- What SIDs are good drinking to? -
A quasi-scientific survey conducted in a drunken haze, live at Datastorm 2011.
Published in the c64 disk magazine Vandalism News #55.
Edited by Macx.
Journalistic sidekick Archmage.
Every so often the general commodore 64 scener has a need for getting seriously drunk. Amidst all the hard drinking SID-tunes can be an important factor to keep the motivation up. It is a wellknown fact that many of us has a bunch of favourites amongst the audial masterpieces produced on this machine.
In this survey we set out to find out what tunes sceners prefer drinking to.
It was conducted during the evenings at Datastorm 2011 in Gothenburg, when the overall blood percent of alcohol would have the scener set in the perfect mood to evaluate such an essential question. For this reason we had posed the following scenario for the sceners asked:
A: If you were to have an evening of DATA on your own at home, and at the same time had planned on getting seriously drunk. What SID would you have looping all night? If you cannot recall a specific tune, is there a demopart you would choose? If you cannot limit it to one SID, is there an entire demo you would have running over and over again whilst getting inebriated?
B: What beverage would you be drinking?
C: Do you have any other comments or reactions to the most important issue of SID and drinking?
With these questions ready, the authors of this article headed out in the February night, amongst the raw data and the heavy drinking. But prior to the muckraker journalism is presented, we ask ourselves what tunes we would opt for.
MACX/ONSLAUGHT
A: "Amaranth" by Einstein (Kristopher Roebuck) from the first part of the second diskside of Revenge by Chrome. This one would loop for many hours and the scrolltext would be read again and again.
B: Caol Ila single malt whisky and/or beer of several varieties.
C: There are quite a few other SIDs good for drinking, "Tea+Toast" by Tonal Teapot and "Future Knight" by Ben Daglish comes to mind. However, if I had to opt for only one, Revenge would be the demo and "Amaranth" in it would be the tune.
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ARCHMAGE/BOOZE DESIGN
A: As we discovered when we were going around at Datastorm asking people this question, it is a tough one! There is, however, one SID tune that gets my head bopping and my hand reaching for the beercan every time, and that is "Special Agent Rocco Montefiori" by Linus. The tight rythm in the start and the jazzy refrain just lightens my mood and brings my Bacchic spirit to life!
B: I would be drinking Hansa Pilsner. This lager from Bergen is the best beverage that comes out of any Norwegian brewery in my opinion.
C: Well, my mum always told me that I should never be drinking when feeling sad or alone and that is a rule I stick to. Coincidentally I hardly ever feel neither sad nor alone when listening to SID, so I would say that SID and drinking goes hand in hand! Cheers!
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GOTO80/HT
A: "Dellusions" by Kjell Nordboe.
B: Pure vodka until falling asleep.
C: -
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BJORN ROSTOEN/OFFENCE/PANORAMIC DESIGNS
A: "Knucklebusters" by Rob Hubbard.
B: Circa 5 unspecified beers.
C: -
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PANTALOON/FAIRLIGHT
A: "Breakpoint" by Orcan.
B: Jura single malt whisky and Corona or Lapin Kulta beer until waking up again.
C: Booze Design should shapen up until 2012.
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LEIA/several Amigagroups
A: The demo BluREU by Crest.
B: Vodka + RedBull until really drunk.
C: Amiga rules.
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HEDNING/GENESIS*PROJECT
A: Since X2010 it would have been "Xjazz" by Booker, otherwise anything by Drax.
B: Hennessy cognac until the brain slows down and I hit the sack, whilst the SID continues to loop.
C: Accept no limits!
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LOAD ERROR/EPHIDRENA
A: If feelgood: "TRC Mega Co-op" by Xayne. If hardcore: "Anal'ogue" by Jeff. The tune should loop endlessly.
B: A six-pack of Hansa pilsner.
C: I would bbq and eat meat whilst listening.
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ALFATECH/CENSOR
A: "Sweet" by Johannes Bjerregaard and many of JCH's tunes. A few Galway tunes is a must as well.
B: Coca Cola and Rock'n'Roll cigarettes until the mood is set. If I had none, and booze would be the only option I would go for Bowmore single malt whisky.
C: It is about how good it used to be and remembering the joy of being with friends.
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BITTIN/SPEEDFISTERS
A: "1992" by Mactone
B: 5-6 cans of strong Lapin Kultas until I would go to bed.
C: -
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FRANTIC/HT
A: Either Goto80's compotune from LCP2000 or something unreleased I have made myself.
B: Some whisky and weed.
C: -
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SIXX/GENESIS*PROJECT
A: "Contest Demo 2" by Rock of Finnish Gold.
B: 10 big cans of Swedish strong beer and become insufferable at IRC (#c-64).
C: This happens quite often... VN is a great mag btw.
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LOTUS/ANCIENTS
A: "Giana Sisters".
B: Schoefferkuter Weizen Dunkel, 8 half-litre bottles.
C: -
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SIR GARBAGETRUCK
A: Whittaker's "Max Headroom" (all subtunes) and Jonathan Dunn's "Platoon" (subtune 3). The demos would be Total Overdrive (Ikari) followed by The Last Reactor (React) followed by Mathematica (Reflex).
B: Hendrick's Gin, cucumber and tonic water. At least five of them.
C: Keep publishing VN!
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MORPHFROG/EX-HITMEN
A: Something by Wacek from the Biba-series by Arise. I believe the one I am thinking of is named "Amphetamine".
B: Islay single malt whisky until perfectly drunk.
C: -
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RAMBONES/ANCIENTS/SIDWAVE
A: "Knucklebusters" by Rob Hubbard.
B: Danish pilsner, 5-6 times 33cl.
C: -
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ZZAP69/ONSLAUGHT
A: The demo Lickpipe by Triad. If only one tune, then the first part of side two of Spasmolytic (it is a tune by Swallow). I would propably run Dansa med Achmed as well, interrupting the loop every so often.
B: Mariestad 5,3% and/or Absinth until I am going to bed.
C: -
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JUCKE/JUDAS
A: The version of Smallfete Sigges Hode by Zabutom ("Axis of Evil").
B: Weissbier until the reality becomes plasma and scrolltexts can no longer be read.
C: I rarely drink. I more often smoke the green stuff, and then my choice of sids are entirely different.
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DEVIA/ANCIENTS
A: The Edge of Disgrace-soundtrack.
B: Beer. More specifically Flensburger Weiss until I fall asleep.
C: Falling asleep in an office chair causes neckpain.
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NE7/TRIAD
A: "Monty Hi-Score", the Wonderland demos, Red Storm.
B: London Pride Bitter. 3-4 cans.
C: I rarely drink on my own as I do not believe in it. There should always be company.
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MAHONEY/VISA ROSTER
A: "Lightforce" by Rob Hubbard or the demo Super Larsson Brothers.
B: Martini and juice (apple or orange) 50/50 until slightly intoxicated.
C: -
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MAGERVALP/GENESIS*PROJECT/M&M
A: "Locomotive Chef" by Linus.
B: Brightly coloured drinks. 2-3 glasses of Midroni (melon licqeur), cranberry juice and bitter lemon.
C: It happenes too seldom.
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SLATOR/ONSLAUGHT
A: The entire demo by Super Swap Sweden called It's morning.
B: A really good scotch whisky.
C: -
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RADIANTX/PANDA DESIGN
A: Last part of Psykolog by Panoramic Designs
B: Beer. Breznak until I decide to go to bed.
C: -
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MIZTLUREN
A: Party Pig by Booze Design ("Gloria" by Mitch and Dane).
B: Islay single malt whisky.
C: This survey is a great initiative!
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HOLLOWMAN/FAIRLIGHT
A: Zyron's "HZ Light Party".
B: White wine.
C: This tune playes the SID flute right into my heart.
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PROWLER/UP ROUGH
A: "Commodore 64" by Jeff would loop over and over in the background. When I peak I would change to Fanta's "H2O" (?) and Galway's "Rambo II".
B: A couple of Gin and Tonic to get in shape and then whisky or whiskey when I peak.
C: -
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PERPLEX/OFFENCE
A: "Nemesis the Warlock" by Rob Hubbard.
B: Norweigan beer. Frydland Fat. Until I have no more of it.
C: -
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KLEGG/PANDA DESIGN
A: Most SIDs by Cadaver or everything by RadiantX after 2007.
B: 2-3 half-litre cans of Swedish Folkbeer (preferably Falcon Lager 3,5%).
C: -
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OXIDY/FAIRLIGHT
A: The tune in Hollowman's Copycat by Fegolhuzz ("Cute One").
B: Gin and Tonic until I do not feel like having anymore.
C: This is an interesting and important initiative. Good journalism!
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LOONIE/TPOLM
A: "Extremes" or "Alka" by Zardax.
B: Cheapest beer until adequate.
C: -
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CONJUROR/ONSLAUGHT
A: The first tune in the demo Damnable by Tera.
B: Red wine until wasted.
C: -
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MR.SPIV/SCOOPEX
A: Armalyte (which is made by Martin Walker. However, Mr.Spiv meant it was a Hubbard-tune in the drunken haze at Datastorm, why he could be aiming at another SID).
B: A couple of litres of coffee and Trappist beer (Chimay and Rochefort preferably) in the amount which would equal the alcohol of three bottles of wine.
C: As I have got family this only happens circa ones per year.
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MODEL/SPIDERBOYS/UP ROUGH
A: Second Reality by Future Crew which is a PC demo (though with a c64 remake by Smash Designs and The Obsessed Maniacs from 1997). Later in the interview Model mentions "Gloria" by Mitch and Dane. For this reason, and because of beer, things remain a tad unclear.
B: Dark beer or Christmas beer until in a good mood.
C: I prefer drinking with others and SID and alcohol is a very good match. I remember having danced with Ant (ex-Three Little Elks) on this matter.
Here the live survey ends. If anything, it can be concluded that when the IQ is temporarily reduced and the emotions are of the more simple-minded type, the SIDs the common scener prefers listening to can be either new or old. It is not a fact for everyone that it has to be the score from that old classic game. Perhaps more thorough examination could indicate further into what direction of music the SID DJ should play to reach satisfaction of the audience at a disco of drunken sceners. But then maybe the questions posed should be slightly rephrasred, not focusing on the behaviour of the scener when having a DATA evening on his own.
One day we will meet again, slightly intoxicated, tanked up or inbetween, and then the SID-conversation should continue.
Until then, take some time off for beer and kalsongdata.