An Interview with THC Flatline
What C64 composers gave you the most pleasure?
That was a hard one!
There where so many good musicians during my time on the c64 (84-94).
But here are some I have to mention!
- Martin Galway (The one)
- Robb Hubbard (I think this is the guy that made me aware of power of the sid)
- Brothers Follin (Loads of nice stuff from them, c64/snes/amiga)
- Chris Huelsbeck
- Danish (Drax, Laxity, Jch, Johannes Bjarregaard loads of others)
- Swedish (Danko, TDM, Moppe more)
- Norweigan (Prosonix people, Geir Tjelta and of course Cycleburner - he was a cycleburner?)
- Rock of Finnish Gold (always that nice Finnish sound that I loved)
- Yip
- Thomas Detert (Kind of galwayish, that’s why I like it)
A big apology to those I forgot, because I know I have!
What are your favourite sid tunes?
- Parallax
- Lightforce
- Black Lamp
What other arrangements have you liked?
- LMan (his IK mix is so chillouty. I just love it!)
- o2 has a couple of nice mixes (Zoids and Warhawk are my favorites)
- Puffy64 (Nice Ninja stuff with those crazy guitars, which we love!)
- Komet (Is getting there with his mixing)
- I won’t mention Chris Abbott ( 😊)
What Equipment do you use?
Mostly Buzz with tons of AKAI cd’s?
I have done (coded) a couple of synthesizers myself. But they were just used ones for a specific reason. Also I have done loads of other stuff like Filters, Eq, Delays, Reverbs and Compressors that I use!
How do you believe a sid should be covered?
Anyway actually!
It is something that everybody should do their way!
I find it more interesting to listen to.
How do you get your inspiration while doing a remix?
Mostly I listen to some c64 SIDs at work with my workbuddy (Geggin/Censor). Sometimes you hear a sound in your head that fits perfectly in a song. Then it all goes automatically! Weed is working aswell! 😊 Note: Now I actually understand why so much good c64music comes from Holland! 😊
What tune that you have arranged are you most proud of?
I don’t know, probably the latest ones. They have good sound picture, and that is what I’ve been looking for all this time.
What is the reasoning behind the name THC Flatline?
Well, I really don’t know! But I think I though it sounded cool during a low! 😊 THC = Tetrahydrocannabinol, a substance that is available in hemp (cannabis plant), Flatline (to die) is just something that you can’t get using THC! The name itself is some kind of contradiction. It can’t happen!
If there was a tune that you wish you could call your own, what would it be, and why?
Wow, this one was a little bit hard to answer!
But I have to go for some real music then, any song from Simon Posford new stuff (Sphongle or Celtic Cross). Oh lord, there are so much good music out there! I want to be able to do that crazy stuff!
Why did you start remixing c64 sids?
To learn how to mix sound without a professional mixer! When I have my programming skills I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t make a good mix. I’m closing in on that perfect mix! 😊
Did you ever do any sid tunes on the c64 itself?
Yes, a couple of them! But I was primary a coder on the c64! I made a little Galwaytune called Galway tune
that pretty nice! But I can tell you, nothing comparing to the real stuff others made!
What are your musical influences?
All kind of Metal - not rock, too damn boring 😊, psychedelic and ambient trance. Mostly stuff you can’t dance to.
What are your fondest memories of the C64?
They ARE many! 😊 All those crazy trips we made to different parties! But I remember a party (PARTY I) in Denmark. I got really sick. I was heading for the door to get some fresh air when I suddenly fainted. And of course people though I was drunk. But I had this major fever. What those smart people did was to throw me out in the cold for half an hour. Guess who got even sicker! 😊 And the X-parties were fun, Holland is FUN! 😊 Check out www.censor.net to see some pictures of me and other censor people! And all crazy people I met. Too many of them! Here art a list of people that I worked with or just adore of their way of beeing:
- King Fisher - Great guy and I don’t think there is a nicer and friendly person on the earth, we really set some standards (Red Storm)! 😊
- Geggin - Made the Sidmania demo on the SNES with him, I'm actually working with him at the mo. (www.intermezzon.com)
- Psycho, Danko, Dragon, Bob (all censor people)
- Grendel / Byterapers - Remember meeting him the first time 😊
- Swedish people from Avantgarde (they are party people!)
Many tunes you have covered are composed by Martin Galway, why is this?
Probably because I think he has a nice and CORRECT way of making music!
Music for me is math! And Mr. Galway makes his music like a beautiful formula!
Who gives the current scene the biggest boost, and why?
If you mean the c64-scene I have no clue at all. The c64 remix scene has some really nice remixes released. To mention some: LMan, Komet, Puffy64, O2, Chris Abbott. And it seems that Michael Schwendt's Sid2Midi is used frequently. A great tool for people who dont have the feeling of hearing the pitch. An easy way of getting them right!
Do you think C64 music can make a commercial impact?
Well, hasn’t it? SIDs are playing in radio, shown on TV and on the Internet. Just check out TeddyBears STHL. They have them crazy blips and blops that make me feel at home! 😊 And they are not the only ones!
Are there any sid tunes that have not yet been covered that you would like to hear?
Stuff from the Follin bros. They made their own unique thing!
And there are loads demosongs especially from the North (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark) that I think should me remixed!
What type of feedback have you had from your arrangements?
Some good, some bad!
But it is from the bad feedback that you learn something!
It is always nice getting good feedback.
Why do you think the scene still exists today?
Because we had a great time during the c64 time. And we were a really big bunch of different people! Equals! I loved it!
Lastly, What does the future have in store for you, and what tunes are you planning to cover next?
I am working on some real music projects of my own, and I’m working on a Programming language that eezes programming for pedogicical persons, so they can create interactive and simulation e-learning. 😊 In 5 years I’ll buy a bungalow in Thailand, and move down there. This western way of style is totally wrong for me. Cheating, killing, working and stealing is not something I want to fill my life with! I want to do Lightforce (That was the song I used when I coded my sidemulation on SNES). There are some David Whittaker songs that Geggin wants me to do. Be nice you all.
Che has enjoyed many different kinds SIDs and a multi array of musicians although you do feel by his remarks that Martin Galway has made the biggest impression upon him. His music too reflects this sentiment.
- Neil
