Let's go back to 1997, a good year for Hardcore. Not just for Hardcore, but I cannot be fucked to discuss what happened in 1997, I am not Wikipedia, am I? If you Google the year '97 and Hardcore music, you will probably see a lot of good albums you might have purchased/listened to. I bought a lot of stuff back then, and it was the year before I went out raving. A year before I actually saw Rob Gee live at Mysteryland. As an underaged boy (I was 14), I was impressed with the whole event, not so much with the livesets at the main stage. Never really liked guitars and screaming people on stage. Hence why Rock isn't my favourite style. But I was there, and witnessed it all.
Even though Rob Gee made an extremely cheesy track ('XTC, You Got What I Need'), he still had a lot of wicked anthems under his belt. And one of the few albums which had a mix by Rob Gee on it, was the Heroes Of Hardcore collection. Legendary, and so damn cool. I remember playing the USA version a lot: really liked the Omar Santana and Delirium mix. But Rob's was so quirky, so different, so Rob Gee-ish. I loved it. Even the fucking intro was epic.
Little did I know that this was already released as 'Electric Pineapple' in the US. I only found this album earlier today on Soundcloud (thanks magpie303 for yet another exquisite upload), and after some digging I found out that this mix was released pre Heroes Of Hardcore. And that the Heroes version is basically the same! Now I don't know if that's lazy, or just genius? To reuse one mix?!
Anyway, in 1997 this mix was made, so don't expect high end, fancy equipment. 'Simple' stuff, and I put that in quotations. For 1997 it was high end, but compared to what we've got in 2021, it was much simpler. Maybe more efficient? Who knows.
So, if you know Rob Gee, the person from the 90s, you know he's all about the madness. And he certainly brought that to the table with this mix. A complete mind fuck is what you are going to experience, but oh so 90s! I fucking love it! Does it make sense? Who gives a crap?
Here's the tracklist for Heroes Of... erm.. I mean 'Electric Pineapple'!
Rob Gee - Intro (My Fucking Way)
Rob Gee - Gabberlove
Bertocucci Feranzano - Ravers Movement
DJ Gizmo & DJ Delirium - Do You Wanna Dance
Bodylotion - Catastrophy
Tripax - Leprechaun
The Prophet - Allright Now Here We Go
The Prophet - Allright Now Here We Go (Rob Gee Gabber Fuck Mix)
Rob Gee - Natas Is Counting
Chosen Few - Name Of The DJ
Rave Parade - Kiss The Fucking Charly & Theo Goodbye (Fast Mix)
Rave A Graphics - There Is No Other (Radio Edit)
Neophyte - Rockin'
Ralphie Dee & Rob Gee - Sex, Drugs & Gabbahouse
DJ Gizmo - The End Of The Beginning
Mental Hardcore Associates - Let's Get Wappie
The Dark Raver & Lenny Dee - To Da Rhythm
Bodylotion - Always Hardcore
Rob Gee - EEG Bor
Bodylotion - Happy Is Voor Hobo's
Lenny Dee - Let Ya Feet Stomp
Rob Gee - Get The Fuck Up
DOA - Brooklyn Mob
DOA Narotic - NYC Speedcore
DOA - DJ Assfucker
Rob Gee - XTC, You Got What I Need
Rob Gee - Outro
You can certainly tell that Rob Gee liked his Hardcore to be different. Sometimes extremely funny, and sometimes just plain silly. But sometimes spot on, I must say. Silly being 'Gabberlove', not a track you want to make love to. Funny being 'EEG Bor', and something spot on 'Natas Is Counting'. Or 'Leprechaun', as part of the group Tripax. He loved to be slightly different back then, didn't he? And to be fair, that's not a bad thing. It's unique.
OK, let's address the elephant in the room here, before I get too many negative comments. The mixing itself. Well. It's not great. Certain moments the mix is good, and he throws you off by doing something unexpected (and making it work).. and then other moments it's a bit of a hit and miss. That's why I hold this album dear to me, it's not something extremely polished, or too snazzy. It's fucking Hardcore and that's all that matters. It can ruin the experience from time to time though, especially with a few of these wicked records.
It was a weird mix, but it's certainly an enjoyable one. You won't be able to hear something as quirky as this in a long time. This is Rob Gee back in the 90s. Have you ever seen him live, or on TV? He was someone to be seen, and you certainly saw him. He was present. He was there. You might like or dislike him, but he's part of our Gabber culture. And therefore we should thank him.
Is this Rob's finest mix? Nah, he's made others slightly better. But is it a good mix? It is certainly enjoyable. Is it perfect? Not in the slightest. But to me, back then, it didn't matter. I was just curious on what the Americans had to bring to the table, and with Heroes of Hardcore I got a taster. And it was good.
Sadly not a Rob Gee track to be called my favourite of this mix. It has to be 'NYC Speedcore'. Yes, can you believe it? If there's one track that holds the most power within, it's that one, by DOA Narotic. Fucking fierce record.
You want to have fun, and a throwback to 1997? Have fun with this one!
Ps. who came up with this name? Electric Pineapple? WTF?
DJ: Rob Gee
Genre/Style: Hardcore, Gabber, Speedcore
Mix Info: Rob Gee - Electric Pineapple
Length Mix: 00:59:44
Tracks: 27 (twenty-seven)
Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): LISTEN HERE
File Size: unknown
File Type: unknown
Release Year: 1997
Audio: Stereo
Sample Rate: unknown
More Information: Rob Gee - Official Website