Interview
Handle: Animal / The Silents
How did you come up with your alias ?
I first used the handle Animal Freak cause some of the guys in The Silents visited me at my summer house and saw all the animals we had there (4 dogs, 8 cats, 4 horses, 1 turtle, 1 parrot and 3 other birds). Then my current girlfriend used part of my handle to describe my actions in bed so I switched to just ANIMAL!
City / Country:
Gothenburg, Sweden
Born year:
1969!
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
The first one I got was a Texas TI99/4A a 16 bit computer back in 1984, where the disk drive weighed 8 KG!
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
I started out with 2 local friends in the C64 group the Explores (yes spelled wrong!) I then started swapping with people in Sweden and abroad, made contact with 2 guys down in the south of Sweden who joined us and even managed to crack some games under the Explores name. I met up with these guys at a party in Denmark where we changed name to The Petshop Boys for about 2 days before deciding to join forces with the XL Crackers (remeber zike!) under the now legendary name The Silents!
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
There have been many, First space scroller, snurkel scroller, and many more, but the one that stands out the most must have been around the time when the danish division released Hardwired, And in my belife there was not a single Elite guy in the world that did not consider the Silents to be the Number 1 group! That felt really good, and after that we got lazy making games and some money instead!!
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
Supposedly being the main organizer of the best (but worst organized) demo group ever on the Amiga! (once Silents consisted of 78 people worldwide!!!!!)
What would you like to be remembered for ?
Pinball Dreams, proving that it was possible for a scene group to do a commercial viable game on there own without taking up employment for some UK outfit! I hope that the Silents made many talanted people use there creative skills making some money and not just fame!
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
When Fairlight cracked Pinball Dreams (Hi Gaston!) cause that showed that all the talk about loyalty within the scene was just one big pile of BULLSHIT! I will never know how much more money we would have made if it would have been left uncracked, but considering the amount of people that played this game on copy parties, I guess I could have been retired by now!
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
Not actually organizing Silents correctly, If I would have done that, considering the talent we had, I think we would have been considered the most awesome scene team ever, without competition!
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
C64: Match Point Tennis
Amiga: Secret Of Monkey Island
DEMO(S)
Anything by the Judges (C64)
Silents - Hardwired
Scoopex - Mental Hangover (a true ground breaker!)
PROGRAMMER(S) (OR PROGRAMMING TEAM(S))
C64: 1001 Crew and The Judges (only ground braking stuff!)
Amiga: Dexion
CRACKER(S) (OR CRACKING GROUP(S))
C64: Mr. Z (A TRUE LEGEND!)
Amiga: Ringo Star/Classic and AntiAction/Defjam (always quality cracks from both!)
COMPOSER(S)
C64: Rub Hubbard and Maniacs of Noise
Amiga: Audiomonster
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
C64: Hawkeye (Maniacs Of Nosie)
EVENT(S) (E.G. COPYPARTY)
Silents & Red Sector summer party (Pool and beer!) (Remember those maniac dogs (read: beasts) ? -Ed)
DRINK ?
Beer: Miller Genuine Draft (American girlfriend you see!)
Drink: Ragnar (Absoult currant, lime and fruktsoda!)
What are you doing nowadays ?
I am the Executive producer at Bonnier Digital Illusions, Sweden's only true game development company.
What are you doing on your spare time?
Spare time, what is that! No I play games, drink beer make love and other ordinary things!
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
If you know you got the talent go do something with it, for example by contacting me for a jobb at Bonnier Digital Illusions doing games!!!!
What is the meaning of life?
42, No the meaning of life is to do what you want to do! If your not happy with what your doing, DO SOMETHING ELSE!!!! HAVE FUN! It's that simple!!!!