You see, I've always been a technology freak. At least as far back as I remember. It all started with a Sinclair ZX81 and went from there. Pretty soon I was a gamer. Not that this term had been coined either. It was just something that you did when it was too dark or wet to play football. But if the term had been around that's what I was.
Home computing, or more accurately home gaming (because lets face it, that was the reason most of us had computers. Sure we kidded ourselves that they were for programming or other academic pursuits. Or at least that's what we told our parents!) really took off with the arrival of the Commodore 64. It was the machine that everyone wanted..... and PW was getting one for Christmas. The anticipation was unreal and too much to bear. I don't know who was more excited me or him. Then the thought struck us. What would happen if it was faulty? What a downer that would be if on Christmas Day he had nothing more than a grey plastic box to look at. So surely it was our duty to test it? We were doing his parents a favour. We really didn't have time but it was something that were just going to have to find time for. PW had recently discovered the storage place for presents so we wouldn't even have to bother his parents with that.
And so the testing regime stated. It was a tough and demanding testing programme so at every opportunity, usually when they were out as we didn't want to disturb them with our work, the machine was carefully taken out, unpacked, plugged in and put through its paces. Then, after several hours, it was re-packed and returned to its resting place.
It was all going swimmingly until one particular intensive testing session. It was quite warn so some refreshments were called for; cooling lemonade. A couple of gulps and the testing resumed. Then, in a moment of excitement, I threw my arms our and..... spilt the lemonade over the computer....
.....on the plus side, our testing had revealed that the Commodore 64 did not respond well to liquid, as it let out a bang and went off.
I don't think PW had discovered swearing but he was certainly perturbed. "Well we can't test anymore do I'd better be getting off", I said and headed for the door leaving PW to explain the situation to his parents. It was a cowardly thing to do but I only had the future of the project in mind. Honest!
The CBM64 was a top games machine; colourful graphics, sprite sets and multi-channel sound. It was the sound in particular that gave it the edge over its nearest rival, the ZX Spectrum. Ahh the music and the point of this lengthy introduction. As well as specially composed music, popular culture was also plundered and the output of the French composer regularly feature. Just to up the nerd stakes, if that is really possible, 'Loco' featured music from Equinoxe and the great arcade conversion Bombjack music from this 1981 album. It's not surprising really as the music converted well to the burgeoning gaming scene; electronics, synths and simple but catchy melodies.
Right, I think I have said enough, and done enough damage to my credibility so I'd better sign off before I start waxing lyrical about the great Rob Hubbard and the music he wrote for 'International Karate', 'Thing On A Spring', 'Commando'.... blast, you could've stopped me!
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