The Birth Of Sniper Productions – Mad Chaos: May 27, 1998

Finish Writing New Song Lyrics

That new song is coming along fairly well now.  I’ve figured out the lyrics for the Chorus and for the Bridge and for the Verses.  I will have it rapped.  The good thing about this new song is that the bass line, drum part and all other accompaniments are already thought of.  The only thing I have to do now is sort them out in order and then record the instrumental.  

For this song, the words are an added bonus to the bass line and all other instruments.  From what I know so far in my head, it’s greatly formulated.  It will sound good.

Redo CD Artwork In PhotoShop 

While playing around on the computer today after a very relaxing period of listening to music, I made some decisions on my artwork.  The DPI for the artwork right now is set at around 75 DPI.  To get that printed will mean the quality in easy terms would be shit.  What I’ve started to do now (since I have plenty of time anyway) is start all over again, this time changing all the pictures and artwork to 130 DPI.  

Because my computer is so slow, anything above 130 DPI would take an eternity (which I’ve already tried 200 DPI, failed).  The good thing about this setting is that miraculously, I get less crashes from the computer, much smoother.  This time around, I am fixing a lot of mistakes and generally making it look more presentable without taking too much away from the original.

I made a phone call today and found a place that would print onto CDs for a relatively nice price at 300 DPI.  Because the CD is actually in grayscale there would be no problem using this source that are situated in Baulkam Hills.

Listen To Demo Tapes

Early morning sunshine at 10am as I woke up and had a shower.  The temperature in Campbelltown has dropped considerably and it isn’t even winter yet.  I had to jog to the shower because it was that cold.  Funny though, I was only wearing boxer shorts on my way there.  After my shower I walked upstairs.  To my surprise my parents had already been shopping.  Running back downstairs I thought it was time to start calling people.

Turning on my computer with a list of people that have called me regarding the advertisement I placed in the ‘Drum Media’, I began making phone calls.  Four or five calls later I managed to get some more people to send demo tapes to me.  I listened to some interesting people.

Reschedule Novotel Hotel Night

My next call was to the Novotel in Wollongong, as I queried about what rooms were available for other days.  Saturday the 20^th in June actually came up.  There must have been a cancellation and I was lucky enough to pick up on it.  The only problem with the room was it cost $310, which had everything in the other room.  Not making the change, I told them I would think about it.  Then Lyssa gave me a call.  Talking to Lyssa about what I had just learnt she told me to jump at the opportunity.  So I gave them a call back and booked the day.

Lyssa called me back after her lunch break and we talked for a couple of minutes.  Lyssa was real busy at work and told me the latter half of the day she would be so busy.  Lyssa called me back a couple of times while she was at work as we chatted.  Lyssa was constantly placing me on hold while at reception.  That’s how busy it was.

Analyzing The Makeup Of Music

For most of the day I was listening to music as I was totally in the mood to be relaxed.  Not only was I listening to music but as I usually do now, I hear the music and instrumentation of the song.  I hear what the instruments do, what they sound like, how they react within the whole song structure and where the song is heading.  It made me realize how much time and thought really went into each song that was on the CDs I listened to.

Finishing Touches On My New Song 

Also today I worked out some more parts for my new song.  What the lyrics will eventually represent in the rapping sections are a couple sitting at home who have been going out for some time.  There has been plenty of pressure placed on the lady to perform for the guy because it has been so long.  The guy sets the mood for the night, makes her feel right, but doesn’t pressure her in any way.  The girl tries something that leads to sexual but the guy can see that she feels pressured.  

That’s where the Chorus comes in which says “We don’t have to rush it tonight, everything’s gonna be just fine.”  Although the song could mean (by singing “We don’t have to rush the whole night”) that there is more to do in one night than just have sex so, the raps will represent setting the mood and taking time.

Giving Up The 9 To 5

Today I was supposed to travel to Campbelltown to look for a job but let’s just face it; I have no willpower anymore.  It’s been so long and I’ve been turned away from Office Work because of what had happened to me in the past.  

To me it’s not worth the hassle of a 9-5 job working in an office if it isn’t something I will love.  

What I’m doing now with my music is looking for work.  Every day I am getting closer to becoming my own boss, a producer of music.  One day I might work for a music company.

When Lyssa arrived home I gave her a call straight away, as I was starting to miss her companionship.  Lyssa and I talked for a little while.  I agreed that I would buy Lyssa her jumper from ‘ICE’ tomorrow with my Credit Card, as long as she placed money back in there.  Lyssa had to get something to eat, so I let her go.

Screen More Calls From Singers

In that time I was called by a guy called Ronan who was ringing regarding the vocalist thing.  He completely caught me off guard, as I was trying to jump onto the computer so I could jot some details down.  What I basically learnt was that he has been singing for 14 years, has done session singing and a host of other talented things with some big names.  Oddly, he didn’t have a demo tape, but he was thinking of singing onto a tape and then sending it to me in the mail.

Sniper Productions Music Label Born

The cool thing about this whole project is that I’ve used my production name for mail coming to me.  The name I am currently running under is “SNIPER Productions”.  Though not established, it has its ground roots.  Of course you know (if you have been reading this Diary long enough), SNIPER comes from the days when I used to date Jewell.  It has become so relevant these days to me and my thoughts that I gathered it would be a tribute to our old days.  Within SNIPER Productions, we will always live on.

Lyssa Becomes Suspicious Lately

Lyssa called me back right after I was talking to Ronan on the phone.  As soon as I put the phone down it started ringing.  Lyssa had just caught me on call waiting.  I was short for words when she asked me who called.  I told her that Ronan had called me, but I said that it was a wrong number and I talked to him for a little.  Lyssa didn’t really believe me.  She has all the right not to believe me.  Partially it’s true.

Truly, I hate going behind Lyssa’s back.  I always feel like telling her about my endeavors but shouldn’t.  No one knows that I travel to Newtown and record shit there.  Maybe except Ralf and Shawn, but they don’t have a clue my real reason for the project.  If I was to tell Lyssa what I have been doing maybe for the past month and explain to her where my money has been going, I don’t think she would react nicely.  The thing is, I don’t want to tell anyone what I’m doing in the music industry in case it doesn’t work out for me.  That way no one knew that I have just wasted my money on Instrumentals and hiring vocalists.

The Conundrum Of Unemployment

I’m surprised there hasn’t been much hassling for me to get a job yet.  It’s been six months.  Lyssa has started her battle to help me find a job.  Lyssa thinks I have been bankrupt for far too long.  She might be right but I just don’t want to jump into a go nowhere job again and lose touch of my musical talents.

I want to study music, I want to explore instruments and produce music, I want to do all that but I don’t have money or help.  There is only one person I know who could help me in spirit and in mind and that’s the person that I’m making this CD for.  I’ve always thought if I ever become successful with music, Jewell would be the only one to truly understand me and be on the same level as me.  As stupid as being a musician would sound to someone who has a normal job and life, Jewell would understand my endeavor because she too is an artist.

Playing Chess Against Imad

Imad came over tonight.  The funny thing was, he wanted to play chess.  Collecting dust upstairs, I brought down the chess set down, as we began to play.  Imad was revved up and had high expectations of his victory.  That didn’t happen as I beat him four games to nothing.  The sweetest victory happened in a swift couple of moves.  Imad wasn’t happy.  

In that time that Imad was over my house I called Lyssa.  To be courteous and tell her that I might not be giving her a call later tonight.  Lyssa was completely understanding, as we talked for a couple of minutes anyway before hanging up.

Lyssa called me up just as she was about to go to bed.  She told me that I didn’t say goodnight to her tonight so, we said that to each other, said a couple more words and then it was her sleep time.  Imad left soon after and borrowed another CD from me.

Planning Ahead

Now I am here once again alone.  I’ve been working on the CD artwork.  

Tonight I’ll have to drop into bed earlier if I’m going to wake up in time to buy Lyssa’s jumper.  What else I might do is look for a job tomorrow while I’m in Campbelltown.  

What I found in the ‘Drum Media’ also was a job with “APRA” for an Administration Assistant.  Applications are in writing so I’ll have to work on a new résumé to send to them.  

Meanwhile, I’m off to work on the computer.  See me tomorrow around the same time.