The So Cal rave scene has grown immensely over the past few years. I have only been part of it for one year, but I do know this. Even though I am what most ravers would call a "newbie," I have developed some valid opinions about the rave scene. One of them includes my theory of the Junglist Revolution.

I am what ravers call a "Junglist." However, I don't think that Junglists are really a type of raver at all. Jungle music and Junglists are seperate from the rest of the rave scene. The only reason why Jungle is considered a part of raving, is because they play Jungle at raves. Junglists therefore come to raves to hear their music. But if Jungle wasn't played at raves, it would cease to have any affiliation with raving at all. And that is exactly what I think is going to happen-one day there will be a Junglist Revolution, and the break between Jungle and the Rave scene will become official.

Let me give you a background on Jungle. Jungle came to the rave scene about 10 years ago, when it had not come to America yet. When it first debuted at a rave, people were not into it at all. Over time, people started to appreciate it, and then eventually these people grew in number and became the Junglists we know today. But they are still separate from the rest of the scene--anyone who goes to raves would notice it. Junglists don't dress the same or act the same as other ravers, and they usually aren't into any other kind of raving music.

The reason Jungle is still a part of raving, is that the rest of the world isn't ready for it yet. Most of the world thinks what ravers listen to is just "techno." They have no idea how complex the different genres are and how many genres exist. If it's got beats, made electronically, and spun on records, it's "techno." One of these days, Jungle will move away from raves. The push for this is greater now than ever, with raving extremely mainstream (except for the real underground). The awareness of raves is widespread- and the image people know of it is undesirable by any self-respecting raver, and especially hated by any Junglist, who knows that a pacifier-sucking, kandy and big pants-wearing, Vicks covered raver is NOT who they are-and not what they want to be a part of anymore.

So when the overall separation and resentment towards the rest of the rave scene finally becomes too strong to contain, jungle will begin to steer away from raves and into different, unknown places. Only time will tell how it will evolve, but still I say that the Junglist Revolution is coming! Junglists unite! Watch out world, 'cause we're ready to invade.