Interview
Handle: Mathias af Jochnick A.K.A. Goblin/Light
How did you come up with your alias ?
Can't really remember. I do know that I had it as a graffiti handle way back in '85.(when I was only 10) And it has stuck to me ever since... Back then, I did for sure not know what it meant! (maybe I would have picked a cuter creature if I had only known how ugly Goblins are...)
City/Country/Born Year
I was born in Karlstad/Sweden on February 13, 1974, But my parents moved to a town called Bålsta (40 Km west of Stockholm) when I held the age of 2 and a half. I've lived there ever since, though I right now (mid-April'96) stay in Hungary, but will propably go back home in August'96! (Read more below...)
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
My first one was a Commodore VIC-20, that me and my brother got back in '84. Had it for one year or so, and then I got a used C64 in June 85, with five games: Staff of Karnath, Impossible Mission, Gremlins the Adventure, Cauldron and Exploding Fist. The first game I bought -together with two friends of mine- was Rambo - First Blood part two, And I still remember looking in awe at the loading picture and the marvellous Martin Galway intro music. That's where I got hooked, I guess...
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
Well, I started fairly early with some local friends doing rip-offs and freezes of games( We called ourselves TBR - The Black Knights!), and getting in contact with other 64-ers, mostly Swedes, like the Vikings (who later would join me in Agile), TRC, who later became FRONT, S451, SSS, Crack Force Omega (CFO) and more. My friends got tired of it, but at the same time some dudes from Tronix asked me to join, and I did, hoping to getting my graphics used more frequently. My first copyparty (as the meetings were called back then, remember?) I went to was the Thundercats feast in Uppsala in March'88, where i remember I for the first time met most of the guys who later would form Horizon (Mastermind/Thundercats, Kjer, Bagder, Zagor/Consol, Natas/SuperSwap Sweden, and those guys... Hi! Marvellous times, huh?!) I went with some locals to Alvesta in Easter'88, where I met Elric/Ex.Triad (at the time when he still had that furry hair!), who had just formed Agile, and after some discussions I got to join the gang. (Elric, Traz and Tycoon.). Elric was, more or less, the one who got me introduced to the scene, and even though he can be an odd fellow from time to time, I will always be grateful to him for that. I was in Agile until October'88 when I and a few others had some "differences of opinions" with Elric, and decided to skip Agile.
So I formed LIGHT, and managed to bring in some prominent members. Some have left, some new have arrived but Me, Flamingo and Waco have been there since the beginning, eight fucking years ago... And the rest have been around most of the years. (Scooby, Yabba, Rash, Shade, Icecube...) That's something! We had a short period when we went back to Agile as "Light of Agile" and another, even shorter period (one week I think) when we made the terrible mistake to join Fairlight as "Light/Fairlight". But apart from that, I've been in Light since October'88. And I do not think anything will happen to change that....
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
Can't say, I've had alot of those moments. When we came second at The Wårby-Horizon-Party with Brutal II and getting it shown as a top demo in that German Television-show, our two wins in Denmark with Brutal III and Brutality, and our second place in Denmark last year with Brutal comeback. I am also remember the first times my graphics were used. Thundercats used a picture of mine in one of their demos, and The Vikings also used some of my graphics. Horizon used alot, and being the 14-year old novice I was, that was really Joyful!
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
Being the founder and organizer of Light, who also made some nice graphics on the 64, being stubborn enough to talk people into all sorts of strange projects -And for being the only survivor of a combined Bagder-Zagor Snake-Attack...
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
We haven't stopped! We just don't put out demos as often as we used to... We actually did release "Brutal Comeback" in Dec'94, we DO intend to put out another issue of Smooth Criminal, and we are working (not so hard though...) on Brutal IV! We will have a Light meeting at Scooby's place in Halmstad in the autumn, whenever I come home from Hungary... There we will outline the Long-term strategy of Light's profile. Bah!
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
Yes, not voting two times at the Wårby-Horizon party, or cheating in some other way (asking Jenny to vote or whatever!), in order to get us the first place (as we only lost with one darn vote!). I also regret letting some people join the group, that really did not fit in the team. Luckily, most of them realized that themselves. Finally I regret giving in to Bacchus persuations to join FLT, even though it only took a week for Me and Oscar to reconsider, and go for it ourselves again.
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
Ooohhh. toughie, have to name a few: Manic Miner and JetSetWilly on the Spectrum. Impossible Mission, Blue Max, KikStart, Wizball, The Last Ninja Series, H.E.R.O, Jumpman J.R. and Fort Apocalypse on the C64. Defender O.T.C, Moonstone and Heimdall on the Amiga. Tetris, ThemePark, Descent I+II, all cool adventures and Rebel Assault I + II on PC. Scramble on arcade and finally WipeOut on the PlayStation (buy a machine! Loads of great games on it!)
DEMO(S)
Our own Brutal II, Bruatlity and Brutal Comeback. Horizon's Bounty Hunter, Beatable and Last Traktor III. Agile's The End (made by the ex.Vikings members). Can't Be/Orion. Many Ian+Mic, Ash'n'dave and Scoop demos. I'm writing this from Hungary, You know, so I have a hard time remembering them all! (That goes for all of these "Favourite" categories) Sorry for alot I've missed out.
PROGRAMMER(S) (OR PROGRAMMING TEAM(S))
Of course Flamingo+Yabba/Light. Kjer and the rest of Horizon, Bob/Censor Design, FCS/Finnish Gold, Spinx and Glasnost/Camelot, Jeff Minter and Andrew Braybrook.
CRACKER(S) (OR CRACKING GROUP(S))
Well, As a Swede I must put out CCS, WCC, Relax and Triad. My favorite foreign groups would be the Papillons, Legend and Eagle Soft. The best cracking groups and crackers have always been from Scandinavia, and mostly Sweden. My personal favourite crackers are all from Sweden, Like Mr.Z, Injun, Tycoon, Strider, Bacchus, Shade and so on...
COMPOSER(S)
Hubbard, Galway, Jeroen Tel, Charles Deenen, Thomas Danko JR. and Skyline Tech.
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
gee... "Mega Apocalypse", "LightForce" and "Master of Magic", "BMX kids" and a lot of more soundtracks By Rob H., "Wizball" and "Rambo II"(and more) soundtracks by Martin G., "Outrun" soundtrack by MON. "Tetris" soundtrack on the C64, by Hagar I think. And ALOT of others, I love the Commodore 64 music...
BEST GRAPHICS
Dokk, BOB, The Sarge and Hein Design.
EVENT(S) (E.G. COPYPARTY)
All Denmark parties have been fun, but too overcrowded. Also the Horizon parties have been swell, but I like those small gatherings we used to have in Stockholm with 20-30 people or so. Time for another one, I think!´
MEMORY(S)
Too many to be mentioned here. I am just glad for the time I spent in the scene, and for all fonderful happenings I've been a part of throught the years... (sob-sob!)
DRINK
Absolut Vodka Kurant. I also like Chokolate Milk, and Coke ofcourse.
CAR
Mazda Miata Mx5! It's a screamer...
What are you doing nowadays ?
Short Update: 91-94, Gymnasium, First economy for three Years, then Science for one, intense year in Uppsala. 94-95 Military Service 15 months at FRA (Försvarets RadioAnstalt), where I mostly studied Russian. It was a very tough education. I ended my service in August 95, and got a job as a highschool teacher (kids between 7-15 years of age) for three months before commencing a UN contract in Zagreb, Croatia. I was supposed to be there until the end of March, but in mid december I got an offer to sign a new contract, for NATO (or IFOR) this time, and move to Pécs in Hungary to work as a computer network administrator at a small organization they have in this town (approx 200 people). It's really a great and interesting job, it is a very cheap country, and the town is virtually flooded with women, as there are three universitites here(!). As You can read, I like it here, and yesterday I got an offer from Sweden to stay here another 6 months, so we'll see...
I’ve managed to get a deal though, to go home in the end of August. Cause staying here all throughout december is a looong time. When I come home I will work as a Teacher for two months until end october, when me and a friend will go for a trip around the world..-Transibirian railway from Moscow-Beijing, down through China and Vietnam to Thailand. Then by boat through all Indonesia+Malaysia to Australia. Then we will fly out to some small islands and New Zeeland. Then to L.A., New York and finally home again! We'll try to make it in one year. After that I will be ready to take up school again, I hope...
What are you doing on your spare time?
Well, down here I've taken up a Hungarian course, and I study the Russian language alot. We play the PlayStation that I've brought down here. We play football, I excercise alot (back home I usually play handball), and of course we go out a lot -the night life is splendid! But my biggest hobby these days is diving! I love it, and I am for the moment studying to become a PADI Divemaster, a course I hopefully have completed in August or so. Then I'll be ready for some serious action...
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
Yeah, First of all, Remember that this interview is made while I was in Hungary, far, far away from all computers (Even though I JUST got Internet - so I’m, gonna catch up now!) - So I have forgotten alot!
Then: -Hi! to all my old, great friends with computers! Hope you are all allright, keep in touch! Hopefully we will meet again... Light - Brutality Itself!