Long Time Eurobeat Lovers: Why Does Eurobeat Still Endure?

[para_rigby]

This thread is more direct towards long time listeners (5+ years)...

Why does eurobeat still endure as one of your favorite genres of music?

I myself have been listening for 6 years now eagerly anticipating each new release, get giddy over hearing my favorite songs (I get the feeling every time I hear "Nightmare In The City"), and soak up the wonder when new songs for upcoming albums are announced.

While I have other genres I love to death (electro-funk, ambient/drone, pop), there are so many memories of this one style I have had over the years (my old parapara group, singing horribly to "Chemical Love" with my friend Kristy). It's one my defining characteristics is this wonderful world that is eurobeat.

What are your thoughts and feelings long time listeners? Why eurobeat?

[liptos]

There's no other genre in music I've known that has such a happy, powerful, energetic feel to it. The passion and spirit I get from it are unique. I like jazz, piano, and various rock genres for other reasons, but when I look for the above, especially the spirit, Eurobeat does it like no other.

[zoupzuop2]

I've kept listening to it because there's so much variety within it. That sounds sort of like an oxymoron, but I can explain; with so many varieties and so many approaches to it (will a Matt Land aggressive song ever be the same as a Franz Tornado tune, or to, say, a Jay Lehr 'aggressive'?), and the strong musicianship I tend not to find in other genres, I come back knowing that I've found a genre that truly keeps me interested.

[ryosuke63]

Hopefully I count as a long time listener (been listening since I first got into Initial D in '05.)
I keep listening to it because there's always something new to be found. There's all kinds of obscure tracks to find from the '90s and even the late '80s so it's easy to keep things fresh with something "new." Plus I have a lot of fun remixing songs, so that keeps things interesting.
And not to mention how eurobeat got me into a genre ten times as far reaching - Italo-Disco.

Eurobeat has actually done a lot for my musical interests now that I look back on it.

[Megan188]

I've been listening to eurobeat consistently since November of 2006 and haven't ever gotten anywhere close to losing interest in it. A lot of people I know seem to think it all sounds the same or is extremely generic, but for me that's hardly an issue. The genre just happens to grab my attention in such a way that nothing else can. Eurobeat songs are generally melodically exciting, excellently-produced, and just overall a great way to get pumped up. It's also great running music, and my major sports are cross country and distance track.

[WNight]

I started Initial D around 2004 and started listening to eurobeat around January 2006, Though I really only started going much deeper in 2007. I think what kept my interest so high in the genre is it's high level of workmanship generally that I will never be able to find in other genre's that I usually hear around like American pop, Kpop or Jpop. I eagerly await every new SEB compilation and every time a release date is near - Like now, I always get really anxious, Something I don't really experience when for example : A friend tells me about the new single coming up from (Some mainstream artists). I also like the variety that is present so that there is something for everyone to love (and hate) about. I also like the fact that it's a very niche genre that is really not for everyone. Eurobeat dazzles me a lot.

[drnrg]

I've been around from the TIME Italo/Hi NRG morphed into Eurobeat. There are some songs from AbeatC and TIME that kinda sounded a bit off making the transition, but everything before and after has pretty much been phenominal. Another absolute factor in keeping with the changing TIMEs has been the vocalists. The way they have label jumped thru the years is amazing. The oldskool alumni like Clara, Elena Ferretti, Claudio Magnani, Mauro Farina, Dave Rodgers, ect... is the main reason the the music hasn't really sounded all that different from say the 90's. Only the bpms have changed, but the basic Italo melodies are still present in one way or another.

6 years huh? Try 15 years + for long TIME listemers.

[Vadim]

Battling techno and surving in Japan for 2 decades, EB has evolved to be the most perfect music genre.

Techno or contemporary pop are absolutely primitive in any musical
sense, compared to it. Soundworlds we love so much exist only in eurobeat.

[Ricfiam]

Let`s see. My first tape cassette was back in 1986. I recorded full Italo Disco from the radio. When the style has changed around 1988-1989 I listened more kind of music too. After I accepted the new style and fell in love with the old Asia records 1991-1993 songs, I came back fully. This era is still my favorite, next to middle 80`s. of course I like today`s eurobeat too.
So, it`s 24 years already.
Reason I still love this music? Dunno.

[Vadim]

I got my first eurodisco/italo tape as a birthday present from my dad, together with a small *crown* portable tape player, in 1986. Tape
was bought in Hungary, btw...as my dad lived there in the 80-s.
Eurodisco (german mostly) was the most popular dance genre in most of Eastern Europe in the 80-s. Much ahead of italo in popularity...

To note, I was totally swept away by Radiorama's *yeti* from that tape
(in fact, that track was in reality produced by our mate Newfield).

[Ronald]

Got intouch with the Italo-sound thru an illegal radio station in The Haque (www.radiostaddenhaag.nl) back in the mid-eithgties.
First record was somewhere in 1986 the re-re-remix of Ken Lazlo's 'Tonight' by Peter Vriends.
After that the 'favor' got me, on wednesday I got the fax from the record shop which told me that the next monday lots of new Italo stuff was arriving straight out of Milano.
Till 1991 I'll bought the records. After that I stopped but listening to the Italo sound never stopped.
Eurobeat I discovered via Hiroshi Ide in Japan. Via his support I did received lots of SEB's.
Via software I did reduced the BPM of some Eurobeat songs and it did reached the radio via Fresh FM, thanks to Marcello of the I Venti.
Later again via Marcello, my dream was realized back in 2002 when I met Giancarlo Pasquini in Mantova. In 2003 we went back and even met the wonderful Evelina & Stefano of SCP in their working area. In 2009 during my summer holiday in Italo I went back to the SCP studio's in a period that Eurobeat was really 'down'.
Listening to Italo or Eurobeat will never stop. I will do that till my last breath.
Reason I like the sound ............ the way it was made. The set up of the songs. Nice BPM, baseline, agressive / beautifull or happy melody. Great voices (Pasquini / Farina) or sexy voice by Clara. Nowadays I listen a bit more to the Italo sound. Back to the old days, back to the basis when comercial thinking was not so in the front line.
I'm curious what Eurobeat will be in the upcoming years, sometimes I really got the feeling it will slowly will go away. Why, cause AVEX did (in my opinion) made the mistake to let the sound be only 'availiable for Japan only. With a slower BPM much more people could be reached. Why, cause the Italian do have that capacity to created for a worldwide public. Even AVEX is also the one who put Eurobeat on a higher level, I do think that they also are the one which became great enemy of this sound cause they protect it to much. Why, why tell me why (famous Time song)!
Anyway, great respect for the creators! Just the never ending energy to continue! Bennisimo!


Greetz,

Ronald

[DarkSky]

I've started listening Eurobeat about 4 years back, but I developped a lot of knowledge about the genre through the years. The Eurobeat genre is a one-of-a-kind, because of the layered synths, the BPM, the bass, and because it's so versatile. I got in touch with the genre by watching YouTube videos, I think YouTube is the number one source for newbies of the genre to listen to the music. Then a few years later I met David Dima on the internet, a great man with a lot of passion for the music, that same year my parents told me we would go on holiday to Italy near Lago di Garda (the place where almost every eurobeat label is located). I told this to David Dima, and he immediately invited me to come, of course I couldn't deny that offer. One year later, I decided to go back, but without my parents. On my own by airplane. I did this trip last month, I stayed 10 days in the studio, and slept in the house of Eurobeat artist Manuel. I also met the SCP team. I had a wonderful time, and because these people are so nice and positive, I can't stop listening to Eurobeat. They're like a family, and I feel I'm becoming a part of them. It's a shame that the Eurobeat communities don't feel like that.

[Ronald]

Great to read your story, Sjoerd!

It's always a pleasure to be 'inside' the creating world. Unfortionally the feeling being their is hard to discribe.

And indeed 'like' a family, typical Italian to become one of them.

I do treasure those moments even now my guest of the first visits is 'hard to find'.
And SCP! What a place to work, very very nice people and a great team spirit!

Keep up the good work, Sjoerd.

Ronald.

[Jay]

Honestly? I have no idea.

[EurothunderNL]

I met up with eurobeat around 1991 while browsing radio stations.
At that time I listened to two local stations which played eurobeat/italo (one of them featured I Venti D'azurro). The first song I heard after stopping with browsing was 'If somebody's loving' by Jenny Kee (I found out later)

Before this I was a little bit familiar with italo and also dutch italo (Primero/Attack/Sisley Ferre etc)

From the beginning eurobeat is my favorite music genre.

Lot of songs from the serie "the early days of eurobeat" have the most magic because it was new and eurobeat was very difficult to get.
I mean there were no sound samples on Internet/there was NO internet at all!

The reason I keep on listening is that that the music still has interesting new songs, the music is connected with a favorite country of mine (Japan) and it still has its magic