Interview
Handle: Johannes Bjerregaard
The handle that I think I was best known under was Jozz. I used that when I was in UpFront.
How did you come up with your alias ?
Short for Johannes is "Johs". Pronounce it in English, and you get "Jozz". A couple of childhood friends from the street used to call me that.
City / Country:
My current place of residence is Copenhagen, Denmark. Since 1988.
Born year:
1970. Boy, I'm 26 already. Threw my old 64's in the garbage just a month ago. Man I'm tough. They didn't work anyway, and I had to move.
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
My first computer was a C64 (except the G7000 I had a few years before that). Got it just before christmas '82.
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
I think the only group that I ever became an official member of was UpFront - since you can hardly call the Maniacs of Noise a "group" in that sense.
I don't remember how exactly it all started, but somehow back in '85 or so I got in touch with Kele Line, the company who released The Vikings and Tiger Mission. I did a few things for them. After that they had to close. Not my fault though, but a money shortage. Anyway, people kept coming back to me asking for more, so that's how I "got into the scene".
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
I'm not sure I can think of any real peaks, but joining the MON was of course a kind of a pad on the back.
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
Hmm, could it be the size of my feet? No, I think it's probably mostly the more pop-oriented things I did like the stuff I did for MON, and the fact that I started kind of early in the business.
What would you like to be remembered for ?
I think that I'd like people to remember me for the jazz touch of the music that I made, if anything. Oh, and the little cute tune from the UpFront Toaster demo which only used 15 scan lines.
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
It didn't stop just like that all of a sudden. It just like faded out when I lost interest in working with the 64. It must have been around 1988 that things started going downhill. Didn't touch the 64 since around 1990, I think.
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
I should probably have been more productive and engaged in my work. I could have developed myself more and made some more satisfying work if I had.
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
Krazy Kong (My first 64 game!)
Impossible Mission (stay a while... - stay FOREVERRRR!!!)
Uridium
COMPOSER(S)
This has to be Rob. He continuously moved the 64 music community all the way through his carreer with his excellent utilization of the SID chip and brilliant arrangements and compositions.
Martin Galway did some very impressive work too. Some of his work on the sound had this super-pleasant touch that made you wonder if he'd discovered some kind of secret inside the SID chip.
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
Just to mention a few of Rob's hits (in no order whatsoever):
The Last V8
Knucklebusters
Flash Gordon
WAR
International Karate
And Galway's...
Short Circuit
Miami Vice
WizBall
are great too.
DRINK ?
I hate to admit it, but I can't help coming back to Coca-cola all the time, even though I tried to quit.
What are you doing nowadays ?
I'm a software developer at the National Survey, making software to handle topographical maps and such.
What are you doing on your spare time?
I play contemporary and modern jazz on the piano, and try to enjoy life as much as possible (...do those things combine, yes they actually do!). Play in a few local bands. Try to impress the [wrong] women.
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
I would like to say that I'm impressed that I'm as famous as I obviously am. Most of the work I have done on the 64 sucks (or has parts in it that suck, some even has, like, multiple sucking parts, only with a little good part in between, or at the beginning, like, before the sucking parts begin). Maybe I'm just too self-critic.
Anyway, it always feels good when someone appreciates what you do. So I guess I should say a big Thank You to everyone who expressed their appreciation.
What is the meaning of life?
If I revealed that, what would be the purpose of science and religion? I'd better keep my mouth shut.