Putting together and promoting huge events doesn't happen overnight, and you can ask Gary Richards about it. Gary – who promotes the Hard parties and moonlights as the DJ/producer Destructo – has been involved in electronic music since half of the scene was in diapers. A hardcore music fan, he spent his childhood soaking up legendary rock shows in D.C. before moving to Los Angeles, falling in love with electronic music, working for record labels, and ultimately producing some of Southern California's most memorable early raves.I went to this RAVEAMERICA one at Knott's (an amusement park in Orange County, FYI) when I was a freshman in high school and it was mindblowing – all the rollercoasters were running, there were different "lands" with costumed characters that you had to find and get them to stamp a special passport you were given. There were about 20,000 people there and I fell in love with some merch guy who was selling flower necklaces made out of neon clay. Wow, those were the days.Anyway, it's wild that Gary threw those events back then and he's still pushing the party boundaries now with things like Holy Ship. It's no stretch to say that the American rave scene would not be the same without him.We asked Gary to tell us about five events that influenced what he does today. Then check out his new music video, in which he plays a doctor helping resucitate a girl who went too hard in the paint.Led Zeppelin at Capital Centre - Washington D.C. 1977
This was the last full North American tour Led Zeppelin ever performed it was right before Robert Plant's son Karac died and they canceled the rest of the tour. Then Bonzo died in 1980 so no more Zepp. I can say I saw them when shit was real. I remember passing a funny cigarette across my row as a youngster and watching Jimmy Page play a guitar with a bow inside a cage of lasers that moved when he struck the guitar. It was mind blowing even at such a young age.KISS Dynasty Tour at Capital Centre - Washington D.C. 1979
KISS was always my favorite band as young kid. The makeup and image was insane and the show was incredible and really stuck in my brain for life. Watching Gene Simmons get hoisted up to the top of the arena and Ace Frehley rocking a guitar with smoke coming out of it while he played "Shock Me"… I was sold for life.808 State at Long Beach Convention Center - Long Beach, CA 1991
This was very special to me. 808 State "Cubik" was really the song that opened my ears and mind to electronic/techno dance music as we know it today. The crazy part was they had a female singer get up on stage and sing two songs with them at the time. Turns out it was Björk, and I have a picture with 808 and Björk from that show we produced.RAVEAMERICA at Knotts Berry Farm - Buena Park, CA 1992
This was the last event I promoted before going into the record business. At the time I thought the scene was becoming to commercial so I decided it was time for one last blowout, hence the name RAVEAMERICA. If you were there, you know it was insane. At midnight I made a five-minute mix of all the best tunes that rocked off with a fireworks show. The crowd went so crazy Knott's cut the power for an entire hour to try and calm people down and regain control of the park.Universe Rave - Warminster, UK 1993
After Rave America, Rick Rubin hired me to sign electronic music at his Def American recordings. He told me to take a few weeks in the summer and go check out the Euro scene. It was crazy to hear jungle music for the first time and see The Prodigy play. I think I was the only American in attendance. They even had people bungee jumping over the crowd. I saw Laurent Garnier play the sunrise set – it was magical.
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This was the last full North American tour Led Zeppelin ever performed it was right before Robert Plant's son Karac died and they canceled the rest of the tour. Then Bonzo died in 1980 so no more Zepp. I can say I saw them when shit was real. I remember passing a funny cigarette across my row as a youngster and watching Jimmy Page play a guitar with a bow inside a cage of lasers that moved when he struck the guitar. It was mind blowing even at such a young age.
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KISS was always my favorite band as young kid. The makeup and image was insane and the show was incredible and really stuck in my brain for life. Watching Gene Simmons get hoisted up to the top of the arena and Ace Frehley rocking a guitar with smoke coming out of it while he played "Shock Me"… I was sold for life.808 State at Long Beach Convention Center - Long Beach, CA 1991
This was very special to me. 808 State "Cubik" was really the song that opened my ears and mind to electronic/techno dance music as we know it today. The crazy part was they had a female singer get up on stage and sing two songs with them at the time. Turns out it was Björk, and I have a picture with 808 and Björk from that show we produced.RAVEAMERICA at Knotts Berry Farm - Buena Park, CA 1992
This was the last event I promoted before going into the record business. At the time I thought the scene was becoming to commercial so I decided it was time for one last blowout, hence the name RAVEAMERICA. If you were there, you know it was insane. At midnight I made a five-minute mix of all the best tunes that rocked off with a fireworks show. The crowd went so crazy Knott's cut the power for an entire hour to try and calm people down and regain control of the park.Universe Rave - Warminster, UK 1993
After Rave America, Rick Rubin hired me to sign electronic music at his Def American recordings. He told me to take a few weeks in the summer and go check out the Euro scene. It was crazy to hear jungle music for the first time and see The Prodigy play. I think I was the only American in attendance. They even had people bungee jumping over the crowd. I saw Laurent Garnier play the sunrise set – it was magical.