Inteview with Jas
found in | Type | Author | Year |
Diskmagazine interviews | Voice Calvin - Dexter - Ekkhead - ... | a1/93 added 2/95 |
S5 P1 EP JAS OF PHENOMENA It is very silent around Phenomena these days. But don't worry, they are not dead yet. Joyride managed to get an interview with JAS, the coder behind Crystal Symphonies I and II. X&C = Xerxes and Calvin JAS = JAS/Pha X&C: Hi! Please introduce yourself and give us some facts about your life. JAS: My handle is JAS. Some people think it's a peculiar handle but it's just an abbreviation of my name, JAcob Stré°‰. I am a coder of Phenomena, and I coded the two music disks; Crystal Symphonies I and II. I am born in 1972, and after school I started at the University. The school is named Lund's Institute of Technology (LIT) and is situated in the city of Lund in the very south of Sweden. I am studying for a master degree of Computer Science. Celebrandil and Kaktus are both attending the same school. X&C: Tell us a bit about your scene history. JAS: Previous groups: Omikron (a group consisting of only Mantronix and me), SOS (Software of Sweden), Empire, Supreme, Fairlight and Rebels. I released an intro for Omikron, a demo for Empire and an intro for Fairlight. X&C: Rumours are saying that you're living very close to Mantronix. How are your relations to him JAS: Don't believe rumours... Well, as I am now studying and living in Lund it's about 80 kilometers between our homes, but two years ago when I still lived with my parents the distance was only 200 meters. My relations to him are good. We have always (almost) been in the same groups and worked together. I appreciate him as a musician as well as a real friend. X&C: What are your relations to the rest of the Swedish scene JAS: I have many friends in Rebels as it was my former group. I've also good relations to Voice, but I can not say that I really am a "scene freak". X&C: Phenomena has been very inactive for quite a long time now. What's up JAS: Well, many of us has commenced university studies which take more of your time than the upper secondary school. (In Sweden called gymnasium). In addition to that, some members like Celebrandil and Azatoth think they're famous enough and don't need to release any more stuff. However, this is not the case for me. I really want to release a demo, and have been coding some since last summer. We then planned to release a demo made by all coders in PHA at Christmas, but when christmas arrived, not many of us were ready. I saved the parts I had done for an own demo to be released in the future. X&C: Guys like Celebrandil, Mr Gurk, Color, Azatoth and Twins, what are they doing nowadays Are they all sunbathing JAS: Yes. Celebrandil and Gurk are sunbathing in studies, Azatoth in his own computer language. Twins however are quite active, but not in the demo scene. As no demos are being released, Color hasn't got anything to do. X&C: Do you have any contacts in the software business How about Mantronix and Tip JAS: No. The only thing is an agreement with 17 bit software concerning the spreading of CS II. We got half a quid a copy and that made 27 English pounds. But that's better than nothing! X&C: What does your dream demo look like What is your dream routine that you never have succeded to complete JAS: Dream demo... Well it must run on a faster computer than the A500. After having completed my demo I'll probably buy an A1200 and start making demos on it. I think there will be quite a difference as the A1200 is more than four times faster and the blitter is running at the double speed. Well a dream routine would be a travel through a VERY detailled vector lanscape running every frame and with realistic movements of the objects. Maybe I'll make some routine like that for the A1200. Or for the A4000... X&C: You're studying computer science. How do you like the university and the student life JAS: I just love it. I don't know, but I've heard that the student life here is rather unique. In the rest of Europe (apart from the Scandinavian countries) they seem to study at the University only for the studies. At least in Lund that's not the case. We are getting high quality education, but we are having fun at the same time! There are lots of old traditions here, like singing special students songs etc. The student life is one of the reasons why I don't code as much as before. X&C: Are there any other Amiga freaks in your school JAS: There are some "scene freaks", but they are not as famous as Celebrandil and Kaktus which are both studying at Lund's Institute of Technology. At the University however, Cato of Voice is studying Computer Science. X&S: What is your favourite food Do you as every other student, eat pasta with lots of ketchup every day JAS: My favourite food is maybe home made meatballs. They take time to cook, but the result is so much better than the ones you buy. When I came to Lund, I had two alternatives. Either to eat pasta with ketchup every day, or learn how to cook for real. I chose the last alternative. X&C: Have you done your military service JAS: No, and I won't as I am suffering from astma. (Nowadays however, I am taking a very good medicine twice a day so I don't notice the astma anymore.) X&C: Were you happy with our questions or do you have anything to add JAS: Well, I'd just say thank you for interviewing me and happy new year! X&C: Ok, thanks for the interview. And remember to have a happy new year you too!