Interviews
Interview with Jeff
Published in Domination #13
Performed by Jazzcat
Remember Søren Lund Otherwise known as Jeff/Camelot? YES! A very talented Danish musician - and the good news is - he is back! Domination is proud to present the interview with Jeff, which was conducted through email.
D)
Welcome to the media. I am quite sure most people would have heard of you, but in the interest of those who don't, could you please introduce yourself to the audience.
J)
Thank you. Well, my real name is Søren Lund I'm 25 and I'm from Denmark. I've been working mainly with music and sounds on c64, but I've also been doing some graphics (mostly fonts!) and programming as well.
D)
On C64 your musical work has been used in many productions. How many is it possible to name them?
J)
Some Daniax productions, mostly intros I guess Timewaster 2 / X-Factor Lessons in lust / X-Factor Some X-Factor crack-intros CZP music-pack1/Camelot Tower-power / Camelot a game called "Complex" Camel-Park / Camelot Dawnfall / Oxyron Nine / Reflex
D)
The most popular musicians seemed to have always developed and used their own editor. JCH, Jeroen Tel, Geir Tjelta, etc. Did you code your own editor? and have you used others?
J)
I have been developing my own system during the years since 1991. I think I've done around 30 players and 2 editors. well the editors were never 100% finished though. But at the moment I'm working on a new player and editor which sure will kick ass. Years ago I used Future-composer, Rock-monitor and probably some others which I can't remember. I've never really bothered using JCH's.
D)
You have been on the C64 for quite a few years now. Please give the readers a history on when you first started and what has happened up until present day...
J)
It actually began in 1982 when I lived in Italy with my family. A friend of mine got a computer and I started to get the interest for computers as well. Later when we moved back do Denmark some of my friends bought a Sega-game system, and it amazed me. in 1984 I guess I got my first computer - a "Lambda Marathon Power 2000". In the beginning I played games mostly, but later I started coding a bit in basic. I made some animation-routines and I actually did some 1-voice music as well, hehe. Anyway, in 1985 or 1986 I got a c64 and wow it was a great computer! I still mostly played games, but later on I started doing some graphics, and I played around with some music-editors as well. Also I had a small "Yamaha portasound" synthesizer which my dad had bought for me in Italy. I used it for composing a bit and for playing. I soon learned to program assembler and I started coding scroll-texts etc. Later I started exploring the SID chip - I coded some music-players and all in all I think I've done around 30 players. For some of these players I coded 2 editors. I started a music-label with Duck LaRock/CML in 1994 I guess, called "CyberZound Productions" (CZP). Later Mitch and Dane joined. TBB and AMJ should have joined as well, but I lost contact with Mitch and he was the one talking with them, so nothing really happened. Today we have some new members: Mindflow, Vip, Jadawin. I just don't have time for that CZP-thing right now, because I've got my new editor to work on and some music for a couple of demos. I've been in the following groups, but I don't know when I joined and left. : Daniax, X-factor, Camelot, and today I'm in CREST and BONZAI. I've been out of the c64 scene in 1997-1998. I am sorry for not having a too detailed story, but I've forgotten a lot, remember I've been boozing quite a lot as well, hehe. ;)
Jeff's all-time favourites:
Food: pasta, pizza , but I really love gourmet-food. (I'm quite a good cook actually and enjoy preparing a good meal, hehe)
Drink: Vodka and Cola, beer, milk
Movie: Everything with Robert DeNiro, Andy Garcia. Good science fiction movies.
C64 game: David's Midnight Magic, Bruce Lee, Creatures, Turrican II, Katakis.
Demo group: Crest - because of their outstanding style and quality productions
C64 musician: Jeroen Tel, Laxity, Tim Follin
C64 graphician: hmmm, don't know actually
C64 programmer: X-bow, Graham, Glasnost/CML, Cruzer/CML, Slammer/CML
Music group: LSG (Oliver Lieb), Prodigy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jamiroquai, Kashmir, Madonna, Doky Brothers (Jazz!), Bjoerk
D)
What musical/computer equipment do you own?
J)
Well, I've got 2 c64's, a Roland XP-50 synth, PC and that's about it so far, I want to buy some more midi-equipment in the future and do some "real" music, but right now I can't afford it.
D)
Which musicians do you respect and for what reasons?
J)
Jeroen Tel: for his good melodies, nice sounds and good arrangements. Laxity: For his great tunes, which really digs their way into your brain and stay there forever, even without using advanced sounds. He's a genius in other words.
Drax: Always good tunes, with amazing leads. He is and has been very productive - Doing a great tune in 15 minutes is really something. He's a master in doing melodic stuff.
Charles Deenen: very good tunes with brilliant sounds, especially his bass-sounds were really fat.
JCH: He has made some very good tunes with his own style in both sounds and arranging. Also he's done some very awesome players and editors.
Geir Tjelta: Nice catchy tunes and obviously some ass-kicking players/editors as well.
Tim Follin: The master of doing atmospherical tunes - making synth-sounds which sound almost like "real" sounds: bells, screams, rain etc. and his tunes are really great as well. He definitely has his own style, nobody will ever be able to copy him on c64.
Zardax: Has done some really catchy tunes, I still have them on my mind. really melodic.
Johannes Bjerregaard: The best jazz-musician on c64. He's also done some really good melodic tunes.
Scortia: he's got his own great style - advanced stuff really. great lead/melodies and well-fitting sounds.
I respect a lot more musicians, but I could probably write several pages about it, so I'd better stop here.
D)
On C64 how much time did you spend on an average sid? What was your longest tune and which was your personal favourite?
J)
Uhh, that's a difficult one. I guess I’ve spent from 1 to 30 hours per tune, it's hard to say. My best techno-tune is probably my quatro-speed "Anal'ogue". I don't know which one was the longest one. My favourite single-speed tunes are "Le pissoir", "Funky tune".
D)
Which skills have you improved most over the years, improvisation? Music theory? Techniques?
J)
well, I've learned a bit of music-theory. But I think what I've improved most is my sounds. Also today I'm more aware of what I'm doing. I do a lot of work tune which I never finish, because I think they're not good enough. In other words I put more work into my music. I am getting better at playing on my synth as well, however it would be wrong to call me a skilled keyboard player.
D)
Do you like conversions of music? How should it be done to be better accepted by the public?
J)
This question is a bit tricky as well. I like some conversions. It often depends on the sounds. fex. a singing voice has to sound more or less the same as the lead-instrument you're gonna use. It's difficult to explain. Of course it has to be an exact conversion (the same notes as in the original!), otherwise it will sound really bad to me, unless you're skilled like Laxity/Vibrants who fex. has done a jazz-version of a real song.
D)
What style of music do you think a musician should study to best improve his abilities in composing. Classical, Jazz, Blues, or does it change per individual?
J)
I would say mainly Jazz and Classic, everything else comes easier then. it's important to learn about chords and scales as well.
D)
What projects are you currently working on these days?
J)
Apart from my new editor (v3) and player, I'm working on music for a CREST-demo and a Bonzai-demo. I'm also working on some game music for a Nintendo64 game, which I can not reveal anything about yet.
D)
Do you think when a musician or talented person gets famous, that it interferes with their work? or does it make it better? Any examples?
J)
Well, in the real music-scene it's very often seen that when someone has a hit, he or she will do some more songs sounding very much the same and it really sucks. It's people who do music just for the money. Luckily there are many good musicians who keep experimenting and do some real hits which do not all sound the same.
D)
What are your goals in real life and musically? tell us what you hope to achieve.
J)
I've got a dream of becoming a good techno-musician, who does melodic synth-stuff. I would like to become as talented as a guy called Oliver Lieb (known as LSG). he has done lots of different techno-styles, and really developed himself a lot. His sound is really so good and clean. Everything fits in his tunes. And I guess that's both my real-life dream and music-wise.
D)
What do you think is important for demos on a C64.. their design? their technical achievements? How should a demo be to get the best results?
J)
In my opinion a demo has to look good, I would rather see something precalculated that looks good instead of a realtime-routine in a really bad resolution. Also it's important that the music, gfx and code fit each other.
D)
What’s your view on the internet and how it has affected the way computer scenes and people communicate and produce?
J)
Well, now when I've got access to the internet from home I really love to chat on IRC. I've met some of my old snail-mail contacts as well as new friends. It's great that there's a possibility to send files, in that way it's faster and easier to do some demos etc. I the beginning I didn't like it, probably because I didn't have access to the internet at that moment, hehe ;)
D)
Here is some room for you to say hello to any of your friends and acquaintances..
J)
Hello to all the people I've met on IRC, friends and group-mates... TGD-CML, AMJ, TBB, Jbevren, Metal/VIB, Drax/Vib/MON, Scortia-BZ, Duck LaRock/CML, THA-BZ, Kwon-BZ, Ricky-BZ, Walt-BZ and the rest of Bonzai, Mindflow, Shogoon, DeeKay, X-Bow, Dane/Crest, Mitch/Crest, Xayne and the rest of CREST, Graham, Nucleus, Code18, Mac_DMA, NIK, Kmeg, UL_Tomten, Zardax, VIC-CML and the rest of Camelot, BizKid, Unlock, Cosowi, Honk, Fungus, Scorpie, Danko, DJB, GRG/Shape, Kristian/Shape, Jazzcat ;) , Mermaid, Steve, Neptune, CBA, Zyron, Cube, Brush, Arman, MrSid, Qed, Syndrom, Shokray/MSI, Ray/Unreal, Case, Cupid, Se7en, Agemixer , Vip, Jadawin, Igoronimo, motley and some forgotten ones, and in case you're one of them, SORRY, but I've met a lot of nice people on #C-64, but damn it's a lot, I surely can't remember everyone - No hard feelings! :)
D)
Well thanks for your time and I hope you've enjoyed this interview. Any last comments to leave a final impression on the audience?
J)
Well, yes I've enjoyed doing this interview; it has refreshed my good c64 memories. Well no impression I guess - Just a thumbs up and respect to people who still keep the c64 going strong, that's the way it should be. ;) Hope you'll like my future releases. I will let people on IRC know when the Camelot-site and my JEFF-site is up running
Published in Domination #13
Performed by Jazzcat
Remember Søren Lund Otherwise known as Jeff/Camelot? YES! A very talented Danish musician - and the good news is - he is back! Domination is proud to present the interview with Jeff, which was conducted through email.
D)
Welcome to the media. I am quite sure most people would have heard of you, but in the interest of those who don't, could you please introduce yourself to the audience.
J)
Thank you. Well, my real name is Søren Lund I'm 25 and I'm from Denmark. I've been working mainly with music and sounds on c64, but I've also been doing some graphics (mostly fonts!) and programming as well.
D)
On C64 your musical work has been used in many productions. How many is it possible to name them?
J)
Some Daniax productions, mostly intros I guess Timewaster 2 / X-Factor Lessons in lust / X-Factor Some X-Factor crack-intros CZP music-pack1/Camelot Tower-power / Camelot a game called "Complex" Camel-Park / Camelot Dawnfall / Oxyron Nine / Reflex
D)
The most popular musicians seemed to have always developed and used their own editor. JCH, Jeroen Tel, Geir Tjelta, etc. Did you code your own editor? and have you used others?
J)
I have been developing my own system during the years since 1991. I think I've done around 30 players and 2 editors. well the editors were never 100% finished though. But at the moment I'm working on a new player and editor which sure will kick ass. Years ago I used Future-composer, Rock-monitor and probably some others which I can't remember. I've never really bothered using JCH's.
D)
You have been on the C64 for quite a few years now. Please give the readers a history on when you first started and what has happened up until present day...
J)
It actually began in 1982 when I lived in Italy with my family. A friend of mine got a computer and I started to get the interest for computers as well. Later when we moved back do Denmark some of my friends bought a Sega-game system, and it amazed me. in 1984 I guess I got my first computer - a "Lambda Marathon Power 2000". In the beginning I played games mostly, but later I started coding a bit in basic. I made some animation-routines and I actually did some 1-voice music as well, hehe. Anyway, in 1985 or 1986 I got a c64 and wow it was a great computer! I still mostly played games, but later on I started doing some graphics, and I played around with some music-editors as well. Also I had a small "Yamaha portasound" synthesizer which my dad had bought for me in Italy. I used it for composing a bit and for playing. I soon learned to program assembler and I started coding scroll-texts etc. Later I started exploring the SID chip - I coded some music-players and all in all I think I've done around 30 players. For some of these players I coded 2 editors. I started a music-label with Duck LaRock/CML in 1994 I guess, called "CyberZound Productions" (CZP). Later Mitch and Dane joined. TBB and AMJ should have joined as well, but I lost contact with Mitch and he was the one talking with them, so nothing really happened. Today we have some new members: Mindflow, Vip, Jadawin. I just don't have time for that CZP-thing right now, because I've got my new editor to work on and some music for a couple of demos. I've been in the following groups, but I don't know when I joined and left. : Daniax, X-factor, Camelot, and today I'm in CREST and BONZAI. I've been out of the c64 scene in 1997-1998. I am sorry for not having a too detailed story, but I've forgotten a lot, remember I've been boozing quite a lot as well, hehe. ;)
Jeff's all-time favourites:
Food: pasta, pizza , but I really love gourmet-food. (I'm quite a good cook actually and enjoy preparing a good meal, hehe)
Drink: Vodka and Cola, beer, milk
Movie: Everything with Robert DeNiro, Andy Garcia. Good science fiction movies.
C64 game: David's Midnight Magic, Bruce Lee, Creatures, Turrican II, Katakis.
Demo group: Crest - because of their outstanding style and quality productions
C64 musician: Jeroen Tel, Laxity, Tim Follin
C64 graphician: hmmm, don't know actually
C64 programmer: X-bow, Graham, Glasnost/CML, Cruzer/CML, Slammer/CML
Music group: LSG (Oliver Lieb), Prodigy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jamiroquai, Kashmir, Madonna, Doky Brothers (Jazz!), Bjoerk
D)
What musical/computer equipment do you own?
J)
Well, I've got 2 c64's, a Roland XP-50 synth, PC and that's about it so far, I want to buy some more midi-equipment in the future and do some "real" music, but right now I can't afford it.
D)
Which musicians do you respect and for what reasons?
J)
Jeroen Tel: for his good melodies, nice sounds and good arrangements. Laxity: For his great tunes, which really digs their way into your brain and stay there forever, even without using advanced sounds. He's a genius in other words.
Drax: Always good tunes, with amazing leads. He is and has been very productive - Doing a great tune in 15 minutes is really something. He's a master in doing melodic stuff.
Charles Deenen: very good tunes with brilliant sounds, especially his bass-sounds were really fat.
JCH: He has made some very good tunes with his own style in both sounds and arranging. Also he's done some very awesome players and editors.
Geir Tjelta: Nice catchy tunes and obviously some ass-kicking players/editors as well.
Tim Follin: The master of doing atmospherical tunes - making synth-sounds which sound almost like "real" sounds: bells, screams, rain etc. and his tunes are really great as well. He definitely has his own style, nobody will ever be able to copy him on c64.
Zardax: Has done some really catchy tunes, I still have them on my mind. really melodic.
Johannes Bjerregaard: The best jazz-musician on c64. He's also done some really good melodic tunes.
Scortia: he's got his own great style - advanced stuff really. great lead/melodies and well-fitting sounds.
I respect a lot more musicians, but I could probably write several pages about it, so I'd better stop here.
D)
On C64 how much time did you spend on an average sid? What was your longest tune and which was your personal favourite?
J)
Uhh, that's a difficult one. I guess I’ve spent from 1 to 30 hours per tune, it's hard to say. My best techno-tune is probably my quatro-speed "Anal'ogue". I don't know which one was the longest one. My favourite single-speed tunes are "Le pissoir", "Funky tune".
D)
Which skills have you improved most over the years, improvisation? Music theory? Techniques?
J)
well, I've learned a bit of music-theory. But I think what I've improved most is my sounds. Also today I'm more aware of what I'm doing. I do a lot of work tune which I never finish, because I think they're not good enough. In other words I put more work into my music. I am getting better at playing on my synth as well, however it would be wrong to call me a skilled keyboard player.
D)
Do you like conversions of music? How should it be done to be better accepted by the public?
J)
This question is a bit tricky as well. I like some conversions. It often depends on the sounds. fex. a singing voice has to sound more or less the same as the lead-instrument you're gonna use. It's difficult to explain. Of course it has to be an exact conversion (the same notes as in the original!), otherwise it will sound really bad to me, unless you're skilled like Laxity/Vibrants who fex. has done a jazz-version of a real song.
D)
What style of music do you think a musician should study to best improve his abilities in composing. Classical, Jazz, Blues, or does it change per individual?
J)
I would say mainly Jazz and Classic, everything else comes easier then. it's important to learn about chords and scales as well.
D)
What projects are you currently working on these days?
J)
Apart from my new editor (v3) and player, I'm working on music for a CREST-demo and a Bonzai-demo. I'm also working on some game music for a Nintendo64 game, which I can not reveal anything about yet.
D)
Do you think when a musician or talented person gets famous, that it interferes with their work? or does it make it better? Any examples?
J)
Well, in the real music-scene it's very often seen that when someone has a hit, he or she will do some more songs sounding very much the same and it really sucks. It's people who do music just for the money. Luckily there are many good musicians who keep experimenting and do some real hits which do not all sound the same.
D)
What are your goals in real life and musically? tell us what you hope to achieve.
J)
I've got a dream of becoming a good techno-musician, who does melodic synth-stuff. I would like to become as talented as a guy called Oliver Lieb (known as LSG). he has done lots of different techno-styles, and really developed himself a lot. His sound is really so good and clean. Everything fits in his tunes. And I guess that's both my real-life dream and music-wise.
D)
What do you think is important for demos on a C64.. their design? their technical achievements? How should a demo be to get the best results?
J)
In my opinion a demo has to look good, I would rather see something precalculated that looks good instead of a realtime-routine in a really bad resolution. Also it's important that the music, gfx and code fit each other.
D)
What’s your view on the internet and how it has affected the way computer scenes and people communicate and produce?
J)
Well, now when I've got access to the internet from home I really love to chat on IRC. I've met some of my old snail-mail contacts as well as new friends. It's great that there's a possibility to send files, in that way it's faster and easier to do some demos etc. I the beginning I didn't like it, probably because I didn't have access to the internet at that moment, hehe ;)
D)
Here is some room for you to say hello to any of your friends and acquaintances..
J)
Hello to all the people I've met on IRC, friends and group-mates... TGD-CML, AMJ, TBB, Jbevren, Metal/VIB, Drax/Vib/MON, Scortia-BZ, Duck LaRock/CML, THA-BZ, Kwon-BZ, Ricky-BZ, Walt-BZ and the rest of Bonzai, Mindflow, Shogoon, DeeKay, X-Bow, Dane/Crest, Mitch/Crest, Xayne and the rest of CREST, Graham, Nucleus, Code18, Mac_DMA, NIK, Kmeg, UL_Tomten, Zardax, VIC-CML and the rest of Camelot, BizKid, Unlock, Cosowi, Honk, Fungus, Scorpie, Danko, DJB, GRG/Shape, Kristian/Shape, Jazzcat ;) , Mermaid, Steve, Neptune, CBA, Zyron, Cube, Brush, Arman, MrSid, Qed, Syndrom, Shokray/MSI, Ray/Unreal, Case, Cupid, Se7en, Agemixer , Vip, Jadawin, Igoronimo, motley and some forgotten ones, and in case you're one of them, SORRY, but I've met a lot of nice people on #C-64, but damn it's a lot, I surely can't remember everyone - No hard feelings! :)
D)
Well thanks for your time and I hope you've enjoyed this interview. Any last comments to leave a final impression on the audience?
J)
Well, yes I've enjoyed doing this interview; it has refreshed my good c64 memories. Well no impression I guess - Just a thumbs up and respect to people who still keep the c64 going strong, that's the way it should be. ;) Hope you'll like my future releases. I will let people on IRC know when the Camelot-site and my JEFF-site is up running