01.
Spreekuur: Bobby Boycott – Straf Collective , 04-02-2026
What does Straf (Punishment) entail to you?
“Collective & connection.”
Have you experienced hardship or punishments throughout life, if so, when and how?
Life constantly punishes you, just stick to the plan and keep going. I have experienced countless hardships. From cheating girlfriends to deep depression, friends or family dying, and addiction. We all go through our own hardships. What counts is the way you react, respond to it.
Are there any societal pressures, issues or problems you are actively fighting against, if so how do you aim to fight them on a daily basis?
Besides the whole world becoming increasingly fucked up, there is still a heavy stigma on mental health in men and an exponentially growing amount of young teenagers battling mental health issues. I am already working as a so-called Buddy, coaching and helping at-risk teens, and have also recently started studying to officially become a social mental health worker.
What does Boycotting mean to you, why have you chosen for this to be in your artist name?
It just sounded cool. I don’t even remember who it was that came up with it to be honest. But boycotting is an important tool we have as a society to impact economies, governments or businesses that are in any way harmful or dangerous. It is a way of revolting. Resistance. And I have always spoken out about or revolted against things that matter to me personally.
Bobby Boycott
What is the connection between you and the collective?
I met Jacques a while ago when I was still a boxing and personal trainer. We always spoke about music and certain scenes and I told him whenever he organizes any event I would be down to come and play a set.
What is one piece of advice you would give a growing community, with young artists? How did you start your creative career?
All I know is that not giving up is the one thing that has helped me the most. Keep creating. Keep finding and tuning and then re-tuning your sound. Keep exploring. The only true way to look at it is to be realistic. Don’t count on it becoming your career. That will only mislead you and misdirect you from what makes you special. Your sound. Your style. Don’t conform just to make a living. It will take all the fun out of being a creative.
What does Punk mean to you?
Your view on genres & what to expect.
I grew up on punk music. Having a significantly older brother meant I got to know the genre at a very early age. To me, as a musical genre, it is a way to openly express whatever is on your mind. To express the anger and rage we all have within us. And to aim it at whatever you want.
As a societal concept, or whatever you want to call it, punk is within all of us. I would never claim it is a way of living and you have to be this or you have to think like that. It is just an attitude towards life. Towards the things that have shaped and molded you. Upbringing, surroundings, friends.
You're also the drummer of the Rotterdam based Punkband LS.Gatekeeper and vocalist of another hardcore-punk band, do your performances in a punk band influence your style as an experienced DJ?
Not so much influence. But as a drummer you must be very rhythmically capable. As my DJ sets and also my own productions are very rhythmically inclined and percussion based, being a drummer is a very big help in both DJ’ing and producing.
Are these styles comparable? If so, how do you translate those styles into each other?
They can be. I don’t often let both disciplines intertwine, but an example of someone who embodies punk in electronics is my good friend Parrish Smith.
You have stated that you see Punk getting influenced by Hiphop, how so? What are the links you have seen and how does that translate into the merge of these genres?
They are not so much influencing each other. They are becoming more and more intertwined with one another. Bands like Ho99o9 combine hiphop with hardcore punk. And local rappers like Ray Fuego who for years has been frontman of well-known punk band Ploegendienst. Hardcore-punk festivals are now booking Denzel Curry, JPEGMAFIA and artists alike. I personally love it. But I might get some hate for that.
Name:
“Normal” People
I have grown wary of the so-called normal human. There’s something sly beneath their calm — a quiet deceit that smells of compromise.
To be normal in a world like this, is to make peace with the inhuman, the inhumane. To bow before the cruelties that pass for order.
Joseph Conrad once said: “the devil of our time wears no horns, he is soft, dull, and shapeless — a mediocre ghost who thrives in comfort. He needs no brilliance for his deceptions; they are clumsy, yet still we fall.”
And so we drift — in this age of moral sleep, among the pale, the pliant, the ones who wait for something unnamed, some awakening that never comes.
Normalcy.
Now you’re in your 12th year of DJing, what have been the most notable performances you would never forget throughout your career?
Your career & the future.
I will never forget a party during lockdown organized by record label Pinkman at Weelde in Rotterdam. Best crowd I have ever played for. Even though it was not my best set, it was and still is by far my favorite.
When and how did you fall in love with the art of DJing? Do you prefer your drumset over your DJ gear still?
At around 15 years old I was first exposed to techno. After about 3 years of partying I picked up some vinyl records at a record store my friend worked at, and it just came naturally. But my drumset will always be my favorite.
You have previously described your sound as an organic development from only Deep Techno, into more rhythmic styles such as Jungle, Drum & Bass, to Electro. What could we expect from you now? After more than a decade of developing your sound and style?
For this set expect deep, minimalistic and fast-paced beats, rhythmic explorations and a lot of energy.
What is your favourite independently produced track? Why so?
My current favorite tracks are all yet to be released, so I can’t disclose those. But my favorite track that is out is called Plexiglass, released on Ethos Records.
Recently, you have started sharing things you have written. As a poet/lyricist, your parts seem to be aimed at societal norms and expectations. Can you elaborate on why you have felt the need to grow this into an outlet on your platform?
It feels great to write down things that go on inside your mind. And I feel even better openly sharing them on instagram.
What does Punk mean to you?
Your view on genres & what to expect.
I grew up on punk music. Having a significantly older brother meant I got to know the genre at a very early age. To me, as a musical genre, it is a way to openly express whatever is on your mind. To express the anger and rage we all have within us. And to aim it at whatever you want. f
As a societal concept, or whatever you want to call it, punk is within all of us. I would never claim it is a way of living and you have to be this or you have to think like that. It is just an attitude towards life. Towards the things that have shaped and molded you. Upbringing, surroundings, friends.
You're also the drummer of the Rotterdam based Punkband LS.Gatekeeper and vocalist of another hardcore-punk band, do your performances in a punk band influence your style as an experienced DJ?
Not so much influence. But as a drummer you must be very rhythmically capable. As my DJ sets and also my own productions are very rhythmically inclined and percussion based, being a drummer is a very big help in both DJ’ing and producing.
Are these styles comparable? If so, how do you translate those styles into each other?
They can be. I don’t often let both disciplines intertwine, but an example of someone who embodies punk in electronics is my good friend Parrish Smith.
You have stated that you see Punk getting influenced by Hiphop, how so? What are the links you have seen and how does that translate into the merge of these genres?
They are not so much influencing each other. They are becoming more and more intertwined with one another. Bands like Ho99o9 combine hiphop with hardcore punk. And local rappers like Ray Fuego who for years has been frontman of well-known punk band Ploegendienst. Hardcore-punk festivals are now booking Denzel Curry, JPEGMAFIA and artists alike. I personally love it. But I might get some hate for that.