b1a0tSyndrome is backtZaac & RokDaZonethps1c01f2 Syndrome Back for Good f1c02 by Zaac & RokDaZone c02Syndromec03 the in 1996 so active and succesful french-based group has witnessed a major drop down in 1997, which lead to the official closing of the group by Tenshu, organiser and controversial graphician. He then decided to leave for PC and build a new group called c02 'Elend'c03 (ger.: Misery). c04No in early of April we hear from Zaac that he has received a quite spectacular mail from Tenshu: c03f4 "We can forget 'Elend', 'Syndrome' is back!"f1 c04The new memberlist featuresc03 Gengisc04, c03Nastyboyc04, c03 Codacc04 as coders (you read correctly: Gengis). c03 Vylec04, c03 Nytrikc04, c03Tenshu c04 andc03 Zaacc04 are the graphicians and they start with only one musician: c03Travenc04. c02We took the chance and asked Zaac about the end and resurrection of Syndrome. The 21 year-old student of the Fine Arts. Laurent, so his real forename, has so far participated in three little and 'really French' productions ("La Teinte" at Saturne, "La Teinte Remix" at the Volcanic 3 and "Corbier 3" released at the Wired) all coded by Obyone. c04Netherless he has done a lot of pictures or logosf4 "but the productions were always cancelled or worse, sometimes the coders were forgetting my pictures!"f1 Zaac comments still unpleased. That is why, last year, he also joined Ramses as a doublemember not in order to leave his inactive friends, but to see his work being used. c01 The Elend with Syndrome c02Why did Tenshu kill the group when it was quite succesful? c03f4 "The group seemed succesfull, but actually what were the real productions of Syndrome in 1997? Hem, in fact during 97, there was a feeling of weariness floating over the group. And in reality, Tenshu has not killed the group, he had seen what few others active members had also noticed: The group was in a deep torpor, Syndrome was dying slowly. He has said it."f1 c02Why did he has such a power over the group? c03f4 "Tenshu was - with people like Codac, Bosco or Kestrel - a founder of Syndrome. He has been also one of the most popular sceners in France. These two reasons are enough to explain the natural position of leader occuped by Tenshu in Syndrome." f1c02Did the other members all agree in this? c03f4 "The question was simply: Did the last active members want to stay in a Syndrome without Codac, Bosco, Tenshu? Syndrome without them has not any longer a meaning. The leaving of Syndrome was also symbolic, it was a sort of electroshock for the last active members who still wanted to create demos together. Members have found the occasion to leave the scene without regrets the others were more or less OK to follow Tenshu." f1c02Have there been any real arguments or bitter feelings? c03f4 "Bitter feelings, of course but arguments, in fact not really, we had all agreed about a thing: Syndrome was dying and we all wanted to do something... Without a real coder a group can not live. During the last year, we have successively lost Codac and Nastyboy (completely inactive) and Guille (who left the group and created Cocoon with Maf and Nitryk on PC). There is one more explanation, the life time of a scener is rather short: four, five years sometimes. Codac, Tenshu the most wellknown, but some others like Bosco or Embroaz had been on the scene for more or less five years now, there is something natural in the fact they are a bit tired. Even Guinea pigs live longer than Sceners!" f1c02Did you receive any feedback from the German Syndrome members in the forefield? c03f4 "Nastyboy has warned the French guys that some German members were complaining about a great lack of communication. That was true, there was a real gap between the French and the German." f1c02Why was that? c03f4 "The roots of Syndrome were in Breuillet a small town in the outer suburbs of Paris. A lot of the former members (Tenshu, Bosco, Obyone, Embroaz or Codac who lives in Paris) were neighbours and so they did not use to write (and Tenshu was not able to write or to read anything in English, now he is living in London he has made a lot of progress). There were only two French who had real contacts in Germany: Codac and Guille. A lot of German members like Ghandy, JCS or Marc have joined Syndrome after Guille's invitation. After The Party'96, Guille decided to left the team (Maf and Nitryk who were his long-time friends have followed him). On the other hand, Codac, because of his job in a games company had no more time to code or to do anything else for the Scene. Without Codac and Guille there was not anylonger the smallest link between Germany and France." f1c02In your opinion: Is the French hand really guilty? f4c03 "I do not think so, I have written to several Germans members before and after the Nastyboy's warning, I have never received even one reply." f1c02So now Syndrome France is reborn. What has changed since the dissolution of Syndrome and the birth of Elend. Or more clearly, why this resurection? f4c03 "The coder Nastyboy is back. Tenshu is motivated again and he brings Gengis and Vyle (graphician) and Codac is back as an 'honorary member'. I guess that all these old sceners just wanted to have a breath! Tenshu has decided to reform Syndrome, for sentimental reason I guess, but also because of the 'notoriety of Syndrome on the Amiga scene'. What is your personal opinio about that? "After all, according to Tenshu himself: 'The name is not really important.' That is so true and I am not really unhappy of this new change but I hope this is the last episode! I am a bit tired..." f1c02Remains the question if the German Syndrome will return into the new group aswell? c03f4 "Well, I have asked this twice to Tenshu (the first time he has forgotten to answer to this question and I am still waiting for the answer of the second time ). I think and I have said it to Tenshu that we can let them independant as they are now, in fact this is not a problem. It will be a Syndrome France and a Syndrome Germany." f1c02Why so few members for the new group? c03f4 "Only friends and "active" members." f1c02Are there future plans for Amigareleases under Syndrome? Did you already release something on PC? What? c03f4 "Three demos are previewed: A cooperation Syndrome-Skarla on Amiga (Jamie is working with Kobi (our 3D graphician) on a 060 demo). And two demos on PC, another cooperation but with Cocoon (the Guille's team) this time and finally a Syndrome-only demo coded by Gengis and Nastyboy." f1c02In your opinion: What was the best Syndrome release? Why? c03f4 "Well, I think "Borndead" released at Saturne Party III is our best production: The effects are good, the gfx too but most of all this demo has a design and this is rather unusual in a Syndrome demo! There is also this heavy atmosphere so caracteristic of the Syndrome releases."