AMOK
From ExoticA
AMOK
GER> OMG (Oliver, swap ex-editor, 02/89-12/90), Volker (code, 06-12/90), Yup
(ex Offence, new 06/90).
DEN> Drax (Thomas Mogensen, music, ex Nato, new late89-01/90), JO (Jesper
Olsen, music, 88-06/90).
NOR> Zero The Hero (Haavar Hojem, aka ZTH, ex Abnormal, later Panoramic
Designs, new late89).
HOL> Hein Design (gfx, later Blackmail, 06-12/90).
???> Atomic (new 09/89), Bandit (new 09/89), Burp (new 06/90), Chris (code
gfx, 04/89-01/90), Shabby (code, 02/89), The Judge (ex Tropic, new
02/90).
Amok is best known for their controversial leader figure OMG, editor of the
popular "Sex'n'Crime" diskmag. It was released every month, normally at the
legendary Venlo meetings, until the 21st and final issue in december of
1990. At one time they had a german subgroup called Future Technologies.
1989 - The very first issue of the legendary diskmag Sex'n'Crime was
released in february, followed by a second issue in april. Atomic and Bandit
joined around september. They group was seriously reinforced late in the
year, when they were joined by Drax/Nato, Stone/Bonzai and the entire group
20CC (as a subgroup)! This didn't last long though, as 20cc left again in
december to exist on their own once again.
1990 - The Judge/Tropic joined around february. "Sex'n'Crime #26" reported
that Stone (ex Bonzai) had sold his computer and left the scene, that Jesper
Olsen was back on active duty for Amok, and that Yup and Burp had joined the
group. Vibrants musicians JCH and Link left the collaboration around june.
1991 - The subgroup Powerzone (mainly Spook from Germany) was kicked out
in january.
Sex'n'Crime #1 (1989, .02, Filemag).
code: Shabby, gfx: OMG (logo, charset), music: JO, editor: OMG.
review: The very first edition of a pretty legendary mag... Interesting!
There is no intro, so upon loading and running the single file we are
launched directly into the mag. The layout (or outlay as they repeatedly
refer to it) is also pretty straightforward; an Amok logo at the top of
the screen, with the reading area directly under it, a raster bar with
the text 'SEX'N'CRIME #001 - FEBRUAR 1989' plotted over it directly
under that again, and finally a scroller at the bottom of the screen.
None of the artwork is in any way showstopping, but the tune is pretty
funky. The control method is pretty straightforward as well; a joystick
in port 2 controls the text up and down, while buttons 1-0 (10) lets you
quickly jump to your desired section.
The reading itself is a mixed bag; OMG's english leaves a lot to be
desired sometimes, as does his ability to make himself understood. Some
sentences make very little sense, while others are pretty good. I get the
overall feeling of someone learning as he goes along; I suspect the
language will improve as the editor does more writing. It also seems a
little local-centric in its coverage - quite a lot of the contents
circle around events connected to the scene in or around the scene in
Aachen, Germany.
The mag comes in a single, 70-block file. [glenn 11/05]
Sex'n'Crime #2 (1989, .04, FileMag).
code: Chris, gfx: Chris, music: JO, editor: OMG.
review: The first engine lasted only a single issue, before being
replaced. In my opinion, the new engine by Chris is an improvement, and
feels a lot more solid. The top of the screen has a pretty cool green logo
going from side to side, with a little text on top, and the rest of the
screen is occupied by the text area. Out are the double-wide characters in
headlines and other places from the first issue, and in come flashing to
emphasize words. The writing also seems more solid this time around. A
better issue than the first all-round. Editorially this issue most
interestingly contains a minireport from the Ikari and Zargon party and an
interview with Scrap/Contex.
The mag itself comes in a single 70-block file with no intro or other
mishmash. In addition comes an 8 block (at least on my disk) file
containing the 'mailbox', a chain-letter-type feature similar to a
shoutbox on websites. Unfortunately we can not narrow the release date
more than the above. [glenn 11/05]
Sex'n'Crime #10 (1989, 23.12, Filemag).
Sex'n'Crime #11 (1990, .01, Filemag).
INT - code: Chris, gfx: Vip (logo), Chris (logo, charset), music: Thomas
Mogensen.
WRI - Volker, gfx: Chris (charset), music: Vibrants.
MAG - Volker, gfx: Hein Design/Density (logo), OMG (charset), music:
Jesper Olsen, editor: OMG.
review: Preceded by first an intro, then a small note explaining some of
the in-mag keys, this 11th issue of SnC is not much different from the
others. This is, apparently, the second issue with a new code, and some
problems from the first issue have been cleaned out. The editorial content
is the usual stuff, as well as an interview with game graphician Thomas
Heinrich/X-Ample. [glenn]
Sex'n'Crime #16 (1990, late.06, Filemag).
INT - code: Volker, gfx/music: Authentic Arts.
MAG - code: Volker, gfx: Hein Design, music: Jesper Olsen, editor: OMG.
Released at the Venlo meeting.
review: Another issue of SnC, by now you pretty much know what you're
getting... Lots of news, a small interview with Raistlin/Genesis Project,
who has now left the scene, and an OK intro with nice graphics and music
by independents Authentic Arts. [glenn]
Sex'n'Crime #21 (1990, 22.12, Filemag).
code: Volker, gfx: Hein Design (main), Bizzmo/Genesis Project (girlface),
music: ???/Artline Designs (intro, uncredited!), music: Jesper Olsen
(main), editor: OMG. Released at the Venlo Meeting.
review: The last ever issue of S'n'C opens with an ok, but standard intro.
Pressing space brings up a good fullscreen picture of a girl's face, done
by Bizzmo/Genesis Project. We have to press space once again to be taken
to the actual mag. Now, I have never been a big fan of S'n'C's control
system; it's clearly a first generation solution. The graphics are little
more than functionable, and the mag's contents is loaded with extreme
aggression. It's not so much a case of writing about the scene as a venue
for telling other people how lame they are. And let's be frank, that
doesn't really add up to a lot of enjoyable reading for any outsider.
There's not much meat on the bones here. There are also no real 'articles'
except for the introduction piece; this mag is made up of news and
adresses. Not all that interesting. [glenn]
