I'm a freelance musician who escaped the 'big smoke' of Sydney and now live in a beautiful area called the Southern Highlands, about 1.5 hours out of Sydney.
In the mid-90s I signed publishing with Sony/ATV Australia as a writer-producer, mostly writing pop/singer songwriter/adult contemporary styles with local artists.
I did get a few minor cuts and synchs, a few things charted a bit, and Joe Cocker recorded one of my songs.
Things changed when I wrote a song for an ad campaign in the US that Sony successfully pitched for me to an advertising agency they had a relationship with.
The sync had an upfront fee that recouped me my deal even when I split it with my lyricist!
I signed again for a second term, this time getting into a bit more TV and screen composing.
I wrote the theme and various songs for some kids TV programmes, composed the music for a feature film/telemovie, got a few seconds of a song in a Hugh Jackman movie, and I even wrote a piece of music for Qantas that won me a screen composer's award (APRA/AGSC in 2004).
I use Logic Pro, and have used it since the days of the Logic Users Group that had 2000 members worldwide.
I've been a finalist for Engineer of the Year in New Zealand, where I'm originally from. I still play some gigs in New Zealand, when they'll have me!
I recouped my second Sony deal some time around 2012. I've just signed again with them but only to administer my back catalogue. Anything new I write from now on is mine 100% to do stuff with, and yes I have that in writing! So I thought now's a great time to get back into it as an independent, using TAXI.
I hope to meet everyone at this year's Road Rally, and I'm really excited about that! Woohoo!