DJ Mental Theo
Biography
Born Theodorus Jozephus Jan Nabuurs, DJ Mental Theo was born on 14 February 1965 in Den Bosch (the Netherlands).
From an early age he was passionate about many sports: football, karate, ice hockey, judo and baseball. At 14 he started playing rugby with the club The Dukes, where he played for seven years and was even selected for the Dutch national team. He later practised cycling, Muay Thai (Thai boxing) and bodybuilding.
He began mixing records at 15. He first worked as a light-jockey at the Chic nightclub in Oisterwijk; when a resident DJ fell ill he was given his first set. During the week he worked in record shops and performed as a DJ on weekends.
He rose to prominence as part of the duo Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo, a defining act in the Dutch happy hardcore and hardstyle scenes.
Since 1999 he has collaborated with The Music Factory (TMF), the Dutch branch of MTV, presenting his own shows such as Mental Theo On The Road, in which he visits clubs around the country, and Bounzz, devoted to DJ interviews and clips of happy hardcore, rave and hardcore. He also produced summer and winter specials abroad.
Beyond television he is involved in motorsport with his team Mental Racing. He is co-manager of the label Patriott Records and of a production company called Mental Television. He manages or has managed many other labels such as Mental Movement Recordings, Future Freaks, Master Maximum Records, Simple Symphonys, Bunkör Beats, Riot Row Records, Bunker Vinyl, Supersonic Records and Patriot Hard-Beat.
As a producer he uses a multitude of pseudonyms reflecting his versatility and involvement in various electronic projects, including Theo Nabuurs, Horny Bruce, The Dentist, Miles & Friends, '99 Southside, Pornstars, Doggy-T, Doctor, Brainstormers, Fat Babe, Dirty Ann, Genalin, Sicilia, Bassfreax, Nicks Project, Inesauribile, Bolthianni, Bazzheadz and Theodor Nabuurs.
His musical work is mainly in the fields of happy hardcore, hardstyle and trance, to which he has made significant contributions.