Skyhigh 16 About The Mistress/Angry
Yeppa!
Not many girls are known to this scene. Still I succeeded in finding one! This time I can proudly present an interview with a very good (girl) friend of mine!
I am naturally talking about the female power behind The Tribune!!
Let me welcome you all to :
THE MISTRESS OF ANGRY
Skyhigh
Mistress
First I would like to cry out a huge thanx for helping me out with this interview! Ok Mistress, why don't we get started the boring way. Please give us a presentation of the girl known as The Mistress. You know real name, scenestory a.s.o.
Hello Jesper! Well my real name is Elvira Van Dam and I am 22 years old.
I entered the scene through the subscene in 1988 as Nastiness,Inc.'s personal secretary (it's true...) and one year later we built The Tribune. My former groups are Tmb, Wtg, Genetix & Entropy. I am around 1m70 tall and weigh 59 kgs. At the moment I have long dark hair, it used to be black and was originally red. I have green eyes (and that is the original colour) and work as a part-time model and company girl in a nightclub in Rotterdam, that great city that hosted me all my life. My status is still single (for the fun) and in the scene I edit The Tribune and do a little swapping (10 contacts). Is that enough bizzi?
Yep this should give the readers a hint of who we are talking about!
What about the past. In what other groups have you been?
As I said, Tmb software was our own group where we started, then it merged with Warlords into Wtg. The we killed Wtg and joined The Ancient Temple, but we left after three weeks. Then we joined Genetix and Entropy, but Genetix died soon and recently half of Entropy left to build up Angry of which I am the organiser together with Nti.
To no ones surprise then you are the one half behind the magazine 'The Tribune'. And everybody should also know that this mag is released under the Entropy label! Or to be more precise it used to... You are no longer in Entropy. Well what has happened,and what about The Tribune? Will it continue under your new group, or........
Well we got a bit fed up with Entropy as it was, too many inactive members and a very lazy organizer. This way we would lose members only, and so we took the active part of the group and built Angry (me, Nti, Otk, D.Boy, Steiger, Wile Coyote) and later Logan and The Ninja joined, while Danny Boy left. For The Tribune this does not have any consequences as the editors (me, Nti, Otaku and Wile Coyote) are still here and so only the label changes from Entropy to Angry.
I also read in Tribune (from now on named -T-) that Jan Albartus joined Angry. So does this mean that Magness will be another Angry magazine? In other words is angry going to be a 'mag group' ?
Indeed Jan joined, and after the last Magness (#10) Jan (Logan) will continue to edit, but for The Tribune! There was some talk about stopping the Magness anyway as it got too little support, like votesheets and stuff. It shut off the informative part of the mag so now he can work on happily.
ANGRY... Why the name Angry? Are you getting fed of the scene. -Tired of always getting nagged on. Or is it just another name (I do not think so!!) I would like to hear the story behind the name!!
It is quite easy to see through, really. You see, we were quite angry the way things were going in Entropy. And we decided that now we have our own group we make our own rules. If somebody doesn't like something about us, we send him our slogan : "We don't care..." Some members are really angry, but the name is because we were angry about Entropy. You could call it a spin-off.
Ok let's talk about your magazine! -T- has existed for more than 5 years now. This makes it the oldest mag in the c64 story ever. So far 50 issues has been released. Many doubt that you have released that many issues. Many say they had never heard about -T- before issue, say, #40! Why not give us some info about the last 5 years!
A while ago Jerry/Triad sent to us with this same story, and as a response Nti sent him as many back issues as he had, dating from issue #6 in 1990 Too bad we lost the first issue ever. Anyone can order back issues if they want to, from the old we don't have every issue but from #20 on we do. We started in september 1989 with a small newsletter to keep the costumers of our pirate company informed with the latest releases, then in issue #20 it became more a scene-mag and with issue#35 when we joined Entropy and got a serious outfit, we started to grow on and on. And now you know how far it's gone.
Well back to the story about not many knowing about -T-. Why is it that not many knew -T- until about a year or two ago!
Entropy. Before Entropy we were more in the local scene which was not very big and then (not seriously counting Tat and Genetix as this was too short) we were in an international group that kept on growing with a bunch of good friends and dedicated spreaders. Alas, we lost our good girl friend Inge who had 80 contacts and then Nti,then called Tmb, started to do some serious swapping and saw this was a way to spread the mag. More people started spreading the mag, like Mj, Derbyshire Ram and Bizarre. With spreaders like these you have to get some more readers. And when readers like the mag, they spread on.
Well within the last year -T- has started its way up in the charts. What is the reason that it has started now! People has always nagged about the outfit. Is that the reason why it raises now, or ?
It's a lot of things. They wanted more chapters,we give them more chapters. They want fast releases, we give them. They want a new outfit, we give them. We need more spreaders, we get them. It's all a matter of listening to your readers. Satisfied readers will be spreaders,and this way you get more readers and more voters. Now The Tribune is so big, and still comes so fast. (1700 blk in 2 months) No, it's not only the outfit!
Talking about the outfit. Lot's of words has been said about your outfit, and it has been improved massively lately. I read in a previous issue that you were also thinking about doing an proportional upscroller. I guess it will be out soon anyway. But to the point : can we expect other improvements in the future?
Sure. The proportional upscroll is a big question mark as Uzzy took the code for that with him in his c64 grave. It was done by Mr.Warp/Eqx for us and now Steiger doesn't have it. Of course we want to improve, because if there is nothing to improve there is nothing to do your best for.
Well another thing -T- is (in)famous for, is yours, and Barrys chapters. Barrys for his ruff writing style, and yours for da open debate on sex. I know this is a lame question but I have to ask it anyway; does you write about sex to gain more interest about -T- and the person 'the mistress'
Last time I did a series about sex it was on special request from Merlin/M8. Well, in 'The Mistress talks' I talk about anything I have on my mind, so does it look strange that it is sometimes about sex? No, the columns are not to gain interest, they are meant for fun. As is the biggest part of our mag but not everybody understands that.
Personally I respect you for being so openhearted sex is no longer a tabu even though many still see it as dirty talk, and still they find an old issue of Playboy to spank the monkey!! Errhmm, pathetic. Ok enough about -T-...
Starlight, Black Widow and Tms. These are the only handles who I can think of when trying to count the females in the scene today. Is it hard to be a girl in this male-dominated world? (I guess writing : swap with a female, attracts many contacts ??)
There are a few more. But the scene can be some girl-unfriendly somtimes. Many little mags want to "score" with porn stories and advise any female readers to get out of there. While I happen to like a good one, also because I am bi-sexual. And I never raised my contacts to over 10, and my contacts don't have to vote. The problem (?) Starlight might have is that she gets votes just becoz she is a girl. Now that isn't good. And that is why I am glad she's also a good swapper so she deserve the votes.
Girls. how many girls are you aware of in the scene Both earlier and of today?
We're no longer in the period where a girl I knew was kicked from an elite group because she was a girl. Some have gone,like Kayleigh/Fatum and Mav/Eqx. What about Smd, also gone? (Yes Lotte (Smd) has quitted -ed!) Of course the tragic ends of Tbb (car accident-19) Bbr (cancer,21) and Andrea (drove her friend into death and quit-18) are sad enough. Some therapy guy claimed he was a girl, but this is crap. No, not much left! Legendary was the dutch group Tbb with only girls (1991)
Why is it that no more girls find this computer and its scene exciting the same way as boys do!! Do you have an explanation on that?
There are many boys quitting, and some girls. And that is because there are only so many girls. And if the boys all look at the bigger systems,why shouldn't girls? I can only say that I think this scene is mighty exciting and that is the reason I am still on. For the rest, everyone must speak for her own.
Well Elvira, many people think (or thought) that you where only a fictive person made up by Barry. Others think that you and Barry are going steady! Well why not tell us the truth here!
Ha ha. I must look inside my shirt here (Hey no peeking Jesper!). (Ah shit!! - busted... -Biz Kid!) No, I am still a living girl of flesh and blood. There have been ugly situations with boys pretending to be girls and so with every girl some think it is a boy using a girl's profile. But if I were Barry just to get some charts points then I would have more contacts than him, right? And I'm not his girl. Until march 1993 he had Inge (Tbb) who died then. She was also my best friend. We have had some trio sex but that's only fun as sex is supposed to be. Some mag asked Barry who Did the cooking at home, he or me. No, this is just easy guessing and not true.
I have just been reading all the text in 'The best of The Mistress talks'. (Damn that's a lot of text..) This was released before issue #50 of -T-. Ok to the point; in there you said that you would probably quit the scene after the big 50. So have you come to a conclusion whether you stay or not!
I'll give you a funny story. When I released "best of..." I seriously considered quitting as one guy was trying to set up my friends against me. Just after the release I got a tape from one of my contacts. East 17? "Darling if you have to go away don't think I can take the pain won't you stay another day" So cute, I decided to stay.
Personally I could not imagine -T- without half of it's power! but... Imagine one day Barry tells you that he have had it up to here, and is quitting! What would you do then.
I know Barry has done preparations to carry on with The Tribune in case I am gone but I can't imagine what I'd do in The Tribune without him. He's got all the contacts with the other editors and he still does 70% of the work, also in contracting other editors. No, Then I'd only continue for Skyhigh. The Tribune is now a very large mag and the only way to carry on is to make it smaller, and that won't work.
Oh, just came to think about a funny thing you wrote in a prious issue of-T-. Y said that you were not allowed to have a computer in the house. I knew a person (a real nef I may say so; we usd to call him Sutte The Nose.) who also had problems with his parents! Apperently his dad got fed up with him because he spent too much time on the computer, so he simply took it and threw it away. Hopefully it isn't that bad with you. (Yes Jesper it is)
Well Elvira I think it's time for the favourites.
Let's start with the c64 faves.
DEMOGROUP : BYTERAPERS,INC., UNLTD.
CRACKERGROUP : AVANTGARDE
CODER : MR.SEX, JHONNY B
COMPOSER : COMPOD
GRAPHICIAN : CUPID
DEMO : SPASMOLYTIC
MAGAZINE : GOSSIP (after the ones I edit)
GAME : PINBALL DREAMS (AMIGA)
And the 'real life' faves
FOOD : CHINESE
DRINK : MINERAL WATER
MOVIE : NAKED GUN SERIES, PORN
MUSIC : DIRE STRAITS, PINK FLOYD
MALE ACTOR : CHARLIE SHEEN
'The Mistress'! What a handle. Someone probably think you are a slut by having such a handle, not!! I have a pretty obvious reason why you choose that one, but why not tell us yourself!
Well I have a somewhat unusual sexual taste, I like sadomasochism ,S&M. And the dominating part is more my part most of the time. The second reason is that my first name is Elvira and when you remember "Elvira, Mistress of the darkness" it becomes even more obvious!
Beat me up, Scotty ! He he..
I guess everybody knows about the story with -T- and The Pulse, or more precise : Duke. I recently heard rumours that he might return to the scene again. According to the same rumours it was not sure he would start up The Pulse though. Will this influence you, Barry or -T- in any way?
We're sharpening the knives, hi hi! No, it is all up to the Dukester. If he wants to pick up the ragging again we are happy to reply (watch your addy!). Don't forget that The Tribune never starts a war, it always ends standing. And Duke will return, I am convinced. After all, he's done this going and returning trick a few times when things did not go his way.
I guess you'll make him quit if he gets too cocky again.
Well I think this interview is getting close to it's end now.
Do you have any suggestions for me to improve this magazine!
Of course, nobody is perfect (so watch out anybody who calls me a nobody!). Skyhigh could get some more humour, apart from the columns. A jokes or funny stories chapter mebbe? You might want to see if you can jump some boards to have your news some hotter. Not much to improve,it's a good mag. Ever thought of a female co-editor?
Yes I have been playing with that thought !!! All it needs is.... well you know !
Any last words to hit the people with!
First of all many thanks for this cool interview Jesper, also congratulate Raz with that cool outfit (update).
Furthermore greetings to my friends Nastiness,inc. Otaku, Wile Coyote, Logan, Steiger and The Ninja in Angry, Cupid (not a member but a good friend), Compod, Jhonny B, Jason, Freddie and Jack of Unlimited, Vile Creeper and Lonely Spirit of Trash, Bud and Slash of Gossip and all I did not forget. Good night guys, and remember to keep your hands above the blankets!
Ok Elvira, thanx for taking the time to help me out with this. What ever happens then I hope we will keep our cool friendship and maybe even meet some day. The best to you too, Barry. I have met you twice and I'll probably meet you again somewhere. Keep up the spirit and keep up -T-.
Stay phonkee
You bet!
Love from the mistress
Yep that's it. Quite a girl eh?
Ok, no more for now, so better move on to the next chapter....
