Amiga Music Preservation -

Interview

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TLb. ,dMP' all rite, now you get the chance to read

TML.dMMP some facts about some of the major amiga

,nmm`XXMPX musicians. read about their history in

,#MP'~~XNXYNXTb. the scene and their plans in future.yes,

,d~' dNNP `YNTb. that's meant to be read while listening to

,~ ,NN' `YNb their modules. read 'em over and over and over..

dNP `Yb.

,NN' `b. · i n t e r v i e w · ___________

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| _| | | _l_ | | \ / _l_ | ___|

l___/=l___|====l____/===\______|==l______|\ /l___/===\______l____/

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Handle:

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Group:

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Date of birth:

1-How did your interest for computers start? Which year was that?

My interest in computers began as a child in late 1982 or early 1983. I was
at a friends house and he had this funny tan box. It had brown keys with
intriguing white letters and symbols on it. When powered, there was an
enticing blue screen with a light blue border and flashing cursor.

I do not recall the exact conversation or how I persuaded my own parents to provide
me with a Commodore 64. Having been exposed to a lot of television, my sales pitch
must have been convincing.

I tried my best to learn as much about this computer as possible. But this
was America. And it was the early eighties. We had just begun putting high
fructose corn syrup in as many foods as possible. As a consequence, my attention
span was rather short.

I spent more time playing games than doing much of any true value. However,
I did mess around with assembly language, my modem and writing songs.

2-What machines did you previously have? What did you do with them?

Here are some of the machines I have had;

Commodore 64
Commodore 128
Nintendo Entertainment System
Sega Master System
Amiga 500
Turbo Grafix-16
Gameboy
Some 286
Super Nintendo
SparcStation 20
Atari 800XL
Gameboy Advance

I have most of them, still. Although I have had to sell some of them to pay
rent or obtain food.

I would talk more about this if it weren't so depressing.

3-For what specific reason did you end up making music rather than gfx, coding?

As it happens, I do both graphics and coding. Not too much coding. I've only
recently started coding again after a 20 year hiatus. I'm at work on some
music programs for the Commodore 64 and Turbo Grafix-16.

4-Which composing programs have you been using? Which one in particular?

In the old days, on the Commodore there was a program, it had some initials or
something. On the Amiga, it was the usual suspects; NoiseTracker, Protracker,
MED, OctaMED.

I have started using Soundtracker for Linux for the work I've been doing for
Gravity.

5-With which module did you feel you had reached your goal?

Typically a given goal was the completion of that module. Thus each completed
module was a completed goal.

Perhaps, the goal should have been world domination. With a single
preemptive strike I could have entered the scene and dominated with an
astounding display of arrogance.

On the other hand, it's for the best that was not my goal. That way lies
downfall and ruination.

6-Is there a tune you would like not to remember? For what reason?

Not as such, no. I'm sure as I continue to go through these old disks I may find
an embarrassingly bad tune.

7-In your opinion, what's the value of a music in a demo, game?

A demo without music is just boring isn't it? Music adds to the overall feel
of a demo or game. Silence can be powerful when used properly. But this
would typically require a certain piece of music to precede it so that the
silence can have its intended effect.

8-At present, are you still composing? For professional or leisure purposes?

I compose quite a lot for professional leisure purposes. I've played in several
bands such as, Vol Nonik, Suretoss, The Condiments, Augustus Sweetheart. To
this day, I still release songs as Moogle Charm.

9-What do you think of today's pieces of music such as mpeg,wave,midi,etc...?

I've never been much interested in midi files, although the results could be
better if they were played back on an interesting synthesizer.

I actually prefer to use ogg or mpeg rather than give people NSF and SID files
and say, "Okay, now just play these files back at the same time." I also play
guitar, among other instruments, and it always works better to record all the
parts rather than sample the guitar.

If I were making music for a NES, C=64 or Amiga game, I would stick to using only
their native formats. As a musician, I enjoy using a variety of instruments
and use many systems.

10-Could you tell us some of your all times favourite tunes?

Omega 4, OKS, Fairlight, Round One, This is Funk, einstein-b1.remix,
Hurt my Feelings, Blue Damage, The Anvil Chorus, 12th Warrior, Let's Swing It,
Ultimate and Two AM.

I also enjoy some of the music from Turrican I & II, Skate or Die II,
Castlevania I & III, Agony, The Killing Game Show and Zak McCracken.

11-Are you planning to make an audio cd with some of your music remastered?

Few of my modules were widely available. I uploaded a couple of them onto my BBS
but most people had left the BBS scene for MUDs. Most of the mods were not really
finished. The module was just a backing track and there were other parts
intended.

Of the Amiga modules that I have rescued from decaying floppy disks, some
versions of those songs will be released but they will differ slightly as they
are being released by the band Moogle Charm so there will be vocals and other
additions.

12-What bands are you currently listenning to?

Patience Please, Taxi Taxi!, Lucky Lucky Pigeons, Boyracer, Bob Hund,
Honeymoons, Pixel, Racetrack, Wet Confetti, Daniel G. Harmann, The Sound,
Comsat Angels, The Wake, The Teardrop Explodes, The Wolfhounds, A Shrine,
Hideki Kaji, Acid House Kings, Fighter D, Florian, The Revolutionary Hydra,
Sekiden, Darren Hanlon, The Lucksmiths, The Go-Betweens, New Order...

These are a few of my favourite things.

13-What does/did the amiga/c64 scene give you?

Brilliant music and impressive graphics routines to enjoy.

14-Are you still active in the scene these days?

Not as such. I write songs for a PC demo group, Gravity. However, I am
available to write songs for demos or games for any platform.

15-Anyone to greet? Anything left to say? Feel free...

Greetings to: Clyde, Rbraz, Zamaster, Imzadi, Parry, Pyro, Enchanted Em, You, Molly
Malone, Dr Flowbee, The Brain, Mr Jazz, and Powdered Toast Man.

If your government is shit remember this. There are more of you than there
are of them. What are they going to do? Kill you all? Who will they dominate
and exploit if they do that?

Stop supporting companies that exploit labor in Asia and elsewhere. Genetically
modified foods, high fructose corn syrup and processed foods are bad. Some
people say that Fox News has already destroyed American media as a whole. Don't
let them ruin media worldwide.

Make your voice heard. If you're in a society that is largely capitalist, vote with
your wallet.

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please note: this interview is ©opyrighted in 2006 by crown of cryptoburners
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