An editorial written/rambled in several parts. My first one was jotted down in Amsterdam, the latter one in rural Netherlands.


<Vengeance's & Jazzcat's first part>


Welcome to the 42nd edition of the finest one around. Live from a hotel in the citycentre of Amsterdam, I am sitting here with two people who has spent the last 24 hours in a plane travelling around the world. The reason; the scene around this beloved machine has made us a family. It is pretty amazing to think of, unbelievable would define it better. The year is 2004 and the demoscene these days are concerned with releasing contemporary art for an audience that knows the references shared. The scene of the Commodore 64 has made us come together. This weekend we will celebrate that community.

Returning to where I was: me, Vengeance and Jazzcat are not just talking of the old telephone conferences but also what is going on now. Who has released lately, which coder does this, the design of his and her and the musicians that does that. Meaning that in this year the scene goes on, discussions about some of the gut-feelings we all share are present. The scene around this platform is alive. I am sitting in a hotel room drinking beer and smoking some herbs with people I knew from when I was thirteen, meeting for the first time when I am twenty-three.

We will continue later, now me and those Aussie friends are to make our way around Amsterdam. Wicked if you think of it, amazing if you live it.

The Onslaught reigns on...


<Vengeance's & Jazzcat's second part>


It is time to wrap this editorial into one of them nice little packages we all used to get through the mail. With cheated stamps.

In the background I hear the music of Jeff and next to me sits another of the great composers of the sid-chip: GRG. People are unpackaging their gear and meeting up. The Onslaught posse still awaits some of us to show up. I can't wait until once again I'm sharing a beer with the big german bear Slator and I know for a fact that The Vengeance is really keen on meeting up with Booker. x2004 is just about to start.

I leave the keyboard with a little something to think about. I (Macx) am sitting in the middle of nowhere in rural eastern Netherlands together with a whole bunch of people from all different walks of life, from all over the world. The common interest at the farm this weekend is the scene of the machine everyone has heard of. We're using it to create effects, graphics, text and sound. We do it because we need to let out creativity out, because we enjoy meeting friends, you name it. What brings us together is a thing, a culture, called the scene. Try and explain it to someone that does not know about it. Probably an impossible task.

Now, enjoy the reading.

Signed,

The Vandalism Crew
Onslaught, Wrath and SCS+TRC

Matt "The Vengeance" Mchugo
David "Jazzcat" Simmons
Jonatan "Macx" Forsberg