the best Mc his lyrics told a story and could Mc to anything. Went to loads of raves to see him and chatted loads to him. Krafty radio with DJ denzo every Thursday was awesome and the chat room challenge he did at the end of the sets was legendary. Will listen to his sets forever
Great stuff, it's so sad to see such innovative scenes disappearing, to be replaced with dull and uninspiring polished post-pop.
This was an interesting watch as I never saw Wotsee out performing but saw him on loads of line ups in the later years. I was well out of the Hardcore scene by about '99. I struggled with the ultra cheesy direction it went in about '97/'98 tbh but I loved the vibes at the raves so I was clinging on as long as I could. 😅 D&B was just too amazing at that time to ignore so many migrated over, although I've always loved both. The glory days of Happy Hardcore for me was the breakbeat era of '94-'96 when it just started to change sounds. I always knew the Hardcore scene went to shit later on but Christ, I didn't realise to that extent. There's nothing that says peace, love and unity more than death threats on big video screens at raves to rival promoters... 😂
Wotsee is a lovely geezer, I've had the pleasure of meeting him a few times over the years, so down to earth, such it's a pity the hardcore scene is so toxic as it could be the best thing ever if it was truly PLUR, it really was for us ravers.... But behind the scenes it was very different, so so sad and a kick in the teeth...... Wotsee should really do an expose of it all
ABSOLUTE GEEZA your the most genuine, kind, nicest mc in hardcore, I agree with everything you say but the plur bit I don't but I respect it. I try my best to spread the love and make ppl not like how u said. Loved watching this, big big respect to James ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Easy goon
Oioi how's it going Bro hope ya well
@@goonshow3423 yes bro all good in bosthole 😂
😂😂😂😂 Same here all good here in Germany. Can't wait to come home n see me family then rave it up.
@@goonshow3423 nice one
Another legend 💚🙏.
Mate we should create a nice culture behind the scenes, the new breed, you are one of the best mcs!!! Massive respect x come back x remember that 160bpm is bollocks haha xx lets do this xx
Wikid interview 🙂
I grew up listening to wotsee and denzo, still listen to old wotsee mixes these days 😆
Really enjoyed that, I am one of those 30 year olds, sat here right now in front of me deck and vinyl. I tried so hard to get into the "new" sound but lacks that raw sound. I like going out drugs etc, but it's the music that was always the main pull. I think that was lost by the people in "charge". It's not ment to be cool or the in thing it's ment to be different an escape. I miss it as sad as that maybe. Thanks for this, I needed it
U should get sy or storm on? Be good to find out there versions of what went on
That would be good
Ha! I was at that MC meeting in that hotel... It was a fucking joke. Fair play Wotsee for telling how it was/is. 👍
Would love to hear more about that!
My favourite mc ever. Lethal
This is awesome xx
I think I had moved on from happy hardcore when Wotsee came onto the scene, great interview though! Interesting points.
Good interview. Surprised at how honest he is but that’s a breath of fresh air. In my opinion the reason the hardcore scene is dead is not due to line ups but the music. It’s shite!!! So unrecognisable from how it was in the early 90’s. Too fast,they took out the breakbeats.no bassslines,way too cheesey. yeah I agree music has to evolve to stay fresh but it got too far ahead of itself to quick. Look how massive drum n bass/jungle is now! Why,because you can hear a track from 1994 and one from 2021 and still hear similarities because it’s fundamentally stuck to its roots. Such a shame
It seems to be a thing with the harder UK dance scenes...ive noticed it in Hardcore and the Hard Dance scenes, arguments and bitching going on all the time between DJs/producers/promoters/label owners. you dont seem to see that much in other scenes. Maybe its because Hard dance & Hardcore scenes are so small these days so you see and hear everything
Nothing like that in the 'technodrome' hardcore side of things
The Hardcore scene needs a complete 'year zero reset' for me and it's needed it for a long time. The last event I went to was HTID at The Custard Factory in 2008 and man was it shite! I remember that night being the slap in the face realisation that sadly this watered down, commercial bag of arse is no longer the scene I fell in love with.
That was my first rave 😅
That time is now!
Very true. I remember back in mid to late 90s always same names on flyers. Many young DJs would have loved to had a chance or even if some key figures had helped young djs to produce the scene could have gone on to so much more.. seems odd that the few who did so well kept it to themselves, which was sad to see happening, 98 onwards. Whatever happened to DJ Dodgee.. His mixes were pretty awesome.. Saw him on a flyer for a big event Magma? Never seen since, alhough i lost interest after Bonkers 13, around 2004
He’s still in Wales I think, does the odd set. He played a set at Olly Thumpa’s Back 2 The ‘90s event in Kings Cross about three years ago. Nice to see him.
@@ROARUKPods good to hear. He's a prime example of the sort of talent which should have been on a lot more big event lineups.
I can relate to every word James says hence my question put to hixxy on his announcement page very clicks scene
Idk about all the fans being 30+ I’m only in my 20’s and I love hardcore got into it when I was a kid during the late clubland extreme era and loved it ever since and I know plenty of people around my age and younger who like it too. I feel like hardcore is just being marketed wrong, I think it would appeal to lot more people if done correctly. Btw gonna be completely honest here there reason you’ll only got like 300 people going to a and Hardstyle/edm “new style hardcore event is because it sounds awful . Bouncy basslines and uplifting melodies and vocals is what people want. Just modernise the clubland era sound, thats essential what the bounce scene have done and it works.
Could agree more! Lots of new producers doing exactly that now!!
Great interview, But dunno about MCing in kitchens being Innovative haha
Would love to see Mzone on here
Ask him!!
And Clarkee
ROAR: The Rave Channel I will. Are there any contact details I can forward on to him if he’s interested??
Wotsee is 100% spot on with his statement about the same old line ups.
Sad to hear about the sabotage that went on. I'm sure it was/is the same in the drum and bass scene.
Drum and bass was the same, in the 90s a council was set up to try and control it. But because there’s so many artists it didn’t work.
Nah... DnB wasn't quite the same.
He knows his onions! 👊
Wotsee is a top bloke and wicked MC. He’s got it spot on here.The scene was well cliquey and full of backstabbers unfortunately.
Everyone should take their misses to Barry Island
Hey it's that kid from Wales 😊
I only really followed happy hardcore to 99 so not heard wotsee but remember the name on flyers and he seems a sound guy with a honest perspective on the scene. Shame it’s the way it is but think all genres have big names keeping the circle small, politics and greed having an impact. Still guys had a top careeer in hardcore and still knows the score haha! Nice one wotsee
Who? But maybe it was just me losing interest in the latter Happy Hardcore from late 96 onwards. It got too well produced and sounded like it was trying to break into commercial pop music. I got into dark gabba at that point! The machines used to create the music and creativity dropped out during mid 00's. Even I've had a crack at something old sounding, please take a look!
96 was the last good year. In the Slipmatt interview he said they wanted to lose the hard euro beats, but without that it was just fast pop music. Thus, it died on it's arse. Easy for me to judge from a laptop I suppose. I think if the sound didn't try and progress and just incorporating all styles from 92-96 that would have pleased more people.
Curious about dark gabba, what would you say that is?
@@youllthankmelater Basically anything out of the area51 label about 97'.
@@BunkerMonkeyUK ah ok. So hardcore techno then. Im on board with that. Nice!!
PS.... Newport are flying so you gotta write a new 16 if they get promoted!
How much did SY and the other big names earn per set when he was doing the big events back in the day
Would love it if you could interview at least one of the Scottish guys; Scott Brown and the like? (not really my thing, but it would be good to get their perspective on the scene?) Rezerection was a great night. Loads of different kinds of hardcore, from the proper cheese, to the DJ Producer, Lenny Dee and people like that. The Scottish dance music scene has sort of died on its arse in the past 10-15 years. All the decent clubs seem to have disappeared, from Glasgow to Edinburgh and everywhere in between. Pre-Covid as well. The free party scene looks like it could be big after this period, though...as long as it doesn't get too rigid with the styles of music. Tried to play techno at a psy-trance sort of party a couple of years back, and it was like I'd shat in their mouths...
We’ve tried to get to Scott with no luck. We will try Marc Smith at some point soon as we try to go nationwide - and maybe even international!
@@ROARUKPods it would be nice. My earliest rave experiences involved Marc, Scott Brown, Ultrasonic, etc. As I said, it's not really my thing, my tastes have changed over the years (loved the Ray Keith interview, btw) but there's so many Scottish folk that had a massive influence on that scene. Pity that Tom Wilson has passed, he would have been a great man to interview...R.I.P Tom xx
Bass generator or techno trance mikes b all greats up north 👍👍😎😎
new hardcore is basically raggatek and jungletek, this is big for the new generation of ravers
Yep
His mc Carrier over before it started if know one booking him then it tells you there more to it than we will ever know
It’s time to give hardcore another big push. Lots of fresh new talent waiting to rebuild the scene with some fresh music.
Where are they?
@@myangelselection Fracus and Darwin, Jakka B, Scar, Al Storm, Rob Iyf, Dy5on, Ravegenix, Mike Reverie…. A whole new generation.
@@winterlakehdm they were the ones that destroyed it. Too mainstream. Not hard at all
He is right it did get repetitive and stale . the music mostly . should have carried on with the Quest style hardcore RIP ....
When Gammer an Recon made it certain Dj's got scared and pulled ranks and made it impossible for any new talent to break through....Unless they were signed to their record labels that is
Its not about how good you are its about who you know
The only peace love an unity is between the ravers The Dj's Mc's and promoters are all about the drama The same people its always been The same people some in their 30's Others in their 50's still thinking they're relevant livin it oldskool...
Wotsee his sly dig Mc's not changing set, no bookings an at a certain Dj with the dubcore
Bit rich when he's kicking it with Kieran and Terry Two of the biggest backstabbing sly two-faced peeps on and behind the scene at the moment 🤔
There is no loyalty in hardcore Narcissism and middle aged men killed hardcore that an a few 🐍🐍🐍
...Allegedly 😉
A lot of respect for Wotsee. A lot of the artists were stuck up arseholes. MC Storm was up there. Sharkey was a lovely bloke.
Hot right now by Rita ora
Gatekeepers killed hardcore. There were 5 artists that milked the scene fir all it was worth and did nothing to support emerging artists. Eventually people got bored of the same old big 5 fornula. What takes the piss even more is that these artists sped up the death of hardcore by fucking off to milk other genres the second hardcore needed a resurgence or got tough.
Compare that to other niche scenes where youll see big artists supporting unsigned ones and grow the scene from those.
Has always left a bitter taste in my mouth about Hixxy, Gammer, Styles et al as much as i loved some of their stuff.
Is happy hardcore completely dead?dead?? Young people just need to take an interest.
He started after the 90's ? Wotsee didn't arrive until the noughties. But none the less he was a good MC , and well the politics and bullshit that was happening doesn't surprise me at all. And he's right, UK Hardcore scene is dead n buried, but I bet something good will come from it's ashes.
Yes, that's made clear in the interview. We ask him about his 90s influences and he discussed many of the artists who he worked with who were there in the 90s.
Hardcore died late 90s end of. When it went from break beat to kick drum was the start. Then you had certain djs pushing the same cheeder core shite mainstream. Hixxy being one example
I live London there is no hardcore events in London at all so nah not London it's literally all drum n bass
The scene in the US is pretty cliquey
mc magika was only a hardcore mc long before you. and once he saw the change late 2000s he switched over to dnb and now prior to covid had bookings on all at the biggest dnb events on a regular basis. so you could easily of jumped on dnb mate, maybe your heart just wasn't in in. magika was a lot further down the road than you when he decided to change styles. and dnb is now bigger than hardcore ever was so once everythings back to normal. the dnb lot have at least another 10 years of their careers left.
CAN NOT STAND HIM.. HORRIBLE MC AWFUL
@@deephouse733 From what I can remember USH was overrun with jumped up little gobshites who shouted down anyone who wasn't in their little clique.