Interviews
Interview with Zapp
Published in Vandalism News #23
Performed by Vengeance
Well, again you managed to reach the interview section this time we have stepped to the legal scene, why? we don't know but I thought we'd look at a member of one of the longer run demo groups around nowadays. This particular member is only a swapper in the group, but we hope that he'll be able to let us know any useful information about his crew.
V)
Well, let's not beat around the bush, lets get straight to the point, introduce yourself to our readers....
Z)
I'm ZAPP of NOICE. My real name is Tobias Svensson and I live in the south region of Sweden in a city with CA 60,000 citizens called VAXJO. I nearby passed 18 years of age, so I was born in 1977.
V)
Well, thanks for that, anyway what are your jobs in Noice? How long have you been a member and why did you join?
Z)
My main job in NOICE is swapping. I don't have that many contacts, only about 50 but I have also started with calling out to the Swedish boards. I joined NOICE in august 1993, I sent a message to STASI, who was my contact, and asked if they had any need for a swapper. I wanted to join NOICE as a second group first, but I wasn't allowed. Then the leader of my previous group, STATIC/GOTHIC DESIGN quit the scene. And then I joined in for real. The reason to join NOICE, was because I liked their products very much, and that it was almost a totally Swedish group.
V)
I can understand the reasoning behind that as you need to keep in touch in order for things to work, that is why a lot of bigger crews fall apart, people need to meet and see each other... the team work follows... But now give us your scene history, from the beginning to the end?
Z)
It is hard to say exactly when you're in or out of it, But I got my first c64 in 1987, I learned some basic language programming and played games. Some years passed away, then a friend of mine brought a disk drive and I saw some demos. I loved it at once. Later on I thought it was so cool so I brought a 128d, in order to sell my old faithful one. I lamed around with my new computer for about two months. In the Christmas holidays of 1991, I called up my friend and asked him if he wanted to form a group with me. He said 'yes' and we decided to call ourselves ALIVE as we wanted the 64 to be. Another guy who went to my school joined in too, and we made some lame games in basic. I even tried to crack a bit. I first decided to take the handle VODKA, as my other friend called himself EXPLORER. Here in Sweden we usually booze around with something called VODKAEXPLORER if you didn't know. After another month, or two we met DAVID, who was announcing for game-swap in the local magazine (smaalandsposten). He actually had some contacts in the ELITE scene, as his brothers friends were STATUS and GRYZOR/LIGHT. David took the handle DR.BAKER and my other friend called himself ZAKK. I contacted some elite dudes in LIGHT and BONZAI but I got no reply. David got some wares from the Easter party in Alingsaas, and I made a second sending. This was at the very date of 7th of may 1992. Now I got some answers from STATIC/GOTHIC, RICO/PRETZAL LOGIC and TORCH/CLIQUE. Now things went fast, we made some changes in our group as there already was a group called ALIVE. We changed name to EPIC. I gained a lot of new contacts all the time during that summer. We even made a "demo" with a logo shower editor. This demo never got spread, but some sceners have it though. David left our group in July, and not far after I joined GOTHIC DESIGN. The old group EPIC had a name change again as there was another EPIC. They renamed to "BETRAYAL", and in the spring of 1993 they formed a new group together with HYPE and OMED/HERCULES called LIQUID. I was in GOTHIC until November -92, when STATIC decided to kill the group. Then I joined WRTAH DESIGNS just one week before they released the demo "STUPIDITY 2". I was in the group for only two weekends and then got kicked without any real reason to it. I felt very abused and furious, as the only thing I had done in such a short period was to spread there demo. As lucky as I was WRATH DESIGNS died, and I felt a bit of malicious joy. One of the coders in WRATH was the VEKTOR GURU "ELIZ". STATIC and ELIZ rebuilt GOTHIC DESIGNS and I rejoined. Just some time after I had rejoined GOTHIC, my computer got totally BROKEN due to some "technical experiments". At this time I really planned to quit the scene. But one month later I brought another 128d, and I was on the move again. Nothing special happened, we planned to release a demo at TCC party but ELIZ joined ANTIC. I went up to Karlstad to visit STATIC some days, and then he followed me home and stayed with me in our summer house for some time. First then he was planning to quit the scene, and so he did some weeks later. Now I joined NOICE, and I知 still in that group. I could feel that the organisation and UNITY was very good at once.
V)
Well, good organisation is a base and really a necessity nowadays, your history reminds me much of my own, but anyway what do you find to have been the biggest change in your scene history?
Z)
The biggest change in my scene period (so far) was probably when I started to swap for real. Then I realised that the scene is not a kind of competition between groups, but a big communication network via talented computer freaks.
V)
Well, in someway the scene is a kind of competition still though, living in Sweden, just like in any country
must get boring at times, so what do you guys do in your spare time?
Z)
Oh! in my spare time I walk out from igloo though its -40 degrees Celsius, and play snow rugby. No just kidding of course, but this is a vision that many of the "down under" habitants have of the Scandinavian countries. Here in Sweden many guys and girls are interested in sporting, I知 not that fond of it but I never miss it when I have the chance. I don't really know what the most typical Swedish spare time activities are, but I like to look around and travel a bit. I hang around with my friends in the weekends, and the normal stuff you know!?! One of my new great passions has become skiing. Unfortunately there are no mountains here in south Sweden but if you travel 15 hours northwest you'll find some cool pists, but I can only afford to go one or maybe two times a year.
V)
Well, the Australian view of SWEDEN is one that I personally don't share, when myself and JAZZCAT think of Sweden, we think of Jerry driving around in his SAAB and TRANZIIE listening to Australians on the phone getting stoned :) (ED - hi Peter), but anyway take a moment to think back, when you where a new comer in the scene who were your IDOLS and WHY?
Z)
Sure I can remember those days. I liked the products from all known groups like: FAIRLIGHT, TRIAD, CENSOR, FLASH INC, LIGHT. And so on. I never really bothered about the handles, but handles which were in my head was probably ZODIAC, FLAMINGO, DRAGON, SENSEI, DANKO, MOON, OGAMI and TRON. I also liked some foreign groups like BONZAI. I didn't have many demos in the beginning so I can't tell. But those guys really gave their soul to the c64 and made real QUALITY productions which never really will die.
V)
That's for sure, and man just have a look at some of those Swedish groups/handles you mentioned Sweden must simply be the most successful country for demo groups and the like, but what about mags? What magazine stood out in your eyes as being the most successful ever?
Z)
I always liked SCRIPT, too bad it had to die. I also liked the old ADDYBOOK and SKYHIGH. I'm more into the legal scene than the illegal so I prefer such mags. I知 not very interested in how many more or less first releases SCS*TRC has done than for example CHROMANCE.
V)
Well, I think everybody liked SCRIPT, REMIX was simply one of my best friends ever in this fucking scene, and when SCRIPT and REMIX left it was for sure a sad day, even prompted a break from me for a while, but on the subject of mags what could be done to IMPROVE this magazine?
Z)
As I just said, I知 not very interested in the illegal scene but your mag is quite cool anyway. Try to improve the news, and let them reflect the legal scene more. One thing I miss from the old days, are these "DID YOU KNOW'S". They have decreased or disappeared in all mags.
V)
Well, one thing we have been trying to make a constant improvement on is the LEGAL news, but as a cracker group is always having a lot of different things happening, its always more than likely that the cracker news is bigger, and about the DID YOU KNOWS....DID YOU KNOW THAT VANDALISM'S LIGHTER-SIDE INCLUDES DID YOU KNOWS??? Anyway NEW groups pop up and own all the time, have you found that many of the newcomer groups have an ego problem? or have they all been 100% okay?
Z)
Some of the "NEW" groups are almost exactly there same as the old group. For example the cracking groups in DENMARK.(ED - haha, and with that we scream image, Epic...MOTIV 8 :)).I believe more in long co-ops like IKARI+TALENT was. In my opinion SCS*TRC have almost lived up to their standard, even if the games are easier to crack these days. In major I think its okay with the new groups, but not if it happens to often.
V)
SCS*TRC have certainly done a wonderful job, and its really quite an admirable effort, but I値l ask you that question in a couple of years again :) But anyway SWEDEN is really the base for the major demo groups as I said before, with groups like TRIAD, FAIRLIGHT, NOICE, CENSOR, ANTIC etc, all in the one country, this would have make it a lot harder to find a place in the legal scene to get known, was this a hard step for you or are all the elites in Sweden friendly guys who like to help out??
Z)
Well, frankly I don't know if I知 well known yet, but I can remember in the early days when I all the time tried to gain new contacts. At that time I didn't feel very much support. I contacted lots of ELITE dudes but never got a reply. This is of course good too, it's unfair to let someone in to the scene without any presentations. I can't say that I was hard for me to get into the scene, I gained lots of contacts in a very short period of time. Though the disk-stealers... But when I look at others, for example my friends in LIQIUD then I can see that its much harder if you're not a swapper. All a decent swapper needs is the time and money. A good knowledge in English is good and also a bit of charisma. A coder needs ideas, patience, and a bit of intellect and of course lots of time. Even more than a swapper I guess.
V)
Well again very true, a swapper also needs to be able to lay his hands on some pre-release wares from time to time, in the illegal scene being an original supplier is fucking hard work and it is very different than being a normal wares swapper, but more about that some other time, if you could choose one person to remove from the scene that would effect everyone, do you think you would know such a person and if so who?
Z)
Well, not to mention. I've never really been into a "WAR-THING". I want to tell WRATH DESIGNS that I知 not angry with them anymore, and they should not feel abused of what I wrote before.
V)
SCOPE of F4CG died recently in a subway accident, he also was Swedish if you knew him you might wanna pass some last words to him now?
Z)
Unfortunately, I didn't know SCOPE very well, I just saw him at some parties. The last party where I saw him at was the TRIBUTE. But I really hope that his memory will last for long. It's such a pity when a young guy have to die so fast.
V)
Personally, I知 sure the legend of SCOPE will live forever, he certainly deserves it, as he was quite possibly the BEST graphician that this computer has ever seen. But I remember you used to work for MOONLIGHT? what do you think of the mag now, has it improved or has the standard fallen since it has been taken over by an Australian?
Z)
We'll, I didn't really work for MOONLIGHT, and I just spread the issues and the votesheets. I haven't seen so many issues of MOONLIGHT yet, but the last one I saw had exactly the same outfit and logos since before. The outfit was coded by DOXX/ex-GOTHIC (now Noice). And the intro by ROAD RUNNER/TRIAD, who is BLACKWIDOW痴 husband. I think its kinda lame. Nothing actually done by the own crew but the text editing. The chapters were QUITE uninteresting too. A lot of shit that didn't concern the scene at all. In my eyes GOTHIC DESIGN will always be a SWEDISH group.
V)
Well, still on about Australia, it is not a well known country for the scene only a few names come to mind, which groups from this country and which guys or productions do you think stand out?
Z)
Hmmm, I can't remember any Australian based groups at all which really has made me ASTONISHED some dudes have got well deserved places in the elite groups, like you and JAZZCAT for instance. I guess this is because of their bad communication between the continents. Something I really remember is the TERA FOREVER utility disk. I really thought it kicked ass.
V)
Okay, before we end the interview a question which is asked in many mags, make the ULIMATE GROUP, taking in any group/person or production you want...? who would you take and why?
Z)
That痴 quite a standard question... First of all I want to say that to less talents are really active today, but if everyone could get their thumbs out I would have picked...
MOST NOICE MEMBERS
Coders: TRON, KING FISHER, TTS, SLAMMER
Musicians: MOON, DANKO, PRI, GUY SHAVITT, JEREON TEL
Graphicians: OGAMI, CREEPER, RODER
These are guys that have talent and CARISMA so they would surely do some kicking demos together.
V)
Well, your a busy man and so am I, so I値l leave you here, thank you very much for you time and for sharing it with us. if you have any last words, or wanna send any greets to contacts then feel free...
Z)
Thanks MATT! I would like to say that there痴 another ZZAP in the scene. He is called DR.ZZAP and he lives in Sweden and is active on the modem scene too. People can mix it up and think that I知 he and he is me, please be attentive. I would also like to greet all my contacts and all members of NOICE, personal greet to: ZAKK, HYPE and EXPLORER of ex-LIQIUD and all the old c64 freaks in my hometown VAXJO. And of course big hello to VENGEANCE and his new cracking group ONSLAUGHT. ZAPP/NOICE
NOICE - THE MANNERS OF A GOAT
+++
Well there you go another chapter complete, keep watching this spot and be interested, very interested.
VENGEANCE/ONSLAUGHT.
Published in Vandalism News #23
Performed by Vengeance
Well, again you managed to reach the interview section this time we have stepped to the legal scene, why? we don't know but I thought we'd look at a member of one of the longer run demo groups around nowadays. This particular member is only a swapper in the group, but we hope that he'll be able to let us know any useful information about his crew.
V)
Well, let's not beat around the bush, lets get straight to the point, introduce yourself to our readers....
Z)
I'm ZAPP of NOICE. My real name is Tobias Svensson and I live in the south region of Sweden in a city with CA 60,000 citizens called VAXJO. I nearby passed 18 years of age, so I was born in 1977.
V)
Well, thanks for that, anyway what are your jobs in Noice? How long have you been a member and why did you join?
Z)
My main job in NOICE is swapping. I don't have that many contacts, only about 50 but I have also started with calling out to the Swedish boards. I joined NOICE in august 1993, I sent a message to STASI, who was my contact, and asked if they had any need for a swapper. I wanted to join NOICE as a second group first, but I wasn't allowed. Then the leader of my previous group, STATIC/GOTHIC DESIGN quit the scene. And then I joined in for real. The reason to join NOICE, was because I liked their products very much, and that it was almost a totally Swedish group.
V)
I can understand the reasoning behind that as you need to keep in touch in order for things to work, that is why a lot of bigger crews fall apart, people need to meet and see each other... the team work follows... But now give us your scene history, from the beginning to the end?
Z)
It is hard to say exactly when you're in or out of it, But I got my first c64 in 1987, I learned some basic language programming and played games. Some years passed away, then a friend of mine brought a disk drive and I saw some demos. I loved it at once. Later on I thought it was so cool so I brought a 128d, in order to sell my old faithful one. I lamed around with my new computer for about two months. In the Christmas holidays of 1991, I called up my friend and asked him if he wanted to form a group with me. He said 'yes' and we decided to call ourselves ALIVE as we wanted the 64 to be. Another guy who went to my school joined in too, and we made some lame games in basic. I even tried to crack a bit. I first decided to take the handle VODKA, as my other friend called himself EXPLORER. Here in Sweden we usually booze around with something called VODKAEXPLORER if you didn't know. After another month, or two we met DAVID, who was announcing for game-swap in the local magazine (smaalandsposten). He actually had some contacts in the ELITE scene, as his brothers friends were STATUS and GRYZOR/LIGHT. David took the handle DR.BAKER and my other friend called himself ZAKK. I contacted some elite dudes in LIGHT and BONZAI but I got no reply. David got some wares from the Easter party in Alingsaas, and I made a second sending. This was at the very date of 7th of may 1992. Now I got some answers from STATIC/GOTHIC, RICO/PRETZAL LOGIC and TORCH/CLIQUE. Now things went fast, we made some changes in our group as there already was a group called ALIVE. We changed name to EPIC. I gained a lot of new contacts all the time during that summer. We even made a "demo" with a logo shower editor. This demo never got spread, but some sceners have it though. David left our group in July, and not far after I joined GOTHIC DESIGN. The old group EPIC had a name change again as there was another EPIC. They renamed to "BETRAYAL", and in the spring of 1993 they formed a new group together with HYPE and OMED/HERCULES called LIQUID. I was in GOTHIC until November -92, when STATIC decided to kill the group. Then I joined WRTAH DESIGNS just one week before they released the demo "STUPIDITY 2". I was in the group for only two weekends and then got kicked without any real reason to it. I felt very abused and furious, as the only thing I had done in such a short period was to spread there demo. As lucky as I was WRATH DESIGNS died, and I felt a bit of malicious joy. One of the coders in WRATH was the VEKTOR GURU "ELIZ". STATIC and ELIZ rebuilt GOTHIC DESIGNS and I rejoined. Just some time after I had rejoined GOTHIC, my computer got totally BROKEN due to some "technical experiments". At this time I really planned to quit the scene. But one month later I brought another 128d, and I was on the move again. Nothing special happened, we planned to release a demo at TCC party but ELIZ joined ANTIC. I went up to Karlstad to visit STATIC some days, and then he followed me home and stayed with me in our summer house for some time. First then he was planning to quit the scene, and so he did some weeks later. Now I joined NOICE, and I知 still in that group. I could feel that the organisation and UNITY was very good at once.
V)
Well, good organisation is a base and really a necessity nowadays, your history reminds me much of my own, but anyway what do you find to have been the biggest change in your scene history?
Z)
The biggest change in my scene period (so far) was probably when I started to swap for real. Then I realised that the scene is not a kind of competition between groups, but a big communication network via talented computer freaks.
V)
Well, in someway the scene is a kind of competition still though, living in Sweden, just like in any country
must get boring at times, so what do you guys do in your spare time?
Z)
Oh! in my spare time I walk out from igloo though its -40 degrees Celsius, and play snow rugby. No just kidding of course, but this is a vision that many of the "down under" habitants have of the Scandinavian countries. Here in Sweden many guys and girls are interested in sporting, I知 not that fond of it but I never miss it when I have the chance. I don't really know what the most typical Swedish spare time activities are, but I like to look around and travel a bit. I hang around with my friends in the weekends, and the normal stuff you know!?! One of my new great passions has become skiing. Unfortunately there are no mountains here in south Sweden but if you travel 15 hours northwest you'll find some cool pists, but I can only afford to go one or maybe two times a year.
V)
Well, the Australian view of SWEDEN is one that I personally don't share, when myself and JAZZCAT think of Sweden, we think of Jerry driving around in his SAAB and TRANZIIE listening to Australians on the phone getting stoned :) (ED - hi Peter), but anyway take a moment to think back, when you where a new comer in the scene who were your IDOLS and WHY?
Z)
Sure I can remember those days. I liked the products from all known groups like: FAIRLIGHT, TRIAD, CENSOR, FLASH INC, LIGHT. And so on. I never really bothered about the handles, but handles which were in my head was probably ZODIAC, FLAMINGO, DRAGON, SENSEI, DANKO, MOON, OGAMI and TRON. I also liked some foreign groups like BONZAI. I didn't have many demos in the beginning so I can't tell. But those guys really gave their soul to the c64 and made real QUALITY productions which never really will die.
V)
That's for sure, and man just have a look at some of those Swedish groups/handles you mentioned Sweden must simply be the most successful country for demo groups and the like, but what about mags? What magazine stood out in your eyes as being the most successful ever?
Z)
I always liked SCRIPT, too bad it had to die. I also liked the old ADDYBOOK and SKYHIGH. I'm more into the legal scene than the illegal so I prefer such mags. I知 not very interested in how many more or less first releases SCS*TRC has done than for example CHROMANCE.
V)
Well, I think everybody liked SCRIPT, REMIX was simply one of my best friends ever in this fucking scene, and when SCRIPT and REMIX left it was for sure a sad day, even prompted a break from me for a while, but on the subject of mags what could be done to IMPROVE this magazine?
Z)
As I just said, I知 not very interested in the illegal scene but your mag is quite cool anyway. Try to improve the news, and let them reflect the legal scene more. One thing I miss from the old days, are these "DID YOU KNOW'S". They have decreased or disappeared in all mags.
V)
Well, one thing we have been trying to make a constant improvement on is the LEGAL news, but as a cracker group is always having a lot of different things happening, its always more than likely that the cracker news is bigger, and about the DID YOU KNOWS....DID YOU KNOW THAT VANDALISM'S LIGHTER-SIDE INCLUDES DID YOU KNOWS??? Anyway NEW groups pop up and own all the time, have you found that many of the newcomer groups have an ego problem? or have they all been 100% okay?
Z)
Some of the "NEW" groups are almost exactly there same as the old group. For example the cracking groups in DENMARK.(ED - haha, and with that we scream image, Epic...MOTIV 8 :)).I believe more in long co-ops like IKARI+TALENT was. In my opinion SCS*TRC have almost lived up to their standard, even if the games are easier to crack these days. In major I think its okay with the new groups, but not if it happens to often.
V)
SCS*TRC have certainly done a wonderful job, and its really quite an admirable effort, but I値l ask you that question in a couple of years again :) But anyway SWEDEN is really the base for the major demo groups as I said before, with groups like TRIAD, FAIRLIGHT, NOICE, CENSOR, ANTIC etc, all in the one country, this would have make it a lot harder to find a place in the legal scene to get known, was this a hard step for you or are all the elites in Sweden friendly guys who like to help out??
Z)
Well, frankly I don't know if I知 well known yet, but I can remember in the early days when I all the time tried to gain new contacts. At that time I didn't feel very much support. I contacted lots of ELITE dudes but never got a reply. This is of course good too, it's unfair to let someone in to the scene without any presentations. I can't say that I was hard for me to get into the scene, I gained lots of contacts in a very short period of time. Though the disk-stealers... But when I look at others, for example my friends in LIQIUD then I can see that its much harder if you're not a swapper. All a decent swapper needs is the time and money. A good knowledge in English is good and also a bit of charisma. A coder needs ideas, patience, and a bit of intellect and of course lots of time. Even more than a swapper I guess.
V)
Well again very true, a swapper also needs to be able to lay his hands on some pre-release wares from time to time, in the illegal scene being an original supplier is fucking hard work and it is very different than being a normal wares swapper, but more about that some other time, if you could choose one person to remove from the scene that would effect everyone, do you think you would know such a person and if so who?
Z)
Well, not to mention. I've never really been into a "WAR-THING". I want to tell WRATH DESIGNS that I知 not angry with them anymore, and they should not feel abused of what I wrote before.
V)
SCOPE of F4CG died recently in a subway accident, he also was Swedish if you knew him you might wanna pass some last words to him now?
Z)
Unfortunately, I didn't know SCOPE very well, I just saw him at some parties. The last party where I saw him at was the TRIBUTE. But I really hope that his memory will last for long. It's such a pity when a young guy have to die so fast.
V)
Personally, I知 sure the legend of SCOPE will live forever, he certainly deserves it, as he was quite possibly the BEST graphician that this computer has ever seen. But I remember you used to work for MOONLIGHT? what do you think of the mag now, has it improved or has the standard fallen since it has been taken over by an Australian?
Z)
We'll, I didn't really work for MOONLIGHT, and I just spread the issues and the votesheets. I haven't seen so many issues of MOONLIGHT yet, but the last one I saw had exactly the same outfit and logos since before. The outfit was coded by DOXX/ex-GOTHIC (now Noice). And the intro by ROAD RUNNER/TRIAD, who is BLACKWIDOW痴 husband. I think its kinda lame. Nothing actually done by the own crew but the text editing. The chapters were QUITE uninteresting too. A lot of shit that didn't concern the scene at all. In my eyes GOTHIC DESIGN will always be a SWEDISH group.
V)
Well, still on about Australia, it is not a well known country for the scene only a few names come to mind, which groups from this country and which guys or productions do you think stand out?
Z)
Hmmm, I can't remember any Australian based groups at all which really has made me ASTONISHED some dudes have got well deserved places in the elite groups, like you and JAZZCAT for instance. I guess this is because of their bad communication between the continents. Something I really remember is the TERA FOREVER utility disk. I really thought it kicked ass.
V)
Okay, before we end the interview a question which is asked in many mags, make the ULIMATE GROUP, taking in any group/person or production you want...? who would you take and why?
Z)
That痴 quite a standard question... First of all I want to say that to less talents are really active today, but if everyone could get their thumbs out I would have picked...
MOST NOICE MEMBERS
Coders: TRON, KING FISHER, TTS, SLAMMER
Musicians: MOON, DANKO, PRI, GUY SHAVITT, JEREON TEL
Graphicians: OGAMI, CREEPER, RODER
These are guys that have talent and CARISMA so they would surely do some kicking demos together.
V)
Well, your a busy man and so am I, so I値l leave you here, thank you very much for you time and for sharing it with us. if you have any last words, or wanna send any greets to contacts then feel free...
Z)
Thanks MATT! I would like to say that there痴 another ZZAP in the scene. He is called DR.ZZAP and he lives in Sweden and is active on the modem scene too. People can mix it up and think that I知 he and he is me, please be attentive. I would also like to greet all my contacts and all members of NOICE, personal greet to: ZAKK, HYPE and EXPLORER of ex-LIQIUD and all the old c64 freaks in my hometown VAXJO. And of course big hello to VENGEANCE and his new cracking group ONSLAUGHT. ZAPP/NOICE
NOICE - THE MANNERS OF A GOAT
+++
Well there you go another chapter complete, keep watching this spot and be interested, very interested.
VENGEANCE/ONSLAUGHT.