Interviews
Interview with Reyn Ouwehand
Published in Domination #11
Performed by Gabriele Priarone & Jazzcat
Welcome once again to the interview section. This time we have a rather interesting interview that was conducted by Gabriele Priarone for the In Media Res homepage. It is reprinted here with the permission of HVSC for the 'scene' to view and for those who don't have access to the internet.
To make things a bit different from the interview which is available on the internet, we have given Reyn seven new questions. Special thanks to The Shark/INC who made all of this possible (his interview is also contained in this edition).
Published in Domination #11
Performed by Gabriele Priarone & Jazzcat
Welcome once again to the interview section. This time we have a rather interesting interview that was conducted by Gabriele Priarone for the In Media Res homepage. It is reprinted here with the permission of HVSC for the 'scene' to view and for those who don't have access to the internet.
To make things a bit different from the interview which is available on the internet, we have given Reyn seven new questions. Special thanks to The Shark/INC who made all of this possible (his interview is also contained in this edition).
R)
First of all I must tell you that I've got a very bad memory (no kidding). All my experiences from the past I lose after a couple of years. I think it's some kind of illness or so. So I'll try to help you as much as possible as I can. BTW, this is another reason why it was so good to find these C64 pages. It brings up lots of good memories...
G)
Handle:
R)
MacMagic. Only when the music got serious I used my real name: Reyn Ouwehand.
G)
How did you come up with your alias?
R)
Before I got my computer I was a graffity-artist. MacMagic was already my handle then.
G)
City/Country:
R)
Katwijk aan Zee, Holland.
G)
Birth year:
R)
2 August 1973.
G)
What was your first computer, and when did you get in?
R)
The C64 was my first computer. I almost got a Texas Instruments computer, because a guy in the neighbourhood had also such a computer. And I wanted that computer, too (you know how kids are...) I'm glad my folks bought the C64 instead.. I think that was in '86/87.
G)
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of?
R)
Paradize was the first group I joined. Some local friends (Genius/John and Dennis) and me founded that group. It was real fun and we even made a 'game' called 'ArenA'. Besides that I joined the Sixth Sense which was in a city nearby Katwijk ann Zee. But I didn't stay there long. I met The Ruling Company at a party in Venlo. I stayed there for some time. We did some demo's and after that I got more into the 'scene'. I got in contact with Dave Hogendorf and Patrick Witteman from Scoop Design and we made an intro for Flimbo's Quest. (and I also did the loading-tune for that game. btw, you should hear the loading-tune Johannes Bjerregaard initially made for that song, it's much better than mine. But Laurens van der Donk (the author of Flimbo's Quest) didn't like it. I believe it's still 'hidden' in the soundtrack. Check it out, it's one of my favourites). Via Laurens van der Donk (and Mario van Zeist, co-writer from Hawkeye) I got in contact with System 3 in England and made tunes for some of their games. Including Last Ninja 3, this was one of my latest works. I made those tunes in an editor from Falco Paul (20CC), who lived in a city nearby. He also checked the sounds for me.
It was a lot of fun to have business-trips to England when you're only 16 years old... At the same time I became a member of Maniacs of Noise Charles Deenen had a lot of work coming and couldn't handle it any more. Even with Jeroen Tel and Johannes Bjerregaard at his side. So he asked me. In that period I also was a member of Blackmail. We did some great demos. There were some of the best gfx-artists and programmers in that group. Like Richard Groenendijk and Hein Holt (ED - Also interviewed this edition).
Resume: Paradize, Sixth Sense, The Ruling Company, Scoop Design, Blackmail, Maniacs of Noise.
G)
What was the proudest moment in your C64-career?
R)
To become a member from Maniacs of Noise.
G)
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered?
R)
The guy who made the music for Last Ninja 3???
G)
What would you like to be remembered for?
R)
I don't want to be remembered. I'm still going...
G)
What made you stop the scene activity? (and do you remember when?)
R)
I think it was in '90/'91. The reason was probably the Amiga. At the time the Amiga came you had to compose with 'samples' but the samples were a bit crap at that time. So I thought it was better to buy 'real' samplers and stuff like that and make 'real' music. I always wanted to make more serious music.
G)
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
R)
I just discovered these sites and I now have the opportunity to listen to my C64-music again on my MacIntosh (thanks to Andreas Varga) and I regret I didn't put more time into the tunes itself. Most of the sounds I used were crap and the tunes were made much too fast. So I wish I could relive those days and do it better this time...
G)
What was your favourite:
Game(s): IK+
Demo(s), Programmer(s), (or cracking group(s)), gfx artist, overall group. I don't think it's fair to answer that right now,
because I'm too afraid I would leave someone behind. I've got a bit of a bad memory. First let me check all the C64-archives on the Net, then I will come back at that later....
What was your favourite composer(s): Bjerregaard, Galway, Tel.
Best composed track(s): Paralax from Martin Galway.
Event(s) (e.g. copy party): I only went to the party in Venlo, Holland like 3 or 4 times.
Favourite drink: Coca-Cola, not Pepsi!!
J)
On C64 your musical work has been used in many games. How many commercially released games have featured tracks you've composed? Is it possible to name them?
R)
I don't know if I can name them all. I'll try.....
* Last Ninja 3 from System 3
* Last Ninja Remix from System 3
* Rubicon, made together with Jeroen Tel
* Puzzle Shuffle from Scoop Designs
* Stock Car Racer
* Super Trucker
* Myth from System 3 (cartridge-version)
* Flimbo's Quest from System 3, together with Johannes Bjerregaard
* Heli Rescue
* Unreal, level 1 music for the Amiga
J)
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?
R)
No, I didn't. I'm a very bad coder. Actually, I can't code at all. I did have to enter all the 'notes' in $hex.
J)
On C64 how much time did you spend on a average sid? What was your longest tune and which was your personal favourite?
R)
That depends on the song.. I can't tell.. Maybe a average of one day per tune or so... I think Puzzle Shuffle is my favourite....
J)
Which skills have you improved most over the years, improvisation? Music theory? Techniques?
R)
In '90 I went to a 'high school' for music and ballet in Rotterdam. I studied jazz-piano. After finished it Cum Laude I went to the conservatory. So I think I improved all the skills mentioned above...
J)
On C64, did you get paid much per games? Which benefited the most in?
A) Satisfaction
B) Money
R)
Can't remember how much. Have to check my bank account. But I did enjoy all the reviews in the magazines. The LN3-music got 100 percent in a magazine. And the idea that the whole world could hear my music in the games....
J)
Have you had any serious disagreements with the production team or the distributing label before? I heard that you had some problems with EVS/20CC because of the music player used for Last Ninja 3, or something?
R)
No, never. I did have some disagreements with Charles Deenen at the time I was a member of Maniacs of Noise. But never with the labels itself like System 3. Problems with EVS/20CC??.. Hmmm, didn't know that… Tell me about it. Falco Paul made the editor for 20CC, which was the other half of 20CC. Falco lived in my neighbourhood and we got in contact with each other. From then on he let me use his editor and helped me with the sounds. So a lot of cred from LN3 is also for him.
J)
On a phone call conversation between EVS and myself several years ago he seemed quite angry with you about the player used for the Last Ninja 3 music, but he may have not realized that Falco gave it to you at that time when we talked. But anyway, have you any knowledge on Flimbo's Quest 2 that was being done by Laurens van de Donk or Arthur van Jole?
R)
Yeh, you could be right. But all this happened when I stopped the C64. So I don't know the details.
G)
What are you doing nowadays?
R)
When I was 16 years old I went to a 'high-school for music and dance' (like in the TV-series 'Fame'). I studied piano (Jazz) there. After that I did an audition for the Conservatory in Rotterdam and studied there for another 5 years. I did 2 studies there, besides piano I also took lessons to become a studio-technician (mics, synthesisers, mixing, etc...). And I got some classical composition lessons as well. At that time I also played in a lot of (pop) bands and in my free time I built up a home studio with an Atari with Cubase and a lot of (old) keyboards. Things got out of hand and nowadays I'm running a studio for a living. It's a big 32 track studio with all kinds of equipment. I produce records now...
G)
What are you doing in your spare time?
R)
I'm busy composing a symphony at the moment. A big score for orchestra. And I'm trying to keep the weekends free to entertain my girlfriend.
G)
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public?
R)
Keep the C-64 alive! Keep it on the net!
G)
What is the meaning of life?
R)
Have more dreams than you can realise...
All the best,
Reyn Ouwehand.
Once again thanks to In Media Res and The Shark/INC for making all of this possible and a big thanks to Reyn Ouwehand (hope you enjoy the magazine!).
Regards,
Jazzcat/Onslaught.