Introduction

the first question is: did the experimental hardcore scene actually exist? it might be weird to pose such a question, as this book is based on it. but even back in the day, this question was not easy to answer. producers, organizers, labelowners seemed to be positoned between two standpoints: yes, there is an experimental
hardcore "scene", or rather social surrounding, that has a cultural, political, social content (without insisting that everyone ought to have the same political belief, of course). an underground structure of renegade electronic talents. the other point being, is that they are just into dark or "disturbing" electronic music, and share it with friends, which happened to be also DJs and label owners, so basically a close community of people, which for some reason have a common musical taste.
these points of view are echoed in the publications from those times, i.e. in the various online and paper fanzines, interviews, and such.
so, we have two positions: yes, there was an experimental hardcore field, a world of its unknown, closely connected, or, it was just a very interesting period of experimental and bold electronical music outings.
what should be noted though, is there are now attempts to categorise these outings into newer genres; fischkopf was not just an early form of "gabber", or "terror", hangars liquides not an early form of "frenchcore" or praxis an "early breakcore" label during these days. these are defintions and categories that have been added way later.
it should also be noted that for many people, there definately *was* an experimental hardcore field, a form of music that was different to the common gabber/speedcore outings of that period, aswell to the "intelligent electronica" of the same period. people who listened to labels like anticore, fischkopf, sans pitie, read the zines, followed ideas. for which this was a cult object and also a way of life. this book is dedicated to these people.
but i also like the idea - and i'm sure i will regret this later - that we can't clearly say what was and was not. that there was both no experimental scene, and it the same time, in a different sense, there was - again, juding from whose person's viewpoint we look at it.
in this way - welcome to this book.