Akira is the founder of Hong Kong Violence. What began in 2001 as a small underground label has grown into one of the most distinctive and longest-running forces in Dutch hardcore. Over the past 25 years, HKV has become known not just for its music, but for its attitude, community and refusal to compromise.
For this edition of Chinese Noise, we spoke with Akira himself about the origins of HKV, the mindset behind the label and twenty-five years of staying true to the underground.
🇭🇰 粵語Akira 係 Hong Kong Violence 嘅創辦人。2001 年成立 HKV，由一個細細嘅地下廠牌，發展成為荷蘭 Hardcore scene最具代表性、最歷史悠久嘅廠牌之一。
二十五年嚟，HKV 唔單止代表音樂，更代表一種態度、一個社群，同埋永遠唔向主流妥協嘅精神。
今次《Chinese Noise》，我哋同 Akira 傾返 HKV 點樣開始、一路以嚟堅持嘅理念，同埋呢二十五年嘅地下故事。
My first contact with HKV actually started with Drokz during a car ride back from Germany.
I told him I wanted to start a label and had the name Hong Kong Distorted in mind.
He looked at me and simply said:
And yeah... Hong Kong Violence was born.
🇭🇰 粵語我第一次接觸 HKV，其實係同 Drokz 喺德國返荷蘭嘅車程上。
我同佢講，我想搞個廠牌，仲諗住叫 Hong Kong Distorted。
佢望住我，只係講咗一句：
跟住…… Hong Kong Violence 就咁樣誕生咗。
Like many HKV collectors would probably say, the NUKOM EP is still my favorite.
That "Really… Really… Hardcore" sample never gets old.
I love every HKV release.
Looking back, maybe I should have made uptempo.
My left wrist is still waiting for a friend.
🇭🇰 粵語好似好多 HKV 老收藏家一樣，我最鍾意都係 NUKOM EP。
「Really… Really… Hardcore」呢句 Sample，到而家都仲係咁正。
其實每一隻 HKV 我都鍾意。
不過而家諗返……可能我當年應該做 Uptempo。
我左手隻手腕，到而家都仲等緊個朋友。
Right now it's 6:39 in the morning, Hong Kong time, while I'm typing this.
I'll be back in the Netherlands on 16 July with full jet lag and almost no time to prepare the vinyl set with The Destroyer.
So honestly... I don't even have time to think about it.
But if you know me, zero preparation is usually the best preparation.
🇭🇰 粵語我而家打緊呢段文字嘅時候，香港時間朝早 6 點 39 分。
7 月 16 號我先返到荷蘭，仲要時差未調好，又冇乜時間同 The Destroyer 準備 Vinyl Set。
所以老實講……我連諗都未開始諗。
不過識我嘅人都知，冇準備，通常就係最好嘅準備。
The new generation tried to beat the old generation.
They couldn't.
So they invented uptempo.
🇭🇰 粵語新一代想贏過上一代。
贏唔到。
所以佢哋發明咗 Uptempo。
It's a way of thinking.
Do your own thing.
Make the music you want to make.
Don't worry too much about what other people think.
Be yourself, respect others, and never lose your sense of positive humor.
🇭🇰 粵語HKV 唔單止係音樂。更加係一種做人態度。
做自己想做嘅嘢。
寫自己想寫嘅音樂。
唔好太在意人哋點睇你。
做好自己、尊重別人，最重要係永遠唔好冇咗幽默感。
The classic HKV logo tee.
It makes my wrist shine more than one.
🇭🇰 粵語一定係經典 HKV Logo Tee。
著住佢，我隻手腕都好似閃啲。
Diu.
(In Cantonese.)
屌。
Come to Dominator.
Come to any HKV 25 Years event.
Keep the underground alive.
And eat more babi pangang.
🇭🇰 粵語記住嚟 Dominator。
仲有 HKV 25 周年所有活動。
繼續撐住地下文化。
仲有……食多啲火肉。
Chinese Noise is a growing archive documenting stories, memories and voices connected to Hong Kong Violence.
Chinese Noise is a collaboration between SinoHaven and Hong Kong Violence.