Who were you before electronica?

Hey all,
Just interested in what kinds of people get into the dance or related scenes, who they were and what they were. Suburban bogan?, quiet nerd?, the popular kid?, the outcast?, your general everyday kid????
To kick it off, I was a suburban bogan, as far as I'm concerned there will always be a part of me that is, I see a strong correlation between hard rock and metal and a lot of electronica so for me it seemed to be a normal step, and it only took my first party, 93 e'core, to transform me for ever.
what's your story?
Following with interest
Barney
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bush and doof go together like horse and hoof

i was a nerd. my music evolution goes something along the lines of cheesy pop -> metal -> trip hop -> drum&bass.
this is also approximately no drugs -> alcohol -> marijuana -> ecstacy

I was grunge drop-out :
Soundgarden -> Tool -> LSG
Beer -> dope -> e ->
Student -> Pizza Hut -> Real Job
Angry -> Lost -> in Love
Life can actually get better when you grow up
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>insert witty comment here<

i was a triphop/alcoholic/art student/dreamer.
im now a hardhouseNRG/druggie/art student/dreamer.
*waves little paws*
>'.'<
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~littleHKlaserTriPPeR~

good topic, barney..
i was into alternative music, grunge, *hardcore* (stop laughing DAQ!).. was a big day out teenager, used to go see big bands in awe like green day, living end, regurgitator, primus, tea party, radiohead, dandy warhols, beastie boys..
i crossed over to the "other side" through a few different artists.. took an interest to massive attack, air, daft punk, started listening to early sonic animation, frontside, which my older brother was listening to, as well as loving big beat stuff like chem bros, propellerheads, crystal method..
did the 'first rave' thing and never looked back.. a story thats very common..
these days i still love some stuff that i used to be into, but not so much..
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The red blinky world is a whole lot different to this one.

I started out in the heavy metal scene drinking myself silly at the Cathouse (then a resident of the Palace - I think it's moved to prahran now?). Really got into the hard stuff - alot of the slower death metal bands such as My Dying Bride. The only stable things that have been present right through gave been Pink Floyd, Celtic and Raggae Music.
I love all electronica - but I have to say I'm obsessed with Trance, Psy Trance and Acid.
And if there is one thing for certain - even if I change music styles again - I know I'll still be listening to Pink Floyd
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"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on" - Billy Connolly

My most defining moment has to be at Seb Fontaine/BT @ The Metro. Although it wasn't my first party it was my first pill.
I was peaking really hard and we were all right in front of the DJ. (I think it was Seb Fontaine)
Anyway, he put on Reincarnation (a personal favourite) which had the crowd GOING OFF. My mate who had been pilling for a long time told me to turn around. I turned around to look up the Metro stairs (gotta love that venue!!) to see everyone peaking, jumping up and down and absolutely going off. It was an awesome sight and one I will never forget.

...ok
Moved to Frankston Nth when I was about 2. Lived there until I was about 13 when we moved 2kms to Seaford. Stayed there until I moved out to ... wait for it.... Noble Park North.
Always like the Triple J style of music and will usually listen to that or classical whilst in the car.
First started to get my taste for electronic when I started going out to clubs at 18. Songs like Loops and Tings where the tantalising taste of what was to come. Pity none of my friends really like that sort of music and the ones that did were really shy and quiet unsociable.
Went to my first rave around that time, was good fun - just I didn't really have a lot of money back then, parents arn't wealthy and I was on Austudy at uni trying to live away from home (fuck its hard). Bought a couple of electronic albums back then, notably Strictly Techno 2, Techo Junkies (UltraSonic) and still wanted more.
Hitz FM burst onto the scene somewhere like 5-6 years ago. Triple J was good but didn't play enough "Dance" music, which was the sort of genere people were throwing around rather than Techno. Songs like "Ride in the Night" were the post popular types of tracks although cheezier harder tracks (UltraSonic 1,2,3,4 etc) were also popular. I got envolved with Hitz around broadcast 3 when it started to take off bigtime... I think thats the one where there were heaps of cars parked outside the station beeping and shit when Hitz was due to go off air... I remember a lot of taxi's for some reason. I ended up being one of the dudes that drives the Jeep/Rav 4 about and handing out shit on location.
My clubbing days back then (and I try not to shudder too much), things like Warehouse on a Wed, Chev/Billboards on Thur, Billboards/Caddilac/Metro Fri, Inflation Sat, mostly because of Hitz broascasts and the social circle I moved in.
Went to raves every now and then, but no one I knew really liked going out to them, too expensive and the music didn't really appeal. Moved on to clubs such as the Capitol and sometimes the Mansion, had friends that did work there until we had a bit of a falling out over a woman (ooer another story). Mansion at the time was a bit too full on and well.. I still was yet to experiance the vibe and the crowd and the emotion and stuff that you get at raves... well.. except when I'd go to the odd rave with a mate. Can remember smoking a joint at the front of a hardware a few years ago and watching the laser play on the crowd - looked excatly like they were getting beamed up on Star Trek.
Was umpiring football a bit, had AFL in my sites and was training 3 days a week with 1 or two games on the weekend.
Off and on I'd go out.. had a break because of a 1.5 year relationship with a girl and because of uni and still living on austudy.
Broke up with gf, moved into Prahram, got a new gf and found full time employement in my chosed field. (Computing). Had a solid 6 month relation with someone who is 10-11 years older - she doesn't like raves at all. We spent most of our time drinking quality red, eating good food, seeing bands. She is a real Triple R person (If you can catogorise someone by radio station!). We are still good friends.
Worked for two years, and towards the end I went to last Hardware. Went to Gatecrasher week after and I think I've missed about 6 weekends since then. Now I'm continually going out and heaps of the time thinking, "Fuck why didn't I do this earlier." and "My good, there is nightlife in Melbourne that is not totally dominated by Greeks and Italians", "Bloody hell, this is excellent, people havn't bought there inflated ego's with them! Why couldn't I find this sort of vibe before?"
I feel really glad that I've kinda waited until I'm 24 before I've gone as full on as I'm going now. Lots of all night parties and the E's. At the same time I look at some of the 17/18 year olds that are doing exactly the same as me, and I think to myself "Look what you have missed out on, you have been that age and will never be again" but the other side is I have my life half sorted out and I'm not turing brain to mush too early.
So I suppose I can draw an analogy between my electronica/rave liking and a nang hit (woo!). Sorta started off slow but then increased up and up expodentially until OH MY GOD GOD GOD!!

Hey cool story Soma - you sure you didn't leave anything out
I got into this scene pretty late too - is 28 late enough - and I sometimes think the same thing. But then again my past experiences have made me into the person I am. My excesses with alcohol and pot have taught me many valuable lessons - which has lead me to be much more repsonsible in my drug taking (knowing what I'm taking and knowing my limits). The heavy metal scene was drink and smoke till you could drink and smoke no more.
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"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on" - Billy Connolly

It is weird how alot of people can from the same background (in music) ie metal or grunge/indie
I to was right into alternative guitar based music (i still am) , i hated techno until on a trip to canberra , a friend played me this happy hardcore cd (no laughing , quiet at the back) and it all went from there.
Although my tastes have changed slightly , i still love my hardcore ; )
went to my first party , popped the first pills yadda yadda yadda , now becoming jaded . whatcanyoudo?

In '93 (aged 17) I was living in Wollongong - i'd moved out of home in early 91 and had lived in Sydney & Perth - and was basi8cally working fulltime for the youth activist groups Resistance & Environmental Youth ALliance. I found partying and contracted a serious illness at about the same time, and the lifestyle i wanted to take on didn't quite mesh. After about two years of just going really hard i put my energies and experience as an activist into building Ravesafe and then doing other peer ed, user rights and drug law reform work.
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venceremos - hasta la victoria siempre

Lets see... Ummm, used to listen to Heavy Metal such as Pantera, Metallica and Alternative such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, stuff like that. At this time I was binge drinking (aged 15-17). Didn't go out much, just got blind with mates at their houses.
Then discovered dope, still the same musical taste. My friend introduced me to death metal music such as Damaged, Blooduster, Cannibal Corpse - that sorta cheery music. But (funnily enough) he also played me my first Techno. Hardware 3 CD. I liked it straight away.
Turned 18, finished VCE, tried my hand at a few "commercial" clubs - hated it straight away. Never liked the sleeze and glamour associated with all that anyway.
THEN, my cousin convinced me take some speed and go to Xsessive at The Cage one night. Since that night I haven't looked back. Went from speed, to acid, to pills. Went hard on the pills for about a year, then slowed down and started to appreciate electronic music rather than taking 15 pills and going sick.
And now I'm DJ'ing, working in I.T and generally enjoying it all. Passionate about Techno and my close friends. Oh, and computers. (funny that)
So thats my boring bit of history. Not as long as Soma's I hope!!!
Dan
P.S Haste - my brother used to be a Cathouse regular as well. He LIVED there.
P.S Soma - go the North Noble Park boys I know what it feels like to live there...

Right on haste. Another person getting into the dance later on in life. I started this year at age 27. Similiar story to others, initially into heavy metal, then alternative/punk, and then this year right into electronica. I still listen to all other kinds of music (including all that teen pop shit, I don't know why but sometimes I just like listening to it), but electronica is what I listen to the most. I'm not really fussed what style either, I like it all. Man cannot live on hardhouse alone.

I can't believe how many of us started off in the heavy metal/grunge scene - freaky!!
DecimalDan - hehehehe I was probably living there right beside him I lived for the Cathouse!
Shit I bet we could pull out few good stories if we all got together!!
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"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on" - Billy Connolly

Well as the same with everyone else's life stories on this subject, mines is along the same lines as a few, here goes
Started off listening the grungy music, loved Pearl Jam (still do, not as much but like the music), Nirvana, Soundgarden and all that stuff when I was about 17/18, then the usual common rock as Pink Floyd, U2, Dire Straits (again I still listen to them, I think they are fantastic groups) went to both U2 concerts, blew my mind, anyway enough of my concert reviews .
Was in a relationship for a very longtime (5 years to be exact), anyway, didnt really start listening to techno/trance/house etc, until the age of about 20-21, where Scooter was big on the scene, loved them at the time and don't mind the odd listen now and again, Ultrasonic again were the next ones, along with the compilations of Strictly Techno 2 etc, etc.
It wasn't until I got an ICQ message from our one and only Dangermouse one day , I find out he works in the same field as me, and we start out regular chatting sessions over icq/email etc on a day to day basis.
I start listening to Mr Oakenfold (who to this day i love), then came along Mr Van Dyk, that was it, instant addiction from there, the music was great the mixing, beats, buildups etc, I love it and as I said still do.
Still currently listening to Oakey, and Dykey, now comes along Mr Corsten, Mr Tiesto, Mr Van Buuren and all the compilations to go with it, Oakenfold is king of the decks as far as am concerned followed closely by Van Dyk, THe PVD rave was unreal (eh drawkcab)? .
Anyway, i used to hate electronica type music back in my early days (23 now), never thought i'd listen to it, or end up at a rave. First rave was Gatecrasher here in Melbourne, quality night that was, then next one was Mr Van Dyk again at the Docks, another quality night, been to a few clubs in the city Salt isnt bad, and Ferry Corsten is going to be playing there 21st Oct, be there (/insert plug> .
Then we have Oakenfold at the docks in November, another one I cant wait for.
I am heading off overseas soon, back to the homeland of Scotland, hopefully check out the scene there, some good clubs at last check of their sites, (The Tunnel, http://www.tunnel.co.uk) and Room at the top (http://www.roomatthetop.co.uk), don't know if I will manage them in, but will certainly try, they seem to get a lot of the good dj's, also going to Amsterdam for a few days to meet up with a mate I used to work with, so that should be quality time well spent )), some good clubs over there too, then LA for a week, through to Las Vegas , money wasting here I go!
Anyway, I think i've ranted on enough here, good topic to get into mind you, thanks to the person who brought it up
Cya's!
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Later Slater!

Haste: I wouldn't be surprised if you know him... Big nose, long hair, thin face - looks like Jesus
i'm not surprised that grunge/metal/alternative people make up the majority of doofers. After all, its a similar lifestyle - going hard.

Well I started off with techno and will never stop loving it. From around 12 yrs old I was listening to various styles of techno. Soma mentioned Loops and Tings and I'd like to add Schoneberg by Marmion and Lemon Project by Peppermint Lounge. And I used to absolutely love Cosmic Baby, and still would if I could find anything he's made I love the old school trance and similar styles and wish there was more like it these days....
I didn't actually get into grunge/indie until midway through high school, and I'm always listening to JJJ these days, unless I get a new cd that I wanna play to death
I started of with techno music, and the music will always be the most important part to me, the drugs came much later, after finishing high school in '97
I also played the piano for a couple of years and love anything with a well played piano, 'specially Ben Folds Five!
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Common Sense isn't all that common

i have spent my life so far avoiding labels/pigeon-holes/stereo-types/fads/fashions and styles (as you could tell from my poor dress sense ) I have been far too busy trying to work out who i am, why i'm here and being tranquilo.
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"i'm a cool young brother who just looks kinda old"

"Everybody looks the same...."
Having read Barney/Hippy/Freak and Mikey well that's exactly where I cam from. Soma dude, shit man that IS your life right there
Yup guys, former burbs bogan here from the outer rim I mean east.
I can't remember which one of those names, but it was mentioned the crossover music. I think that the main influence would have to be Beastie boyeees (shit they rock my socks still) Massive attack, Tricky and livin in London in 98 with all the drum and bass, house music goin on. Which lead to Daft Punk, Leftfield, etc. Yeah Mikey so know where you are coming from.
Now I really hate heavy metal now, but accept that it was a great way to deal with being a teenager. But actually a friend of mine taught me that you shouldn't regret where you have been musically, because you wouldn't be here now without it. Thanks Syn dude - WAASSUUPP! (sorry private joke thing if the prick reads it )
So yeah dudes how similar we all are now hey?
Also a big salute for Freak.
Angry/Lost/In Love - THAT IS IT IN A NUTSHELL.
Now I am thinking that I have briefly met bloody well most of you dudes at SSU or Hard Candy or raves and shit. But haven't really sat down and had a good chat, cause I been too dialled or on my way out. Will talk in the flesh soon.
Daq's dude as BL social secretary I implore you to pull me up straight next time, and sit my ass down next to these dudes at the next SSU or even Gatecrasher, whatever.
Now shaddup spazzy

ok, well, as most of you know I'm 17 (so close to 18 I can almost touch it)
I had actually (and still do) listen to jazz since I was about 14. Since about 15 Ive also listened to a lot of classical music.These two were the only types of music I listened to for years, then I got the "rebirth of cool 7" which is a mad cd, then started listening to a bit more electronic stuff and by nov/dec last year I was hooked. All that grunge shit never interested me that much. So unmusical, but i'm a huge snob so its ok.
So I still listen to classical and jazz, but as equally as I listen to Basement Jaxx and Roger Sanchez!!