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Pearsall presents Rampage Turbo 17 (Hardcore History – Bonkerz Special)

A 47 minute tribute to Sharkey’s legendary freeform label Bonkerz, recorded as part of the massive Hardcore History project!

Rampage Turbo 17

Pearsall presents Rampage Turbo 17 (Hardcore History – Bonkerz Special)

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Mixed in London, June 2013
(47:28, 109 MB, 320 kbps MP3)

Zip file (split into separate tracks)
Big cover
Cue file

Style: A tribute to legendary freeform label Bonkerz

direct link to the mix:
http://sonicrampage.org/mixes/rt17/Pearsall-RampageTurbo17(HardcoreBonkerzHistory).mp3

Tracklisting:

01. Helix & Sharkey – The Epilogue (BKR001)
02. Eclipse vs Force Mass Motion – Point Zero (BKR002)
03. K Komplex – Indestructible (BKR009)
04. AMS & Shanty – Asphyxiate (BKR016)
05. DJ Eclipse – Devastator (Remix) (BKR005)
06. Sharkey, Kevin Energy, K Complex & Just Rich – Visions Of Infinity (BKR006)
07. Kevin Energy & Just Rich – Wanna Be (BKR010)
08. Simon Apex vs Safe n’ Sound – Sensations (BKR008)
09. Scott Majestik – Psychopathic Bitch (BKR015)
10. Marc Smith – Fuckin’ Trippy (BKR004)
11. Sharkey & Robbie Long – Where’s The Party At? (BKR011)

Cover: Snow on the tracks at East Putney tube station, London, January 2013

Recently I decided to participate in DJ Hellfury’s crazy-yet-awesome Hardcore History project, the goal of which is to create the world’s longest ever dj set, with hardcore dj’s from around the world mixing for 20 minutes to an hour, starting by mixing into the previous dj’s last tune and then letting their last track play right through to the end so that the following dj can then mix in. It’s a massive undertaking, the kind of thing that is only possible through digital technology, and it certainly puts the Munted Takeover that I put together (with four dj’s playing 30 minute sets) in the shade!

This mega mix is being done in multiple sections, with UK Hardcore making up the main section, as well as smaller sub-sections for freeform, gabber, and J-Core. To speed up the process, whole chunks are being worked on simultaneously, with dj’s occasionally ‘bridging’ different sections, by mixing out of the last tune of one section and then into the first tune of the next section. So I have ended up starting the third freeform section, even though, to my understanding, the second wasn’t even done yet! Having done a variety of different freeform tributes over the last year and a bit, from my Finnish freeform special to my tributes to Stage One Music and Electronica Exposed to the Nu Energy B-sides special, I decided to dig into my collection and put together a short(ish) tribute to one of the finest UK freeform labels of them all … Sharkey’s Bonkerz!

What I’ve always loved about Bonkerz (which was the second of Sharkey’s labels, the first being the almost-but-not-quite-identical Bonkers) is the diversity of the output, something that is well reflected in the eleven tracks featured here. The first couple of Bonkerz releases ploughed a futuristic trance furrow while the later releases aptly showed off the ‘hardcore’ in freeform hardcore, with monster kickdrums and small mountains of crazed riffery. Awesome!

As has been the case recently, this was slapped together in one take, without much in the way of practice, and it includes quite a bit of the old chopping and changing, but I like it.

I’m being lazy so if you want more info on the label, here’s a full description of Bonkerz from the Nu Energy Collective site (don’t blame me for the terrible grammar):

Bonkers started in 1996 and was primarily a Happy Hardcore label. This started to work alongside the legendary Bonkers mix compilations. Working with artists like Druid, Loopy and Trixxy. Sharkey was unhappy with the music he was creating, there was too much happy music in the scene and the scene needed some variety. He felt that artists had more to offer and we could do better. Bringing on artists like Energy, Eclipse, G.S.I and Marc Smith a new sound was created.

Classics like Future dimensions, Here to invade and Ultraworld 5 were created and soon got tagged as trancecore. Silly name I know, but people have to tag music to market it!! Sharkey soon became disillusioned with running a 12′ label and stopped the label in 1997. After a long break he brought the label back working with the stage one music company. Bringing in their Artists Helix and Fury and having one of the biggest coup in hardcore – getting Force mass Motion to do a release, who in 1992 was creating some of the worlds biggest tracks for Rabbit City Records amongst others.

Sharkey has always tried to keep the focus and attention on the music being different from what else is around in the scene. At the moment Bonkers is going through a big change yet again. It’s going back to its roots and hitting the party sound yet again. This is because Nu Energy is providing you with enough of the trance/freeform sound, and as Sharkey said previously – Bonkers must be different. Two new artists have come through K-Komplex and A.M.S have come through after a couple of years training in the studio to become great artists for the collective. This is now Sharkey’s focus for the label. Bringing new artists into the fold and improve their production and as ever this runs alongside the Bonkers Mix Compilations. Bonkers is dedicated to bringing you quality releases for the hardcore genre.

Sharkey has now rounded up Bonkerz as a 12″” label and is concentrating on his new project ‘Kaotik Records’ which you can view in the discography section also.

So, that’s it from me! I hope you enjoy the mix – it’s a little rough and ready, because I did it in one take, but overall I think it’s a good representation of one of the best freeform labels out there. My next mix will be a special one – for Rampage Turbo 18, I will be returning to the roots of the series and selecting three tracks from each of the first six mixes (3×6=18, geddit?) – that will be premiering on the Freeformaniacs radio show on Krafty Radio on July 4th, alongside special guest Sky Dragon.

For now, enjoy my mix, and the subsequent parts of the third freeform section from Dyzphazia and Substanced.

Dyzphazia’s Part 2:

Substanced’s Part 3: