Thera and Geck-o: 10 Years Of Musical Friendship

You must have seen them behind the decks more than once: Thera and Geck-o. They are not just up there as a solo act but you will also often find them on stage together. They can be recognized by the great dynamics between them and the audience. With their alternative sound they know how to shake up the mainstream hardstyle scene in a playful way. A set of them together is never boring, and that is why they have been sharing the stages of the biggest and smallest parties in the scene for ten years already. This anniversary has not gone unnoticed and we therefore seize this opportunity to take a closer look at this powerful duo and to hear from them why their combination works so well. Pieter is working on his career for quite some time when he meets Rik online at the Global Hardstyle forum. “I was really in the initial phase of getting my Theracords label off the ground. Geck-o wasn’t producing for a very long time yet, but happened to send some music on and I was very enthusiastic right away!” Geck-o's first track 'Mindless' sparked interest in Pieter and thanks to this track Pieter was sold: “This immediately became my first release on the label. Soon after this I was invited to come and take a look at a party where my music would be played!” Rik didn't actually go to parties at the time, but he wanted to give it a chance: “To hear the music on major the sound system for the first time has changed my view of the music in one fell swoop.” This is the start of a long-term collaboration, and Rik is immediately welcomed with open arms at Pieter's house. That connection between the two was there from the beginning and there is a clear explanation for that. “That's mainly because we both love music extremely”, Pieter explains. “We share that passion in the same way, but because we secretly are a few years apart, we both just experienced different music when we grew up.” That is why Geck-o and Thera complement each other with their own powers and they can both just get so carried away in the feeling of the music. So, it’s not surprising that the two artists soon appeared together behind the turntables.

Ten years ago, during a performance in Spain, was their debut as a duo. Despite the fact that they cannot remember much about this, they really enjoyed playing together. It immediately went effortlessly together. Pieter finds this unique: “We complement each other, motivate each other, respond to each other. And all of that completely natural, without any friction.” Geck-o can learn a lot from Thera during this period of time: “Pieter is very comfortable on stage. In the beginning I learned a lot from that and now I have found my own style in it.” They also trust in each other's skills. “If one person does something, the other immediately responds.” They both make music from their own feelings and passion. That is also the reason that they are both very diverse in terms of productions, although Rik goes one step further than Pieter. “With my eclectic concept The Funky Cat, techno and hardbass projects, the biggest part of what I make is different from hardstyle”, explains Rik. And that is exactly what is so interesting about these two. Because they do not like to limit themselves to one genre, they like to push the boundaries in their music. When Geck-o and Thera are playing you can be sure to enjoy a diverse mix of underground records and recognizable tracks. This makes them special. “There is just so much to experience. And I want to taste it all”, says Geck-o. “By making different types of music, I also develop different sides of myself. With techno I make room for self-reflection, with Russian hard bass I have fun and with hardstyle I pop outside.” With this attitude Rik, but also Pieter, hopes to bring more daring, more playfulness, diversity, fun and friendliness into the scene. “I still hope that a scene will be created around hardstyle where people express what kind of music they think is really cool, instead of people hating on things that they find bad”, adds Pieter. As they say themselves: “Love for music conquers everything!” They both have a nice view on hardstyle. “I always go all the way back to the basics of the start time (2000-2002). For me, hardstyle is still a unique combination of the melodic and dreamy of trance and the rough and hardness of hardcore”, says Pieter. Rik knows how to explain it even better: “For me, hardstyle means extremes, everything is pushed. All the beauty becomes even more beautiful, all the ugly becomes even more horrible. To be able to experience the splendor and opulence, you will also have to accept the ugly - but then you will also be richly rewarded with a euphoria like fury.” We all know that euphoria as hardstyle enthusiasts. A feeling that seems to be addictive, which means that we are keep finding ourselves in the magical craziness of the coolest parties.

A large group of fanatics is joining this. Ever since Geck-o and Thera are on stage, you will find fans in the audience. Often recognizable by the enthusiastic interaction between them and the duo, it seems as if they have known each other for years. And that is often the case. “I think it is special that so many people from that time still turn up at our performances with a happy face.” These fans understand the passion and love for the music and share this with Pieter and Rik. “That is really awesome!”, thinks Pieter. They also enjoy their music themselves. With ‘Do The Happy Face’, for example, they experience a lot of fun: “That track started to lead its own life from the moment that people experienced it live, that remains crazy!”, Pieter says. But his favorite hardstyle track at the moment is one that conveys a completely different feeling. “Today I go for ‘The Nasty Boyz - Angel (Hardstyle Masterz Cut)’, but if you ask me that question again tomorrow, you will probably get another answer, haha.” One record that makes a difference for Geck-o is ‘Tonight (Wildstylez Remix)’. “I get goosebumps just from thinking about it. That is mainly from the visitor’s perspective, because I think I have never played it in one of my sets.” A track that Rik finds more suitable for his own sets is 'Tuneboy - Tunebeat': “Great drive, playfulness and melodies!" They have already created a whole collection of memories on stage as a duo. Rik looks back on their set during his own party The Funky Cat: “It was very special to have Pieter there at my own party, where we played not only Theracords but also Therabyte classics, from the old sub-label where I have released a lot of special records that were the harbinger of what I was going to do later.”

Although every time they play together it is crazy, this was a special moment: “Pieter has always invited me into his world, and now I could invite him to mine.” As far as Geck-o and Thera are concerned, they will not stop there. They look forward to performing together for a long time and making people happy with their music. “I have been busy with some things again lately, and I heard a certain Pieter say that it was right up his street. Something will soon come out of that”, Geck-o laughs. Their next performance is scheduled for tonight, at Thera his solo event. Geck-o will first provide a warm-up set, after which Thera starts his marathon. “We will then rock it together for another hour, which will always be total improvisation. We're going to play!”