Human made music is illegal
Megacorps pump algorithmically generated audio directly into people’s brains.
Rival companies horde artefacts of human creativity to train their all consuming ‘intelligences’.
Recording devices are banned, restricted to those harvesting content for the machines.
Out on the fringes of society there are some who don’t subscribe. Who don’t follow back. Who don’t accept the terms or conditions.
Hard-wired into ramshackle DECKs, crews of delinquent jockeys search for lost vinyl, cassettes and even mini-discs. They run no-questions-asked black-bag gigs on the down-low with plausible deniability and style.
Artwork = Heartwork
We believe in the importance of human creativity.
All art for Scratched Paintwork has been created by real actual people.
Jockey & DECK art by Helena Santana
Hero images by Erin Rea
DECK & Jockeys
Dynamic Environment Combat Kits were originally designed as durable modular machines to help humans operate in the harsh environments of space and alien planets.
It didn’t take too long for workers forced into exploitative contracts to realise that DECKs could be co-opted to help balance negotiations.
Too small for mass military applications, they’re piloted by a single ‘jockey’ and powered by an industrial small fusion reactor. Perfect construction on distant moons, and small scale warfare, DECKs are easily customised by any competent mechanic.
What’s a DECK?
Crews are made up of ‘jockeys’. Each is a capable pilot, a mechanic and often a talented netrunner. Some go looking for the lifestyle, enjoying the freedom (and the soundtrack), others are pushed off the precarious ledge that is life in the megacorp dominated world and land there.
Running missions for corps and scavenging music on the side is a dangerous life, and even the best jockeys are running on borrowed time.