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It's there, now on CD: On August 23rd, at the WDR-Funkhaus in Cologne, legendary video game music by Chris Huelsbeck was performed in an all-new shape, including classics of the C64- and Amiga-homecomputer era such as "Giana Sisters" and "Turrican". The minimalist computer sounds of the original songs were rearranged for orchestra and choir by demoscene legend Jonne Valtonen (aka Purple Motion / Future Crew).

Tiny 8-bit samples or pulse width modulated square waves became violins, contrabasses, flutes, clarinettes, horns, trumpets and grand piano. Envelope controlled noise became drums, timpani, cymbals, triangles ... even pottery mugs. And the handful of simultaneously playable voices of the C64 and Amiga computers turned into arrangements for 120 musicians of orchestra and choir. The songs were performed by the musicians of the WDR Radio Orchestra Cologne and the FILMharmonic Choir Prague, conducted by Grammy-winning artist Arnold Roth.

In the first month after the release, the CD will be available in the shop of www.maz-sound.com exclusively. It can be ordered as of now at the price of 22,00 Euro.

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Winnie Forsters previous encyclopedia Game Machines 1972-2005 was dedicated to the hardware, his new book "Spielmacher" now deals with the software. The book is available in german language only, so if you don't understand the following text you probably should check one of the english books instead, such as the one listed below.

Von Pong zu World of Warcraft, das Lexikon "Spielmacher" nimmt Sie mit auf eine Zeitreise. "Spielmacher" stellt die Genies und Wahnsinnigen vor, die das Hobby und die Industrie der Computer-und Videospiele prägten. Das Lexikon porträtiert Techniker, Designer und Produzenten, beschreibt Erfolge und Scheitern, den Aufstieg und Fall von aktuellen und legendären Firmen wie Atari, Sega und Nintendo, Activision, Microprose und Sierra. "Spielmacher" umfasst auf 400 Seiten 1500 lexikalische Einträge, 1850 Personen, darunter 220 Biografien klassischer und moderner Macher, 1300 Firmenporträts, 4500 Spiele und 650 Links für den Weg durch den Dschungel aktiver Entwickler.

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"Digital Retro" is a colorful coffee table book which tells the story behind 44 classic computers of the Seventies and Eighties. Compatibility? Forget it! Each of these computers was its very own machine and their owners passionately defended their babies with a belief verging on the religious. It was a unique period in the history of computing when a bewildering array of machines battled for supremacy in a melting pot which would shape the industry and the smallest of operations could launch a computer to compete with the largest corporations. Digital Retro reveals the inspiration behind each machine, it's goals, specifications and what ultimately went wrong. Each and every model was tracked down from museums and private collections to be lovingly photographed.

Digital Retro is an essential read for anyone who owned a home computer in the 80s. If the mere mention of Sinclair, Commodore, Atari or Acorn brings a big grin or a fond tear to your eye, it's the book for you.

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Released 2005 just in time for the 20th anniversary of the Amiga, 2006 sold out, now the 2nd edition is available: "FREAX Volume 1" - the most exciting and most complete book about the (hi)story of the C64 and Amiga demoscene, telling the story of the machines as well as of the underground subcultures around them. The book contains 350 pages and is illustrated with 480 color photos and screenshots. Interviews with scene celebrities, former key persons of the computer industry, citations from contemporary magazines and fanzines make the narrative history of the big adventure complete. This is the comprehensive guide to the golden era of home computers. If you actively witnessed this time the book will make you feel the urge for at least a substitute drug. We highly recommend this book to everybody who would like to learn more about the demoscene and generally about the early days of digital multimedia art.

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The double-CD Immortal 3 features more than 150 minutes of newly arranged music from no less than 35 classic Amiga games. In contrast to other remix projects the concept of Immortal is to let the original authors (e.g. Chris Huelsbeck, Allister Brimble, Jochen Hippel, Tim Wright, Olof Gustafsson) do new interpretations of their very own tracks (with a few exceptions) using all the latest studio technology. The result is a colourful mixture - from the bombastic orchestral version of the Apidya title track to the wonderful solo-piano version of Ambermoon and synth-hits such as Pinball Fantasies or Elfmania, powerful e-guitars in Death Mask, the typical Amiga lead-synth in Lotus 3 or the irish-folk-style Ghouls'n Ghosts - there's almost no style missing :-)

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25 years after Commodore introduced the C64 computer the double-CD C64 Orchestra - RUN 10 presents some of the most famous C64 game tunes - interpreted by a classical orchestra and packed into original "breadbox" design. The songs of the C64 musicians Rob Hubbard and Jeroen Tel were rearranged by Rob Hubbard himself into a classical score specifically for the dutch Ricciotti Ensemble. Check out this piece of art that the music in combination with this unique packaging and a second disc with the original tunes and special features represents!

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