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Heavy Head / The Stap Cracking Crew,
Bronx,
Archaos,
Mechanix 2124,
Camelot,
Chromance,
Onslaught,
Phantasy,
Regina,
The Renegade Programming Group,
Triad,
Vision,
Accept Party Posse,
Netphreakers
Added on December 29th, 2006 (7477 views)
www.c64.com?type=3&id=187
Tell us something about yourself.
My real name is Thomas, and I am now 29 years of age. I was born in May 1977 in Denmark. At the moment, I am working in Afghanistan as part of the ISAF forces, where I am doing various interesting things, as well as keeping myself fit by working out when I have the time. My other great interest is motorcycles. When I get home from Afghanistan I am hoping to get myself a new one (sold the old one just before I left), and this time I am looking at a Triumph TT 600 from 2002... Grouf!
What handle(s) did you use and how did you come up with it/them?
I've always been known as Heavy Head, atleast in the computer world. In the biker culture where I also realm, I am known as Iceman, but that is a totally different story. ;-) I thought of Heavy Head waaaaay back when some of my friends introduced me to Motörhead. That style of music was called Heavy Metal. Motörhead became Heavy Head – and tadaa – my handle was born.
What group(s) were you in?
Uhh, groups... good question... Like alot of the old dudes around, I have tried several groups in my time, but a list would go something like this: The Stap Cracking Crew (SCC), Bronx, Archaos, Mechanix 2124, Camelot, Chromance, Onslaught, Phantasy, Regina, The Renegade Programming Group, Triad, Vision, Accept Party Posse and of course Netphreakers.
What roles have you fulfilled?
My tasks have been many. I started as a swapper, and soon I got my modem, so I became a modemtrader as well. The modem scene was very interesting to me, so I soon started playing around more and more with it, and suddenly I found myself with my own BBS called WestPoint, which was used also by the groups I was in like Camelot, Chromance, Triad etc. I was also very happy to play with phones, so myself and some of my German friends joined together in Netphreakers, and had a lot of fun! I know that Vengeance knows what I am talking about when I say “Phone Conferences” and also Ned can nod to the idea of having phun with the phone, hehe.. I might add that Netphreakers still holds the record of routing 1-800 numbers to a BBS (Westpoint of course). 28 different toll-free numbers at the max. Do I have to mention that the BBS was quite busy? Muahaha... In 1992-1993, I was quite active in the IRC channel "#c-64" along with Burglar from SCS*TRC, and I think that we were some of the first guys on that channel back then. Perhaps even founders of it? ;)
How long were you active for?
My activity started somewhere around 1988, I think, and slowed down more and more after The Party became more and more game-inspired. I would say real activity was between 1988 and 2002. Now, I am more or less only to be found on #c-64 and at a party once in a while. People get older, life values change, jobs, girlfriends, wives, cars, motorcycles... Big boys with big toys... But my heart will always be with the C64.
Tell us about those years and how you got into the scene in the first place.
My scene-life actually started when I was phucking irritated that I could never get any new games for my C64. I answered an ad in a local newspaper where there was this guy who wanted to swap games. I wrote to him, and we started a little swapping. One day I saw the address to Spiderman of Dominators in an intro, and I wrote to him. He sent me a package back that besides the new releases from Dominators also contained an issue of the Brutal magazine. I found the contact-addy page, and was instantly sucked into the sweet life of swapping. From there it just took off.
Describe a typical day for you in front of the computer.
Back then, I would come home from school and start bitching about the mailman because he had not yet delivered my mail. After one-two hours, the mail arrived, and it was time to read all the fantastic mails from around the world. I had more like a penpal relationship with many of my contacts. I was invited to Turkey, Sweden, Poland, Germany etc. to meet the people that I was corrosponding with in person. It was a very very cool time, and everybody was very friendly and happy to write. Sometimes the disks was just a nice side-effect to all the letters I sent and recieved from the world.
One day, I got a contact in Australia. The guy was UpToNoGood and he told me that they had found a way to trick the phonesystem with a clicker. It made a sparkling sound that would trick the phone booth to think that a coin had been inserted, so that one could talk for free. It was at this time my interest in phones and modems started. ;-)
Did you personally invent any special techniques or tools to make things easier for you?
Yes, I invented several different techniques to make things easier for me. Most of them was phreak wise, as I, along with the other Netphreaker guys, always had a lot of jobs for different people to do. I won’t go into details, but it was sure as hell funny.
When you look at what you did back then, what are you most proud of?
I think I am most proud of the work I have done, trying to create a place for the Commodore 64 at events like The Party. Me and Weasel/Padua struggled to keep convincing people to come to Denmark and spend every X-Mas in front of the small monitors, the big screen, and of course to drink some beer and party. Those days are long gone by now, but I am looking forward to the next X-party which I of course will attend to celebrate the C64.
Who were your heroes on the scene and why?
I never really had any kind of real heroes. I have great respect for a lot of people and the job they do. If I really have to pick one, it must be Mr.Z of Triad. He was the most known cracker when I started on the C64, and in my eyes, he is still a legend.
What, for you, was the coolest thing ever invented on the C64?
DEFINITELY the notewriters! I think that everyone has used a notewriter at one point or another. As a swapper, it was a great tool to use instead of all those handwritten lines on paper, that no-one could read anyway.
Did you go to any copy-parties, meetings or tradeshows?
Yes, sire! I sure did, and still do. I try to go to parties like the SCS*TRC party in Holland, but also smaller gatherings with people I know from the old days. Perhaps I should pick up on the offer from Street Tuff and get my ass to CeBit. I've heard it should be a blast!
In your opinion, what was the scene all about?
In my opinion, the original scene was about friendship. Almost everyone helped each other, and today, I'm still in contact with many of those I spent my time with back then. I have met many of my contacts both privately and at parties, and I have also been visited by many of my contacts and friends from the scene. Yes, "contacts" maybe isn't the best word to use. I consider them my friends.
What were the particular highlights for you?
Highlight is, again, from The Party... 3.800 people gathered in front of the big screen, shouting, screaming, and cheering over the routines by AEG. Now THAT was entertainment. ;)
Any cool stories to share with us?
Hehe... Well, I was once arrested along with Danzig and Ned from the Accept Party Posse when we had some fun at a McDonalds in Denmark. Some way or another, the beer bottle (ølflaske) from Danzig ended up on the roof of a quite expensive car, and the roof, which was made of glass, got smashed. We were all taken to the police station, they took the Danzig's passport so he could not leave the country. I had to talk to the police for quite some time to get him out, hehe... It was a night to remember.
Are you still in contact with any old C64 people today?
Yes, I am in contact with at least some of the old C64 people today. I meet most of them at parties around Europe, but some of them I also meet at private occasions. One of my very best friends in the scene is Ned. We have done some very very crazy shit together. We have been arrested together, had vacation together, and visited each other in Denmark and in Germany. He is my inspiration to still kick it once in a while as an old C64 scener.
When did you get your C64 and do you still have it lying around somewhere?
I think I have one Commodore 64 left. I used to have 4-5 of them, but one day when I was not at home, my girlfriend found a box with all of them and thought that it was keyboards. She threw them out and burned them (aaaaargh!!). Luckily, all my disks are safely stored at Mason's place at the moment, as he is transfering them.
Was the C64 really as special as we like to think it was?
Yes, no doubt about it. Codewise, the C64 was about optimizing and working with what you had. No fancy extra ram, graphics card or digital surround sound. Eight bit was enough! And still is, in my opinion.
When can we expect to see some new C64 output from you? :)
Perhaps sooner than you think. I maybe have a little something up my sleeve in early 2007. Time will tell...
Do you have a message for your old contacts and/or anyone reading this?
See you at X2008!! 8-)
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