Aug 20, 2006 - Quit my job with da man

Well, I finally decided to quit my job and go freelance. For those who don't know, I make ringtones for the big phone networks to sell via their wap sites, as well as doing some stuff for some big football clubs and stuff.

I've been doing this for just a little over a year now, and I've started to realise I'd be a lot better off doing the same work freelance, and selling tones myself direct to the public. No security, but a lot more earning potential.

So, a couple of weeks ago I handed in my notice and as of the 1st of September I'm officially out on my own. I've got some contract work lined up, ringtones, podcasts, that kinda thing. Not enough to pay my wage but I';ve got some investment lined up which will help keep the business afloat for a couple of years whilst I build up a customer base and start to profit.

It's pretty exciting, I've got a web site designed to sell tones to the general public which will go live at the start of December (hopefully!), once I've made the 300 or so tones that I want on there for the launch.

Its a lot of money, a lot of risk and a lot of effort (especially as I'm effectively doing 2 jobs, and have been for the past 3 months) but i figure I'm making my current employer tonnes of $, so if i work as hard or harder for myself then i've got a fighting chance.

Fingers x'd!

Aug 23, 2004 - goin mobile

bought myself a new laptop last week, and just finished getting it all set up after about 5 days of trying...

first of all found out that the mic in was actually the line in, which was confusing, and spend today bugging db about networking issues, which ive now got sorted - thanks dan! means i can transfer what ive been working on between my main machine and my laptop (or vice versa) at the heady speed of 6.4mbps. cool!

did my first piece of mobile recording today which was a backing vocal for a new song, and later im doing a piano part on the girlfriends piano to use in another...things which would not have been possible without this piece of kit.

laptops rule!

Aug 15, 2004 - i backed my car into a cop car...

...the other day, well he just drove off, sometimes life's ok.

May 17, 2004 - week off

got a week off for my birthday (friday) so im doing some serious recording type things. put xp on my new machine, getting a load of updates for cubase, playing with drum loops, looking at the sun out of the window etc etc etc

lovin it!

Mar 18, 2004 - at work - borrrrrrrring!

see that little smily? thats me asleep at work. today is really dull. by comparison, last night i was playing a gig, loving it, having a good time with a bunch of likeminded musicians. good crack.

happy belated st paddys day, to all the irish (and wannabe irish) by the way...hope you had a guinness-tastic night.

snore snore snore

Feb 16, 2004 - guess whos back, blog is back...

havent done one of these for a wee while...been busy, but not doing anything worth telling basically.

got asked by radio one to submit some songs on cd for their playlist, which is cool considering ive not approached them - unless its someone winding me up...

playing a local venue wednesday, and ive got thursday off to tell ya all about it...

just istening to kelly jones doing 'john lennon's' how..either its not a very good song or this is a bit of a lame version, the stereophonics need to get rockin boots on again.

bye!

Jan 11, 2004 - The Secret Project...so close i can smell it!

This thing is getting really really close now, just mastering some tracks, gonna live with them a couple of days, then ill tell ya all what the big deal is.

Comin atcha!

Jan 05, 2004 - vocals vocals vocals...

just into my second day of recording vocals for my EP...havent sung for a couple for months so plenty of bum notes whilst i learn the songs again...

wish i was in spain. keep thinking of the lovely beach and the heat and the spanish beer and the senoritas. dunno what bought that on, but itd be nice to go hang out there for a bit...thats where a private jet would be handy.

maybe its all the reverb im using on the tunes im doing - making them feel cold. oguhta have a play, make them warm and friendly.

anyways, secret project coming in t-minus ten, nine, eight....

Jan 02, 2004 - getting better...

my sore throat's clearing! its been a month, but i might finally get to do some vocals, with any luck...

ive got sunday monday and tuesday off to get some parts locked down properly, and then a week off soon to finish the project properly, if not before.

the light at the end of the tunnel is a wonderfully shiny pretty thing!

stick to your resolutions people, im sticking to mine so far, hard as it is to do so...

Dec 30, 2003 - that time of year again...

i hadnt realy thouht about any resolutions this year, until i saw dbs...i better do some i spose.

no doubt, i i write em down, ill lose em, so im gonna put em on here so i can look next year and see how much i was unsucessful.

1. finish the secret project. its been a year now, ferchristsake...

2. leave my job that ive been hating more and more everyday - get something music related, record store, tour manager, member of led zep etc etc

3. annoy the missus less (for which read, turn up on time and not drunk when i get there)

4. dont get thrown out (see 3)

5. make more money and spend less

6. listen to more music and write more tunes

everything else is pretty boring really - keep up loan repayments, change the tariff on my phone contract, stuff like that.

ive not been very productive recently, mainly because the work i wanna do is vocals and my voice is still rough, but i wanna have a huge collection of brilliant material by the end of next year, and at least play more gigs than i did this year (ie NONE).

other than that, its just world domination and that cover of 'my generation' that im worried about...