Interview
Handle: Lars/ProSonix
How did you come up with your alias ?
After having had lots of different handles we figured out it was more or less rediculous with names like Zixyx, Xyzi etc...so we decided using our own firstnames instead. When we stopped making demos and started ProSonix, we continued using our real names.
City / Country:
Asker/Norway
Born year:
1972
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
My first computer was a ... Commodore 64 (bizarre)! I got it in 1984 I think, I was 12 years old.
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
Were we ever in 'the scene'? I don't think we cared a lot about the scene, but if we were ever there I think it must have been with The Troopers and later with ProSonix. In Troopers we did a couple of nice demos. I've been in, hmm, not too easy to remember... but I think it's only MegaTeam, Troopers, Troopers/Stars and ProSonix. Troopers and ProSonix are in fact the same people doing music instead of demos.
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
My friend Stein who was the programmer of ProSonix had just finished the first version of the musiceditor. I had used it for a couple of days. It was very good and I wrote a song in it which I was satisfied with. We didn't really know if we were capable of making music and it was very important for me to know if the others liked the song. When Stein heard it he really liked it and he stared dancing around in his room and said 'its great, its brilliant, you really can make music, Lars!' This was a great feeling, when you realise that your dream of making music others can enjoy is a reality. This song was released in the last part of the Destination demo Troopers did for Stars. The other time was when Cyberdyne Systems said they were interested in using our music in Armalyte II. Unfortunately there were some problems with the publishers of the game and it was never finished (but we've finished the music! Anyone?? Very cheap!!)
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
Except for doing good music for the 64, I believe we're known for sleeping and taking showers at copyparties. I think we were the only ones, at least it smelled like that...
What would you like to be remembered for ?
Well, smelling good... No, actually I hope we're rememberd for good and original music. I remeber in my last times in the scene there grew up a lot of music editors. And there were lots of different people making music. Unforunately, most of it sounded just like all the others. I hope we were different.
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
I was getting older and my interests changed. In addition my friends stopped and I think that you have to know other people doing the same thing as you to enjoy it. I my last song for the 64 in 1992.
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
I regret not using more time on public relations for ProSonix. If we had done this I'm sure we could have done I lot more music for games which is what we really wanted. But we enjoyed making music though!
Another thing I regret is using too much time with my computer. I should have been doing other things like spending more of my time with friends, playing football, playing in a band, etc... I belive a lot of the young people that are using their computers all day are losing contact with the real world. In one of the latest copyparties I visited I saw lots of guys lacking major social capabillities. They will have problems later one. When your best friend for several years is a computer, olalah, you're in trouble.
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
Forbidden Forest. This game is like a film. The atmosphere is good, the music is brilliant and you get a kick when playing it.
Fort Apocalypse is also great!
DEMO(S)
Demos by Megastyle and Panoramic Design
PROGRAMMER(S) (OR PROGRAMMING TEAM(S))
Cycleburner and Stavros Fasoulas
CRACKER(S) (OR CRACKING GROUP(S))
??
COMPOSER(S)
There should really be no question that Rob Hubbard was the man that did the best music for the 64. His talent for arranging song for three voices and simple, but genious use of sounds is outstanding. But I would not leave out Martin Galway for his sounds and climaxes, Bjerregaard for his feeling for jazz, Tel for his 'studio productions' and Jip for his madness. Jip is perhaps not too famous, but his song have a creativity and originallity not found elsewhere.
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
I think the titletrack of Rob Hubbards Lightforce and the soundtrack of Rambo by Martin Galway, especially the loader music, are the best tracks done for the 64 Rob's Zoids music, Int. Karate music etc... they're great!
EVENT(S) (E.G. COPYPARTY)
Yes, some...
MEMORY(S)
Yes, I remember being to a copyparty close to Oslo in Norway. We'd been awake for some time, but decided to take the car and drive to Goteborg in Sweden to visit another party. This trip takes about 7 hours. After coming halfway we stopped to buy some gas. The other guys went into the gas-station and found out that they had beer. Unfortunately, they weren't old enough to buy it so they asked if I could buy for them. I took a look at the beer and agreed. After some kilometers they started speaking louder, getting noise, laughing loudly and doing other things indicating that they've been drinking alcohol. In the end I just had to ask them why they got so noisy drinking non-alcoholic beer. They took a look at the cans and stopped being noisy.
The party in Goteborg was not too good so after two hours we decided to return to Oslo. This was another 7 hours in the car. We were all very sleepy. We'd been awake more than 30 hours and it was not very wise driving a car. I put the least tired person in the right front seat and off we went. I felt really sleepy and I told the other guys to keep an eye on me to prevent me from falling asleep while driving. But of course I felt asleep at the same time as my friend on my left, for two seconds perhaps... I remember hearing someone screeming. It was my friend in the other front seat. He had woken up seeing me sleeping on his left side. When I open my eyes, I don't know what I expected to see, but I saw that we heading for the Swedish woods. Everything turned out well. But what if my friend hadn't woken up just at that time, 4 seconds later, 3 seconds... puh!
DRINK ?
I like to be able to choose different drinks when I want. Therefore I hate The CocaCola Company dictating 3 drinks for the whole world. Pepsi is no-good either. They're too big and too powerful. I would like to see the giants fall a little bit. This is why I always drink other local drinks. When I'm in Norway I drink Solo or Mozell, in France I drink Oringina etc...
What are you doing nowadays ?
I'm studying telecommunications at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NUST) and this year I'm an exchange student in France.
What are you doing on your spare time?
Spare time?? I'm working with student activities and I'm singing in a chorus(!).
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
Go out and see the world!
What is the meaning of life?
Love your mother, eat a flower,
run for president, be in power...