Interviews
Interview with Mr. Alpha
Published in Domination #14
Performed by Jazzcat
Presenting to you one of my friends from the scene, a person that has been around and explored most of the scene's subcultures. Member of the Fantastics and Nostalgia, please welcome Mr. Alpha in his first scene interview ever!
J)
Greetings Mario! I am happy to welcome you to the pages of Domination. I know you myself for many years now, starting when we mail traded together, but please introduce yourself to the audience...
M)
Hi David!
Sure we know each other for a while now, and I'm glad it's you who arranged my 1st interview ever for a disk mag! ?
Well, my real name is Mario and I'm 26 years "old". I'm living in Austria and work for a security firm mostly as porter or guard.
J)
Maybe you can give us all a brief story on your scene history?
M)
I started in the active C64 scene around early 1992, but I monitored the scene since 1987 because I got info and actual releases from my neighbour’s friend, being in "Future Crew" at that time... but I forgot his name, shame on me. Before 1992 I traded with only one guy here in Austria, it was a member of a crew called "L-C-C" and he sent me 10 to 20 disks with C64 stuff every 14 days.
I got my handle "Mr. Alpha" cause my neighbour named himself "Mr. Zero" and we built a local group called "Dynamic Projects".
My 1st C64 I got together with my brother and our "handle" was DLC before the local gang started ? This neighbour I'm talking about was later better known as Keoma/WOW.
My first "real" group was "Lore of Arts" which I joined at the Cosmos party in Gleisdorf/Austria in 1992. A certain "Murphy" asked me if I like to release something under LOA...
The leader of LOA was a certain "Frank/LOA" today known as Xenox/AFL'70. I started swapping really intensively at that time and sooner or later I joined JAM and as 2nd group Exile (Hungarian group). Quite shortly after that I got an offer from Neotec/Rebels to join Rebels as original supplier/swapper, so I said YES. Meanwhile my old friend Sneaper joined F4CG coming from WOW as cracker and coder. But he needed originals which I got quite regularly at that time, so it was a question of time only, as I got an offer from Sneaper as co-leader of F4CG at that time to join the Fantastics. Of course I agreed at once ?
This happened in 1993.
Later, as Sneaper slowed down his activities I "cracked" some games for F4cg, also... but nothing special to mention, really.
On January 1st 1994 I started my own group, calling it an "oldie-crew" with the name "The Remembers" later known as Nostalgia. So, since 1994 no new groups was I active for, quite stable, eh? :D
J)
What was your favourite group you have been in and why?
M)
F4CG of course, and I really have to mention WHY? hehe...
J)
Looking at your time on C64 overall, would you consider yourself more involved with the cracking or the demo culture?
M)
More into the cracking culture.
J)
Nostalgia has been around for some time now and it seems you have been active mostly for them lately. What is happening with the Fantastic Four Cracking Group these days? Some more releases from them also?
M)
Nostalgia releases something here and there, but the members got really busy with other things to do nowadays.
F4CG will bring something out, as soon as we have originals for 1sties again :D
For the legal F4CG-projects I personally think they're dead.
J)
What is your opinion on what happened to Newscopy getting kicked from F4cg?
M)
My opinion is that it was OK to kick out a member like NC who promised other members money for their work, but never paying 'em. He promised a lot of things as "Organizer" of the group, not much came along, except a not regularly released issue of Propaganda which even was not a disk mag under the F4CG label. He was also responsible for losing one of our best Polish suppliers: Maja.. I think Maja still has to get lotsa money from NC. Maybe more detailed, but this was also Solar's opinion about the whole story, just to mention. Well I don't like to say "betrayer" in NC's direction, because he partly paid the people involved in his "projects". Some years too late, but it's better than getting thrown a stone on your head ?
J)
Nostalgia are one of the more respected cracking groups these days, I really appreciate the old-school gfx and msx collections and quality cracks. What is planned for the group in the future?
M)
Nothing special is planned, no release map or kinda stuff c We do what we are willing to do. We have all the time, cause Nostalgia don't have any pressure.
J)
Have you ever been in any wars in the scene?
M)
Nope, not personally.
J)
Some brainstorming now, write what comes into your mind first when I say -
Mr. Zeropage - a legend
IRC - quite useful nowadays
Lamer - we all started lame
No Carrier - I never had a modem to
call a C64 BBS
Corramba - Avantgarde?
Breadbox - my all time favourite
J)
What release impressed you most on the C64?
M)
The one sided version of "Another World" released by Triad (just came into mind).
J)
Yes, quite a nice one that ?
Magazines have influenced the scene for quite a while now. How would you describe the "ideal" magazine? Also any involvement in them yourself?
M)
The magazines played a big role in the C64 scene lately. I was "kinda" involved in the return-issue of News Press. The ideal magazine is Domination for me. :D
J)
What are some of your favourite scene memories over the past 8 years?
M)
The meeting with "Fast Mike" (a cool local swapper here in Austria in the late 80s), The Cosmos Party 1992, joining F4CG, getting interviewed the 1st time.
J)
What are your hobbies outside the scene and how would you describe the average day of your life?
M)
There's not much time left for hobbies besides my 60 hours/week job :P But if you want to describe "watching DVD movies" as a hobby... hehe...
Mr. Alpha’s all-time favourites:
DEMO GROUP: Bonzai, Crest, Censor, Level 99.
MUSICIAN: Rob Hubbard, Galway, Zyron, JCH, Jeroen Tel.
GRAPHICIAN: Ogami, Deekay, Valsary, Mermaid.
GAME: Turrican 1 & 2, Last Ninja series and "Another World/X-Ample".
CRACKING GROUP: SCG, Triad, F4CG, Censor, Avantgarde.
CRACKER: Mr. Zeropage, Burglar, Sorex, Antitrack.
IMPORTING GROUP: NEI c
BBS: Tunnel of Warez (of course, hehe)
NTSC FIXER: Peacemaker, Suicide/AVT.
MUSIC GROUP: 20CC, MON, OXSID PL.
MOVIE: Virus, Terminator 1, "23", The Matrix.
DRINK: Mineral water
FOOD: Pizza
J)
What is your view on the internet and how it has changed the way the scenes operate?
M)
The internet is the new way to trade the C64 warez. It's faster than snail mail but you don't have the "feeling" opening a snail-sending of course ? But I never ever would return to snail mail.
J)
What does the future hold for you and the scene?
M)
Nothing much, to be honest. I don't care that intensively for the C64 anymore. Maybe I'll change my mind again, on a later stage of my life. Switching on the C64 one time per week is all I do lately "active" on the breadcase. I'll part the so-called "active" scener-status in 2001, I'm quite sure. Sad, but true... but I won't give away my C64 or leave it to collect dust in a small bin like others do (hi Walker, hehe).
J)
Nice to see you will not give it away so easily! Here now is your chance to send some greetings to anyone out there...
M)
Greetings: to all sceners I know and a special thanx to all who has helped me in the past getting involved on the Commodore 64 scene.
J)
Thanks for your time Mario, hope you enjoyed this interview. Any last comments to give for the readers?
M)
Thank you also, for my 1st interview. :D
Heroes for the People - Criminals to the State!
Published in Domination #14
Performed by Jazzcat
Presenting to you one of my friends from the scene, a person that has been around and explored most of the scene's subcultures. Member of the Fantastics and Nostalgia, please welcome Mr. Alpha in his first scene interview ever!
J)
Greetings Mario! I am happy to welcome you to the pages of Domination. I know you myself for many years now, starting when we mail traded together, but please introduce yourself to the audience...
M)
Hi David!
Sure we know each other for a while now, and I'm glad it's you who arranged my 1st interview ever for a disk mag! ?
Well, my real name is Mario and I'm 26 years "old". I'm living in Austria and work for a security firm mostly as porter or guard.
J)
Maybe you can give us all a brief story on your scene history?
M)
I started in the active C64 scene around early 1992, but I monitored the scene since 1987 because I got info and actual releases from my neighbour’s friend, being in "Future Crew" at that time... but I forgot his name, shame on me. Before 1992 I traded with only one guy here in Austria, it was a member of a crew called "L-C-C" and he sent me 10 to 20 disks with C64 stuff every 14 days.
I got my handle "Mr. Alpha" cause my neighbour named himself "Mr. Zero" and we built a local group called "Dynamic Projects".
My 1st C64 I got together with my brother and our "handle" was DLC before the local gang started ? This neighbour I'm talking about was later better known as Keoma/WOW.
My first "real" group was "Lore of Arts" which I joined at the Cosmos party in Gleisdorf/Austria in 1992. A certain "Murphy" asked me if I like to release something under LOA...
The leader of LOA was a certain "Frank/LOA" today known as Xenox/AFL'70. I started swapping really intensively at that time and sooner or later I joined JAM and as 2nd group Exile (Hungarian group). Quite shortly after that I got an offer from Neotec/Rebels to join Rebels as original supplier/swapper, so I said YES. Meanwhile my old friend Sneaper joined F4CG coming from WOW as cracker and coder. But he needed originals which I got quite regularly at that time, so it was a question of time only, as I got an offer from Sneaper as co-leader of F4CG at that time to join the Fantastics. Of course I agreed at once ?
This happened in 1993.
Later, as Sneaper slowed down his activities I "cracked" some games for F4cg, also... but nothing special to mention, really.
On January 1st 1994 I started my own group, calling it an "oldie-crew" with the name "The Remembers" later known as Nostalgia. So, since 1994 no new groups was I active for, quite stable, eh? :D
J)
What was your favourite group you have been in and why?
M)
F4CG of course, and I really have to mention WHY? hehe...
J)
Looking at your time on C64 overall, would you consider yourself more involved with the cracking or the demo culture?
M)
More into the cracking culture.
J)
Nostalgia has been around for some time now and it seems you have been active mostly for them lately. What is happening with the Fantastic Four Cracking Group these days? Some more releases from them also?
M)
Nostalgia releases something here and there, but the members got really busy with other things to do nowadays.
F4CG will bring something out, as soon as we have originals for 1sties again :D
For the legal F4CG-projects I personally think they're dead.
J)
What is your opinion on what happened to Newscopy getting kicked from F4cg?
M)
My opinion is that it was OK to kick out a member like NC who promised other members money for their work, but never paying 'em. He promised a lot of things as "Organizer" of the group, not much came along, except a not regularly released issue of Propaganda which even was not a disk mag under the F4CG label. He was also responsible for losing one of our best Polish suppliers: Maja.. I think Maja still has to get lotsa money from NC. Maybe more detailed, but this was also Solar's opinion about the whole story, just to mention. Well I don't like to say "betrayer" in NC's direction, because he partly paid the people involved in his "projects". Some years too late, but it's better than getting thrown a stone on your head ?
J)
Nostalgia are one of the more respected cracking groups these days, I really appreciate the old-school gfx and msx collections and quality cracks. What is planned for the group in the future?
M)
Nothing special is planned, no release map or kinda stuff c We do what we are willing to do. We have all the time, cause Nostalgia don't have any pressure.
J)
Have you ever been in any wars in the scene?
M)
Nope, not personally.
J)
Some brainstorming now, write what comes into your mind first when I say -
Mr. Zeropage - a legend
IRC - quite useful nowadays
Lamer - we all started lame
No Carrier - I never had a modem to
call a C64 BBS
Corramba - Avantgarde?
Breadbox - my all time favourite
J)
What release impressed you most on the C64?
M)
The one sided version of "Another World" released by Triad (just came into mind).
J)
Yes, quite a nice one that ?
Magazines have influenced the scene for quite a while now. How would you describe the "ideal" magazine? Also any involvement in them yourself?
M)
The magazines played a big role in the C64 scene lately. I was "kinda" involved in the return-issue of News Press. The ideal magazine is Domination for me. :D
J)
What are some of your favourite scene memories over the past 8 years?
M)
The meeting with "Fast Mike" (a cool local swapper here in Austria in the late 80s), The Cosmos Party 1992, joining F4CG, getting interviewed the 1st time.
J)
What are your hobbies outside the scene and how would you describe the average day of your life?
M)
There's not much time left for hobbies besides my 60 hours/week job :P But if you want to describe "watching DVD movies" as a hobby... hehe...
Mr. Alpha’s all-time favourites:
DEMO GROUP: Bonzai, Crest, Censor, Level 99.
MUSICIAN: Rob Hubbard, Galway, Zyron, JCH, Jeroen Tel.
GRAPHICIAN: Ogami, Deekay, Valsary, Mermaid.
GAME: Turrican 1 & 2, Last Ninja series and "Another World/X-Ample".
CRACKING GROUP: SCG, Triad, F4CG, Censor, Avantgarde.
CRACKER: Mr. Zeropage, Burglar, Sorex, Antitrack.
IMPORTING GROUP: NEI c
BBS: Tunnel of Warez (of course, hehe)
NTSC FIXER: Peacemaker, Suicide/AVT.
MUSIC GROUP: 20CC, MON, OXSID PL.
MOVIE: Virus, Terminator 1, "23", The Matrix.
DRINK: Mineral water
FOOD: Pizza
J)
What is your view on the internet and how it has changed the way the scenes operate?
M)
The internet is the new way to trade the C64 warez. It's faster than snail mail but you don't have the "feeling" opening a snail-sending of course ? But I never ever would return to snail mail.
J)
What does the future hold for you and the scene?
M)
Nothing much, to be honest. I don't care that intensively for the C64 anymore. Maybe I'll change my mind again, on a later stage of my life. Switching on the C64 one time per week is all I do lately "active" on the breadcase. I'll part the so-called "active" scener-status in 2001, I'm quite sure. Sad, but true... but I won't give away my C64 or leave it to collect dust in a small bin like others do (hi Walker, hehe).
J)
Nice to see you will not give it away so easily! Here now is your chance to send some greetings to anyone out there...
M)
Greetings: to all sceners I know and a special thanx to all who has helped me in the past getting involved on the Commodore 64 scene.
J)
Thanks for your time Mario, hope you enjoyed this interview. Any last comments to give for the readers?
M)
Thank you also, for my 1st interview. :D
Heroes for the People - Criminals to the State!