1. Kertokaa hieman taustoistanne. Miten päädyitte samaan porukkaan?
D-Shark: Well, it all started in a Turkish steam room. [Laughter] We found each other's music on soundcloud when (UK) Hardcore was... In not such a great place, among the die-hard, cult fans. Think it was the end of the Clubland X-Treme series...
Crash: Yeah, when was that, back in 2011/12? The genre was going through it's experimental 'teenage' years as UK Hardcore. It was beginning to adapt and rethink itself with the massive breakthrough of new electronic music trends of dubstep, electro and mainstage, big room house.
D-Shark: Exactly, the small scene felt confused but we found each other's uploads and ideas and immedietly hit it off. Then I came to London, for a Hardcore Underground event in Vauxhall, London and we met up.
2. Mistä teidät nykyään löytää soittamasta?
Crash: Well, currently after our 'Happy Hardcore: On a Boat' premiere, in Helsinki 2015. We've started testing the scene with our 'Raise the Tempo' parties in Tampere with Futuristics. Those are fucking awesome, grass roots, real rave movement attempts. We get to see who's around, and what reactions we can provoke with a sound so alien and fresh here.
D-Shark: Yea, we wanna keep things either free or really cheap, inviting new people.
Crash: Which is almost everyone, haha.
3. Mikä on suosikkigenrenne ja miksi?
D-Shark: Ok, so this is the looong question. Well, obviously Happy Hardcore because of it's diversity and colours, the energy and range of comedy and laughter to powerful, emotional euphoria twisting into dirty, bass driven filth and force.
Crash: Aye, I think the personal back-stories and memories are too long for this buuuuut, It really has to be the 170 BPM, 'cause it's right, smack-bang on the money for anybody wanting to ACTUALLY go crazy and have REAL FUN! I love chill and psycedelic genres, trance, house 'an stuff like dutch hardcore but UK/Happy Hardcore has it all! It's the middle ground for everybody of harder styles and a mainstream audience, yet so refreshingly different.
4. Mikä on Suomen kovin menomesta ja miksi?
D-shark: I think the biggest party is always in my pants, and all the hot girls are invited. [Laughter] That is a hard question. I think its not about the place. A really bad club can have an amazing atmohsphere if the dj is playing with passion and the mix is legit. But I have to say, I like to play in small, unassuming places. They're casual and you can make a fool of yourself on the dancefloor.
[Music coming from D-Shark's phone]
Crash: Oooooh shit, this is a good track! Aye, those smaller places are truer to the raver and warehouse or house party as opposed to the clubber, focused on sexing themselves up more than just coming out as fans for the music with your friends. Helsinki has the biggest concerts and international names but Tampere for sure, has the best underground movement. As for a certain club, uh... Well, I guess I'm not hip enough, haha. I never go to clubs anymore.
5. Kuvailkaa hieman Helsingin skeneä.
Crash: Ok, pfft.... there's a lot of history in the Helsinki night-life. Maybe it's for the clubbers and commercial market more than the hard ravers but there are some like harder.fi and Club Interface, Clublife, and more, espesially for big concerts. The big events are amazing and you won't see that back in Dublin or Belfast in those genres, but for the underground, hmmm yeah, it takes more risk and investment to compete.
I suppose there is also ourselves when we organise 'FFT' Finland Full Throttle parties
sometime again on our own turf.
D-Shark: Yeah, like the Helsinki crowd really want to save their money for like, Miss K8 or Da Tweekaz or somebody. Some big headliner than a small party I guess.
6. Mikä on ollut yhteisen uranne paras keikka?
Crash: Mmmm if we're hangin' out I think we usually grab those dark Kozels or Rainbow's IPA.
D-Shark: Mitä?? Oh, mikä on ollut... not olut that's...
Crash:....oooooooh, olla, oli... oh, ok, cool.
D-Shark: Hah, well We have to give a shout out to Oulu, the HUG guys for what they are doing.
Crash: Oh man, that was f**king class. So thankful to them for booking us, being so new and unexperienced as a duo act at such a unique party.
D-Shark: HOHM's 2017 Beach Fest was THE best for the dedicated hard scene crowd and summer vibe, the setting, location the people.
Crash: HOHM man, period. I think we both really feel at home with their values and vision, I love their family-vibe and kindness, even though everybody we meet is 100%. The stage with the monkeys still makes me laugh and the ravers, oh shit. People were fooling around and having fun with us. Not just dancing 'n fist-pumpin'... I day-dream about it still and want to hug more from the front row, haha! That was fun.
7. Mitä tulevaa keikkaanne haluaisitte mainostaa?
Crash & D-Shark [together] 'Raise The Tempo III' @ Club Tunneli, 7.10!
Crash: It's getting momentum now, our efforts and confidence is building. We're really finding out who we are and who we're raving with. This is real stuff, we go fucking mental. We do not, at all costs, ever hold back or shy away. This is a Hardcore rave, full of life and diversity and we're here to have as much fun as possible. If people want to join in on that then even better!!!
D-shark: It's been really fucking great. We will make this next one better.
[Crash hits the floor and stumbles]
Crash: Fucking foot is... dead, oh god!
8. Minkä youtube-videon haluaisitte jakaa?
[happy hardcore on a boat]
9. Jos saisitte tehdä yhteistyötä kenen tahansa artistin kanssa, niin kuka se olisi?
Crash & D-Shark [Together] Darren Styles!
DShark: The godfather of our genre!
Crash: Still leading the path!
10. Määritelkää termi "tekno".
Crash: 'Let's listen to techno' Haha, oh god I feel so weird and awkward saying that [shudders]. Isn't that an old, slang term from the 1980s? Like, in the USA for people who didn't really know what electronic or 'machine' music was.
D-Shark: Just what old people and aliens used to call it, before they heard the genres, haha.
Crash: Yea, haha. Guess the USA term 'techno' is dead, like the UK's 'dance' term is dead. It's not Techno or Dance anymore. It's EDM, if your not in the know, still vague as fuck only for the masses.
D-Shark: Oh my god, we still have crisps!
