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                     Interview with Jess of the Overlanders
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UCM... Heja Jess, its quite a while ago that you left the  Atari scene and since
       you told me  that you're  thinking about  some comeback I think we should
       make a little interview... so how are you?

Jess.. I'm fine! Well, at  least  since  I  decided  to  quit  the  conventional
       computing industry (where I entered in, some years ago), in order to come
       back to my very first passion, namely music.


UCM... Some people  that are  staying  a bit longer  into the ST scene  might be
       bored now, but anyway, just tell us  a bit about  your private  computing
       history and  the steps  and ways that  guided you into the Atari  ST demo
       scene...

Jess.. Hum. A long  time ago, in  a galaxy far, far away... ok just  kiddin' but
       it's true  that I have  more and  more difficulties  to remember  exactly
       when all that story began. As far as I can remember, things have  started
       with a C64  computer. It enabled my brother (BEN from  OVR) to  learn the
       first steps of coding rules, and  me to use a  chip processor to  compose
       tunes with little wave forms. And what a chip!
       But at the time, we  didn't know anything about  any demo scenes. We just
       played marvellous  games and started computing tiny  things. But one day,
       my father bought  a brand new  1040STF for  the whole  family. This time,
       we've  heard  about  some  demo  scene  at  school, from  friends, simply
       because  we  were looking for  free games: at  that time, demo scenes and
       crack scenes were the same!
       We thought it  was cool. We  started  to  go deep inside that  scene, and
       finally  managed  to  raise  a  crew, our  first  demomaker  team, called
       Undead. Our  first real production was a success. Nice  enough to win the
       Transbeauce II  party, and to start having a  little "reputation" growing
       up. The few muzix  I've composed at  this time  were remarked by Doclands
       from Overlanders, who was  seeking  for a  musician, coz  they  lack one:
       indeed,  the  OVR  crew  was  huge, too  many  programmers, for  too  few
       musicians. Finally, Doclands  came  to  my  home, listened  to  my  sound
       tracks, and 'hired' me, and my brother  with. That was the very beginning
       for my ST demo scene story.


UCM... Since the  marvellous  Froggies demo  was  the  last demo  by OVR back in
       1993 it was  also the  production that  featured  chip musix you've done.
       Since then nothing  was seen from OVR (except Ben's  screen for the great
       Nostalgico demo from Oxygene) and you... what have  you done in all those
       years?

Jess.. I was  sad to  see that  the ST scene  was slowing  down, condemned  to a
       programmed death, apparently. Many friends of  mine (from Legacy, OVR and
       so on) started the 'real' life, with 'real' jobs.
       I passed some  time  in the  Amiga scene, where  I could practice Modules
       composition, and I even  participated to games editing, making musix for,
       working with Ziggy Stardust on them.
       And then  came  the  PC era. Zig  and  me  started to  develop a software
       synthesizer, a huge and  nice project that couldn't  be released, because
       of lack of time. Well, many various projects in fact.
       I  was  then  working  as  an  engineer, and  next, as  a consultant, for
       software  houses (coz I  could also  code a bit.). In parallel I composed
       techno music with  my home  studio. In a  Trance style, which was the 'up
       to date' style at the time, this is to say in 1995, around.
       I also played bass guitar in  a group, for some time. Since 1 year now, I
       really came back to  the music  industry. I've  first attempt to built my
       own label, but I've finally  been  hired  by a great  French label called
       Pro-Zak Trax (http://www.pro-zak.com) under the pseudo JESS LYSEN.
       I released  a 12"EP this year, which  is  a glance  at all ST demomakers,
       coz it uses  personal sound chip samples in  it, taken from my own old ST
       productions. It's made in the House music  style, which is appreciated in
       France. You can hear some samples in my own site at
       http://www.jesslysen.com or, online streamed at ProZak website.


UCM... One  scroller  in the  Froggies demo  left the impression  that  it was a
       planned  quit of  the Overlanders from  the ST scene, wasn't  it? Can you
       tell us why the band decided to stop demo coding on the ST?

Jess.. It's quite hard to say, because I've never reached to get all OVR members
       opinion about  this. I would say, it  was quite a general feeling, due to
       the arrival of new technologies (PC and so on). There was, in fact, not a
       real  decision taken. Things  came like this. Like a "natural death". But
       the motivation  was different  from one member to the other. Now, I still
       spend good time with some of them, and stay in good contact  with others.
       For example, I have from time to time, good parties with M.Bee, Doclands,
       Adso, Ziggy, Ben, Dim, Fury & Dtx from Legacy. But  it is  true that it's
       not really for Coding parties!!
       Nevertheless, Ben  and Ziggy  are  still  active, for  example  they  are
       currently both working on a MP3 player for DreamCast, and Ben has already
       released a killing ST soundchip emulator plug-in for Winamp etc.
       Many of  them  are  working  in  video  games industry (it's the case for
       Ziggy, Fury, M. Bee at least)


UCM... Have you followed  the movements  of the ST demo  scene after you quitted
       the scene  over all  those years or  have you lost  the interest  in that
       time?

Jess.. No, sincerely. And  I was astonished, and  very happily  surprised when I
       recently  discovered a  new scene. It has warmed  my heart! I respect all
       people who  made the scene  alive, not only  the ST scene, but  the whole
       ATARI scene.


UCM... What do you think about the resurrected st scene in the last years, there
       were a few nice demo released, showing  effects  no one has  thought that
       they were possible 1o years ago. do you like those new demos?

Jess.. Sure! ST won't  stop to amaze us. And  anyway, I always like to watch any
       ST demos, the old like the new ones. My ST will never finish in a trash.


UCM... As you told me you want to stay on the Atari scene now forever, what will
       you do at first to give us the prove that those aren't only words?

Jess.. He He.!  Well it's  deep in my  mind, for sure. I think  I've  nothing to
       prove now, I  did it in  the past, but just believe me when I say I still
       love ST. Otherwise, I would have never told my producer my origins and my
       will to  incorporate audible ST sound in modern house tracks!!! It hasn't
       been easy  to convinced  them  you know? But  I finally  did  it, and I'm
       honestly proud  of it, because I  felt I was doing  something  for the ST
       scene. During the promotion time (for my EP release), you could have seen
       me in Parisian clubs, always wearing an ATARI LOGO t-shirt! And you  know
       what? Many dudes came to me and asked me whether I knew ST or not!
       Incredible  isn't it? ST scene  is here, everywhere, and  I'm  inside, in
       that particular way.


UCM... You surely  know the cool  YM Rockers demos. Wouldn't it be something you
       want to take part in? What do you think about the nowadays chip musicians
       scene on the ST?

Jess.. They are great. My Winamp fave playlist is full of ST tracks written from
       these musicians. Each time I hear a song, something whispers to me "Don't
       you want to make a new song as well?" And don't ask me who's my fave!!


UCM... Have  you  still  composed  a  few  chip  tunes  after  the  quit  of the
       Overlanders or have you stopped this as well?

Jess.. I stopped  chip tunes  on ST, and  composed some  for  Amiga scene, using
       trackers. But they were still in the soundchip style, with my ST touch in
       it, you know, with those tiny square wave sounds and so on.


UCM... I remember  you as a very  outstanding musician on the ST, even if only a
       few demos were  brightened  up with  your  work, can  you  tell  us  what
       influences and idols you had on the ST?

Jess.. Thanxx! My influences  came much  further (formerly) from the ST, but, at
       the time, at  the beginning  of my own ST muzak productions, I remember I
       was impressed by guys like  Jochen Hippel (Mad Max), Count Zero, and also
       appreciate Scavenger, Jord, and Lap.


UCM... The french ST scene of the early nineties brought us a bunch of cool chip
       music  composers, such  as  AJT/Hemoroids, Techno/Dune, Antichrist/Sector
       One or Tchoom/Arkham, what do you  think/thought  about the work  of your
       french colleagues?

Jess.. Wooo. I'm afraid my ST soundchip  database requires some urgent update: I
       don't have  any tracks nor from Tchoom/Arkham neither from Techno/dune. I
       like AJT style, coz it's a 'classical' style, which I appreciate, like in
       his 'Beachtro' song  for  example. I know many  tunes from Antichrist, my
       favourite  are 'New History', 'Melody', 'CoolBass', 'Enigma',  and 'Oh no
       more more forggies'!


UCM... Theme Overlanders... as I remember Doclands did a  few chip musix as well
       (such as in  the main menu  of the Ventura demo), what  do you think, who
       was the better musician in OVR, you or him? Hehehehe!

Jess.. Without any hesitation, I was! He he he! Seriously, Doclands would be the
       first to  admit that  we don't  have the same style at all. That's may be
       why he proposed  me to  join the OVR team. I  took that like a challenge,
       and I was proud of it. I hope I did not disappoint him, and have not made
       him regret  his choice. He  finally told  me one  day that I've brought a
       kind of second  breath in the OVR musical production, but, as I was quite
       an martial arts  expert at this  time, did he say that for staying polite
       with me?!! Huh! Anyway, from  knowing  him  personally, I  can say he's a
       great musician, and this is not limited to ST sounchip composition, which
       is, let's say, quite particular.


UCM... Do you  have still contact to  other members  of OVR, such as Ben, Furyo,
       Ziggy Stardust or Dogue De Mauve? What are they doing nowadays?

Jess.. Yep, all of them  as I said  before. Furyo is a very cool guy, with a lot
       of humour! I did'nt saw Dogue for a while, yet.


UCM... If you really  want to come back, would  you like to create some comeback
       with other  oldies from  OVR or do  you want  to support  the nowadays ST
       scene as freelancing musician?

Jess.. As I told before, it's not what I really planned, but I'd be, for example
       very happy to join a demo party one day. Maybe more, if the circumstances
       are favourable. You should  try to motivate Ben as well, remember that we
       were inseparable, and  that I couldn't have composed anything without his
       great player!


UCM... Music isn't  only a hobby but it seems to  be your job  as well nowadays,
       what influence do you have there, as you're doing house music.

Jess.. My inspiration  comes from  many sources. I've  firstly  had a  classical
       keyboard teaching, like harpsichord and piano, which still contributes to
       influence  my inspiration. I've  also  played  acoustic instruments, like
       guitar and  bass. I even  practiced  Didjeridoo! I  like  jazz music, and
       progressive  rock (such  as Rick Wakeman). I  think my current Electronic
       orientation  came  with  my  passion  for  synthesizers, and  the  Yamaha
       soundchip aboard the Atari was my very first sound generator. But I would
       say, much more than a music style, it's the sound itself, the wave shape,
       that generates the inspiration process.


UCM... You'e dedicated  your first EP  to Atari demo  lovers, is it your hommage
       to this scene?

Jess.. 'Hommage' is perhaps a bit strong, but as I usually say, I prefer to talk
       about  a big  "glance" at  the scene. It's  says: it's  in  here, it  has
       survived many years, it's part of my culture and probably of many others,
       and I know  that everyone  who hear  it  will have a thought about it and
       might appreciate it.
       Producers will  never understand  that 'touch' in my first EP tracks, but
       some listeners, definitely, yes, and  it's for these  people that this EP
       is mainly dedicated.


UCM... And over all... can  you already  live from  your music? Or is it still a
       long and  hard way  to your own  house on  the beach? Or have you another
       "real job" too?

Jess.. You're right, it's  long  and  hard. If  you want  to make  your  music a
       business, nowadays, or  you have  to compose  some  shitty  stuff all day
       long, either you accept to suck any responsible's balls. I'm not ready to
       do any of both. I'm not ready to work all day long in music business, I'd
       be afraid  not to  love it any  longer. It must  stay a  passion. Passion
       guarantee  Serenity, Serenity  drives  you to Inspiration, Inspiration to
       Quality. I prefer  to stay  in a pretty  underground  scene, independent,
       with nice guys, talentuous  artists, u know, like  Atari scene was in the
       past over all!


UCM... Ok... let's  go  over  to another  special  part, brainstorming... no new
       thing but  always  liked much by  the interviewer ;) I will give you some
       words and you  just have to write down what comes into your mind about it
       at first in a few words or short sentence...


A.miga        - Protracker

B.en          - My brother

C.racking     - Serial.txt

D.TX Synchron - T'as rien dans l'slip slip slip (sorry, private joke in french)

E.quinox      - A great logo

F.rog legs    - Froggies over the Fence mega demo

G.FA          - I prefer Omikron basic!

H.emoroids    - Good music in that crew, but why such a name?!

I.nternet     - the great soup

J.ester       - Sanity

K.... dunno?

L.egacy       - the weirdest crew ever (these guys are mad)

M.egatizer    - M Coder

N.iko         - Star Academy

O.xygene      - Leo, Fulbert cool dudes!

P.arties      - Coding parties in dark castles, the good old time

Q.uestions    - Answers

R.ippers      - gentle thieves

S.cene        - ST rules forever

T.risound     - AC3 codec

U.nion        - THE union!

V.entura      - Old school demo

W.izzfrogs    - www.wizzfrogs.com

X.xx          - GenST

Y.o Demo      - polite people say Hello, not Yo. ;-)

Z.uul         - a sample name.



UCM... Hee, and what do you think, could  there be a  reason to  call you a cool
       sow in any way?

Jess.. Mrs Sow, honey!


UCM... And, not  to forget, is there something that could make the  people think
       that you aren't a cool dude? You must answer if you don't want  to betray
       your weak sides by yourself ;)

Jess.. He He, well, I'm still a nervous martial art pratrician! arf.


UCM... Still alive? If  yes we  will  give  you now  the possibility  to  send a
       message to our readers or greet someone...

Jess.. Special Greetings  come to BEN, for  his great work, without whom I would
       not be  answering these  questions; then  greetings come  to YOU, it's an
       honour and a great pleasure for me to be requested for  an interview; and
       finally, deep respect and  salutations to any  readers, because if you're
       reading that, it means we've have at least something in common, a certain
       addiction for that 68000 CPU.


UCM... And as special  feature  you can now  tell us something  about things you
       always wanted to talk about but no one ever asked you :)

Jess.. Well, the Ying and the Yang: Ziggy's  brain  is  permanently  challenging
       human understanding  skills  limits, while  Fury's  socks  are  still the
       ugliest infectious thing in this all dam' world !!!


UCM... Ok... so now we  reached the end of this tiny interview... hope you liked
       it and over all I hope it wasn't your last  appearance on the Atari scene
       now :) Take care and much luck for the future...

                                                            interview by moondog
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