Behind the Music: Hard?Cor!

Hard? Cor! Is a techno dance commune which performed a Tribal Rainforest Chip-Shop Alkali Soul set which incorporates local cultures. It was fronted by singer Wok-Eyes, who is known for his laid back, disinterested personality. The band has been described as "techno wizards" and "calcium-challenged bleep gods" and their music as "electic." They became popular with young people around 2790; fans called themselves the "Universe crew". They signed a three-album deal with Zak Skintight's Startled Productions that year. Wok-eyes commented "yeah, it's alright I suppose. Zak's a nice bloke, and we'll get to go to some really good parties. Can I go now?"

Also in 2790, Hard? Cor! hosted a series of three-day "be ins" on planets around the Tri-System including Janus IV which offered music, dancing, ethnic education and spiritual exploration. These were very popular among Hard? Cor!'s young audience but they were not well regarded by authorities. The be in events prompted an increase in illegal warp steroid sales wherever they were held, bringing unwanted dealers along with their audiences. This prompted increased police patrols.

At a performance on Bex, the group incorporated indigenous shamen in their dance routine and asked them to "do somethink a bit funky, knowwhatimeanlike?". In response, the shamen performed the Heap Big Thunder Rain Dance, which led to heavy rain and a surplus of fresh water. The government of Bex banned them from ever performing their set on the planet again. In response to the chaos associated with these events, the Intergalactic Congress passed new system legislation which allowed the CIS to fire on anyone that enters a 1500km exclusion zone around Hard? Core!'s venues. This was first put into place at a be in at an event scheduled to take place on the asteroid Bellerophon.

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Hard? Cor! Is the second major Privateer 2 music group. Like Zak Skintight and the Buttock Men, their story is provided in a series of randomized news entries which any player might not even see in a usual playthrough. The idea is that they are a bit of a new age hippie techno group which causes chaos by attracting drug dealers to their Woodstock-style "be ins". Their lead singer, Wok-Eyes, is presented with a bit of a Morissey-style disaffected personality. Their story also intersects with Zak, as it's his Startled Productions that gives them a three-album deal.

New Hard? Cor! dates announced sets a Hard? Cor! event at a randomly chosen planet while Techno Prisoners! tells of one on Janus IV. Both of these trigger a 35% increase in warp steroid prices at the venue.

New Hard? Cor! dates announced
$CLIENT writes
Dance commune Hard? Cor! have revealed the plans for their next three-day 'be-in'. Set to take place on $LOCATION, it seems that we can expect the usual mix of right-on sounds, ethnic education and spiritual exploration. Police are worried that the event will attract Warp Steriod dealers, and are going to establish patrols around the planet.

Techno Prisoners!
Dave Cool is on the scene
Respect to Hard? Cor!, techno wizards extraordinaire, for organising this king-size love fest on the planet of Janus IV. The scene is kickin' up here, with all the beautiful people in attendance, going for it like never before. Frontman Wok-eyes is banging it out on the mic, raising a real special feeling here. We're vibed, man, and its only getting better; this one's special, so if you're in the area, get on down and get them dancing trousers working. There's Warp Steroids for sale all over the shop, but the way this one's shaping up, we're gonna need more and how! Peace and love, Universe crew.

Hard?Cor! sign for Startled announces that they've partnered with Zak Skintight:

Hard?Cor! sign for Startled
Music hack Terry Young reports
Titans of techno Hard?Cor! signed up for the big-time yesterday, when they clinched a three-album deal with Startled Productions, the label owned by music legend Zak Skintight. Frontman Wok-eyes seemed unperturbed by the news, saying 'Yeah, it's alright I suppose. Zak's a nice bloke, and we'll get to go to some really good parties. Can I go now?'

Rave off! tells the story of their disastrous Bex concept. It signifies a 40% decrease in fresh water on the planet.

Rave off!
Brian Turnell champion of truth, speaks out.
Intergalactic dance fiends Hard? Cor! were yesterday banned from performing their eclectic Tribal Rainforest Chip-Shop Alkali Soul set on the planet of Bex ever again. The reason? It seems the calcium-challenged bleep gods had incorporated a number of indigenous shamen in their dance routine, telling them to 'do somethink a bit funky, knowwhatimeanlike?'. The tribal holy men thus performed the pride of their repertoire, the Heap Big Thunder Rain Dance. It has yet to stop raining on Bex, and Fresh Water is in abundance. We asked Hard? Cor! frontman Wok-eyes for comment, but his jaw was clenched too tightly to speak properly.

Finally, the very last CIS Bulletin (and overall news story) in the game announces that the CIS is now going to shoot to kill at Hard? Cor! concerts.

CIS Bulletin
This is a warning to any individuals intending to attend an illegal gathering being promoted by a popular youth music act known as 'Hard?Cor!'. Under new system legislation, the CIS are authorised to fire upon those who attempt to enter the 1500km exclusion zone which has been established around the asteroid Bellerophon, the designated venue for the event. You have been warned.