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whodini
(1st December)
by dangermouse
Dangermouse
sup boy
Whodini
Whutsup man.
Dangermouse
ACheron has been meaning to interview for quite sometime,
and I'm sorry we haven't gotten to you sooner..
Whodini
I don't really like interviews. Normally the people have
no idea what to ask and it ends up being a stupid log of
an irc conversation. But acheron has cool interviews...
Dangermouse
First off, can you tell us briefly about yourself - where
you live, age, sex, hobbies, car, etc..
* dngrmouse blushes
Whodini
My real name is Ryan, I'm 20, I drive an '83 Delta88 (Land
Yacht)... Hobbies... Computers, Music, Movies, Girls...
and now thanks to chex.. partying.
Dangermouse
Ok, you started off in the scene in 1992.. basically in
the BBS scene I'm guessing - what was the atmosphere like?
Whodini
Well.. it was really cool. Locally there was no "elite
scene for the lame". Everything was so underground
no one locally knew about it. Then a friend of mine from
Chicago moves here.. and everything changed.
Elite BBSes popped up... and the local scene was born. It
all starts and ends with the local scene I think. The best
groups have local have a local foundation.
Dangermouse
I understand you started your own BBS in this underground
world?
Whodini
Yah.. Whodini's Magik.. started in 93.. down in '97. Started
out mostly lame warez and h/p... got into art in '94. Ditched
the warez.
Dangermouse
How did you get involved with the art scene? .. I suppose
it's a natural progression coming from the warez scene back
in those days?
Whodini
Pretty much. I knew I didn't want to be a warez puppy. The
h/p scene had already seperated from the warez/art scene.
I remember downloading an ACID pack.. going "woah".
And sitting there with TheDraw trying to be Jed.
Dangermouse
I understand you even formed your own group?
Whodini
In '94. Omot (Who's now founder of Lotek.. www.lotek.org)
and I created a group called Futile. Started with just him
and I. As time went on we got a few members... Saint Sinner
(now Misfit), Ewheat, Stigmata... local guy named Maxx,
Genocide... it wasn't a good group. But it was our group.
Dangermouse
This is the year you also joined KTS and later Remorse right?
What happened with KTS?
Whodini
Right.. when I was in Futile.. I started focusing on ASCII.
It was new in the PC scene. Late 94 I joined KTS because
TinyZ thought I was really cool. Then.. he saw my art a
week later and realized I wasn't that good. So I joined
Remorse... then... I ran Remorse.
Dangermouse
What was it like running Remorse? A tough job? I understand
it died the same year..
Whodini
Well. I didn't really like being stuck with a group. The
problem was, I was president. But near the end Necronite
who was founder started stepping in. Omot was kicked out.
I just wasn't experienced enough with scene politics. And
I'm an asshole.. So. I decided that if I was going to run
the show, I should at least run my own show. I killed Remorse..
took all the members I thought were good. I started Trank!Ascii.
Which really was when people
I did newschool and oldschool for Trank. The ANSI scene
hadn't seen any newschool. The hornet archive didn't allow
ANSI packs anymore, so the later KTS packs weren't seen
when they released newschool. So.. with a bunch of high
quality newschool artists... Trank made it huge. It really
got the ANSI artists into drawing ASCII. And they made a
huge difference.
Dangermouse
Yeah, I could imagine.. So what sort of mysticism got Trank
and well, ACiD!ascii to join back into Remorse (ironic,
don't you think?)
Whodini
It isn't that ironic. My life was hectic as hell. I was
hoping someone could take over for me. No one really was
interested in taking my place, though. (I wonder if Rad
man will have the same problem). Necromancer stepped in
and saved my ass. There was a few against, but most were
for it. Rad Man was basically like.. "However you want
to do this, we do it." So everyone realized it wasn't
ACiD eating up a group... they were really interested i
Those who were against it... have all told me it was for
the better now. So it was a good merger.
Dangermouse
You mentioned Rad Man? is he leaving ACiD? :>
Whodini
No. But he can't be in ACID forever. And everyone thinks
about retiring sometimes... Wouldn't you want someone to
run acheron when you are too busy/tired/bored? Scene politics
are crap... even worse when you play more than the role
of an artist.
Dangermouse
I hear you dude.. And I strongly agree and relate.. I remember
last year you got busted by the FBI -- that must have been
a shocking experience..
Whodini
No shit it was. Especially because I was retired from most
of my *really* bad things. I had come really close to being
caught for another crime and went straight. Then about a
year later... FBI shows up at my door with local and federal
warrents to search my place.
Dangermouse
Whoa
Whodini
It was a scare thing. Some dude had hacked a Navy base.
They knew who did it. But instead of getting a warrent for
just him. They decided they'd say they didn't actually know
who really did it. Then go after all of us. So.. a total
of 10 people, 11 warrents...
Dangermouse
It must have also been an awakening experience.. You must
have never though you'd actually get caught?
Whodini
Two years previous, I was expecting that sort of thing.
Not after I had gone straight though. It was really sort
of shitty. Especially considering they went after people
who didn't do *anything*.. Ewheat, MrO, Spook.. innocent
of everything. And they just waltz in and threaten to ruin
your life like that.
Dangermouse
Yeah
Whodini
The only thing I can thank them for is that they never pressed
any charges on anyone.
Dangermouse
I remember a while back a few police cars used to go by
my place over a period of a few weeks.. I was wondering
I can tell you.. Turns out they were after a real criminal
:)
They usedto just park outside and shit like that..
So you're back in the scene now.. Did you seriously think
about giving the scene up after that incident or?
Whodini
A truely innocent man has nothing to fear they say. But
anyone who can read know its all bullshit. Sacco and Venzeti
and all that shit...
Dangermouse
Just quickly, what's happening today with your life?
Whodini
Well... I drew ASCII while at work, I still looked at the
packs. I got a lot of email from people still. I didn't
think of giving it up. I mean.. I draw.. its what I do.
Wether its ASCII, paper, or whatever... but with ASCII..
people can see it everywhere. There are real patrons.
I live with Cypher Hex and Kaleidas on Ohio State Campus.
(We don't go to school). Its cool as hell.
Dangermouse
So you work? where?
Whodini
I'm an Internet Marketing Consultant for Data Image Technologies....
Mostly I run/design porn sites.
E-commerce and porn are the future of the internet.
Dangermouse
Yeah I agree. I'm in the industry myself.. Intranets and
training are also boom areas. I noticed your email is element
design -- also working there?
Whodini
Yah. I'm one of the System Admins at element. I don't play
a big role though. Its really not my show there....
Dangermouse
Wicked. welp, we'll have to draw this to an end.. It's been
great chatting to you dude.. Any greets to shout?
Whodini
I've done so many damned greets. :) Instead of pointing
out particular people. I'll just greet EVERYONE who has
drawn with Remorse/Trank/Futile/Acid... because they are
whats great about this scene. Its all about the artists...
Dangermouse
Iagree. Catchya l8r dude. bibi
Whodini
later.
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