Top Personality: Wiklund of Fairlight
An interview done by Magic of Nah-Kolor
Magic: Please introduce yourself. What have you done so far on the demoscene? What competitions did you win and what are the most important releases you contributed to? Where does the name Wiklund originate from? What is Wiklund about anno domini 2014?
Wiklund: My name is Alex Wiklund and I'm a 22-year-old youngster from Sweden. My interest for music, sound and the demoscene started in late 2008, I don't really remember how it started, but I have always been a creative person. Well, what have I done so far in the demoscene? I have been kind of a "multi-platform composer" and have been making music for C64, Amiga, SNES, NES, PC, Gameboy demos (mostly C64). I have also placed top 3 in every music competition I have contribute to since LCP 2011. I'm really bad with coming up with rememberable names, so I picked my last name as my handle, I have been thinking about changing my handle, but it have never happend. *Winks Winks*
Magic: You are a member of Fairlight. What are you best memories and anecdotes of being a member of one of the oldest still active groups on the demoscene?
Wiklund: The first demoparty i went to was EDIS Meeting 2 in late 2010. I was super excited to meet people I had been looking up to for the first time, like Maktone. But I really wanted to release something, so I made my first C64 tune and learned goattracker during one night. During the music compo while my song was played I heard people say "What is this, shit?". I got really nervous and I felt disgrace. After the compo Pantaloon came to me and asked me if I wanted to join Fairlight, I thought he was joking since I had been a fan of FLT's keygens and cracks since I was 8 - 10 years old. But I didn't hesitate for a moment and joined.
Magic: Please write something about demoscene music. Which musicians and there music do you like the most and why? Which track(s) from demoscene productions do you wish you have composed?
Wiklund: That's a really tricky question. All I can say is that I admire all the musicians in the demoscene, they are some of the most creative people in the world. Joule and Malmen is two people I have been really looking up to since I started and they have taught me a lot about music. I really wish I had composed most of DRAX and PRI's tunes. They are fantastic.
Magic: How is someone your age doing so many great SIDs on the Commodore 64 in some of the best demos of the last years?
Wiklund: I guess I'm just "doing it". I'm also surrounded daily with people who have passion.
Magic: But how did you end up on the Commodore 64 scene? And doing music on a machine which is older than you are?
Wiklund: I always love to try out new platforms and new ways to make music and sound. I think another reason why I ended up in the C64 scene is because of all the possibilities, I never feel that I'm running out of ideas when I'm making music on the C64. Such a fantastic machine.
Magic: You are from Sweden. But you have a special relationship with my country: Holland! How's that? What do you think of Holland?
Wiklund: I'm actually in Holland now while i'm answering your question, hehe. I met a really special girl in Utrecht the summer of 2013 while I had a liveshow at the chipclub/collective Eindbaas, imagine your dream girl, but in real life. I see Holland as my new home country, everybody is just so friendly and kind here and I had plans in 2009 to actully study at Utrecht school of art. But my plan is to move to the Netherlands in 2014. PROOST.
Magic: Next to Commodore 64 you are making music for games. Also some PC demoscene production(s) had your music in it. What platform do you prefer making music on? What are the big differences?
Wiklund: To be honest, I would say I prefer Commodore 64 or other old school platforms with limitations. That's the charm, limitations. The C64 for example, my goal is always to make it sound like more than 3 channels. I want people to say "Is that Amiga?", which I have achieved a lot of times. PC is really different, I get writers block most of the time while I'm producing music in a "high quality music program" such as Cubase, what should I start with? What kind of instrument should I use? Should I record some piano?
Magic: Fairlight has been cooperating with Offence and Prosonix for quite a while now. Can we expect some Fairlight standalone demo again soon? What's happening inside Fairlight?
Wiklund: I guess everybody is quite busy. I think me and Pantaloon are the most active members at the moment and we have been talking about making a standalone demo, we have some really cool ideas and plans for a PC demo, which I hope you guys will see in the future. But I guess creativity is something you cannot rush.
Magic: Any chance your music would end up in a PC demo by Smash of Fairlight? Or aren't you in touch with him?
Wiklund: That would be super awesome, but me and Smash have unfortunately never really talked about it. I think I asked him at Revision 2013 while I was wasted, haha.
Magic: What games did you make music for and on which platform(s)? Which game has the best music from you and we should most certainly check out?
Wiklund: I have mostly been making music and sound design for Nintendo 3DS and DSiware games (Tappingo, Color commando, Ace mathician etc.) but I have also been doing sound design for promotion projects for companies like Ubisoft, which has been a super cool experience, and I'm super thankful that I'm involved in the video game industry.
Magic: Last year there was actually a PC demo by Pantaloon with your music in it. Not a bad demo either... Can we expect a new Pantaloon/Wiklund PC demo in 2014?
Wiklund: Me and Pantaloon have plans to release a C64 demo at Revision 2014, me and Panta have quite a lot of ideas actually, haha. I think we have two ideas for a PC demo. They will hopefully see the light of the day...... someday.
Magic: Roses are red, violets are blue, Holland and Hugi really love you :) Air your final words towards the demoscene in this interview. You have total control of the keyboard now. Write that scroller! :)
Wiklund: Thank you so much for this interview, it was an honour. It's so many people I wanna thank and greet. But I really wanna thank the C64 and PC scene, Joule, Malmen, Fastbom, everybody in Fairlight and Pantaloon. Thank you for showing interest in my music, I would never be where I am today if it wasn't for the demoscene.
SKÅL, PROOST, CHEERS.
Best regards
// Wiklund
Links related to this interview
Wiklund - Nintendoom 2.0 live performance
Wiklund - Djuchi Brothers (8580)
Wiklund - We are Mature (tune 2&3) SID Chiptune
Spot PC demo by Fairlight, music by Wiklund
Magic