Interview
Name
Fred Gray
How did you come up with your alias ?
Didn't have an alias, but now have an IRC nick: Felix, after Felix Mendelsonn, such a big musical influence when I was young. When I first went on line I downloaded the Fingles Cave Midi file and played it using my wavetable card - such amazing string parts :0)
City / Country:
Liverpool UK, the musical hub ( no pun intended ) of the known Universe. I used to go drinking in town, looking for a good band to watch, there were always so many to choose from. And don't forget the Beatles, my late son was Beatles crazy, had all their CDs, walls crammed with their posters and shelves filled with books. His Mum and I met in the original Cavern club where the Fab Four played.
Born year:
1954: makes me an aging hippy, haha
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
1983, the VIC 20, the 6502 seemed so magical at the time, not to mention the colours. It cost me an arm and a leg - to think it had less memory than a goldfish.
How did you get into the scene and where have you worked?
I wrote some VIC 20 games and tried to sell them to various local people. Finally, a friend, Tim Best took and interest ( Hi Tim ). Later Tim contacted me and said forget the games, we're going to work for Imagine, were he put me in charge of Music. I was introduced to SID and soon forgot VIC haha
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
When Imagine went bust, I converted some games for a company named Thor. I remember putting a scrolling message in one on the games dedicating it my three kids, you don't get prouder than that !
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
It has to be Mutants, I locked myself up for a week writing the theme tune. I came out of the tiny bedroom where I worked, feeling like a man who had found a cure for cancer and wanted to unlease it on the world.
What would you like to be remembered for ?
I wrote a game on the VIC 20 called Olly, my only game work to get published. As far as I know, it's the only VIC 20 with a display interupt, changing the colours half way down the screen ( unless someone knows better ? ).
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
I found ideas harder to come by. This stressed me out, I became irritable working at home and tried working office hours at Denton Designs, but that was even less inspiring. I finally just left and took an office job, the end of an era.
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
Nope, even during the stressful times I had a ball, people would turn up at my house in Porches and Mercs and the neighbours would peer nosily through their curtains at the comings and goings, I bet they thought I was some sort of drugs baron, haha. We had computers all over the house, the kids loved it.
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
River Raid or possibly Joust ( Atari rule OK )
GAMES COMPOSER(S)
Martin Gallway was excellent and a jolly nice bloke too ( Hi Martin how are you doing )
But Rob Hubbard was the undoubtable king of C64 music, not only because of the high quality of his music but also the sheer amount of extremely original scores he composed, and his coding was so innovative too, I take my hat off to the guy.
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
The Giana Sisters
Event, memory, food and drink - all in one ?
The night the Imagine bosses took ALL the staff to this big posh night club, Atmospheres, for a meal and endless free cocktails. My wife was with me, and we felt like movie stars, THANX GUYS
What are you doing nowadays ?
Teaching puters to nursing students, don't I get the best jobs HAHAHAHA
What are you doing on your spare time?
Learning Javascript, playing laplink games and building the odd PC Oh, and still writing the odd tune - currently working on a rewrite of the Batman music I wrote for the C64
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
What great guys, Gabriele "SolKnight" Priarone and Chris Abbot are! Give their music a listen, they are kewl dudes.
Buy the 'Back in Time' CD, it will change your life !
What is the meaning of life?
Love your kids, make time for them, you'll miss them when they're gone.