-~ MGCM --
S.O.R.A. Today I still self-title “S.O.R.A.” thinking about my work, music, personal and performance surrounding situation at sixteen today--sixteen years later ^_^ “S.O.R.A.”
At sixteen, I had worked for MGCM -- my biological stepbrother’s business [in acronym the letters MGCM mean “Mustaqueem-Graydon Conservatory of Music, Inc.” which initially--] I began responsibly working at [cleaning floor and care-taking] at twelve years of age. I used to clean the [at start] single Compaq Presario computer and bathroom when the business was located in a Shopping complex in my home city during adolescence which rocked. Three years later in addition to working with my dad [HARD build and reconstruction and physical lifting work--] who in addition to a small business with my mother worked as a general contractor and self-manager with a degree in small business management-- I completed enough sweeping and mopping for at twelve and thirteen to be trusted with more than maintenance and care-taking.
In the year 2000 prior to beginning to record the songs I thought for the first time—[not just write poetry and sing aloud to instrumentals and video game music ^^;] I was trusted as a “Secretary” instructor Receptionist and account for MGCM which had a two-story physical structure attached to a small drive-up-metal-door service building also part of the facility. The place had once been a police station and in the past a topaz-colored old-bank with chandeliers, spectacular carpet an open-Hallway style dual-door entry-way and a HUGE brick-walled “vault” behind a heavy beige-painted door with “Wheel-and-lever” knob we named “The Drum Vault.”
Later the business would become “incorporated” but at the time I didn’t know what that was.^^;
The same 75 plus students continued their lessons at “Albany’s Only School of Music” which had its own commercial on Radio and a television broadcast motion picture advertisement as well with my stepbrother smiling and teaching students laughing together over classical music. =3 Wow. OO It was awesome! XD My sixteen-year-old “Secretary” job had a title of “Office Manager” issued by my stepbrother when I asked curiously, “what is a male secretary ?”
“Office manager” he responded officially with a nod and went into his office.
“I’m the office manager…” I would tell callers and write about [not in songs XD ] later.
“Secretary.” “Office-Manager.” “Receptionist.” “Accountant.” Today I call this “S.O.R.A.” [I know =… who cares? Keep reading. =F] In the year 2000 forward MGCM became incorporated. I was oblivious to the incorporation and share-holding element which at the time -- like “tax free income”-- I had no idea what it meant at 16 ^^; [Had not used H & R Block at sixteen either…] Just saw “Inc.” on the updated business logo and thought, “There is Inc. again.” Corporate styles I was aloof to at the time yet but “I-N-C” – I thought “all businesses can put that there right?”
Today I am proud of my stepbrother. ^_^
The music I would begin making on analog instruments at MGCM would receive guidance from music in games like Sim City and Comix Zone on PC but be complete originals. =^^ I’d composed music since adolescence but as a teen Crusader: No Remorse. Crusader No Regret. Strike Commander. Raptor: Call of The Shadows. Death Rally racing. Need For Speed. These games BATHED my subconscious in their “infectious” MIDI loops. I’d really remember music from games like Command & Conquer: Red Alert, DooM, StarCraft, Darius Gaiden […getting WAY ahead tho ^^;] and Wipeout did inspire listening too. Soon CD-ROMs in my car stereo would become the “norm” while driving. “Ecco” for New Age and “Cyclones” for dance and “Cyberspeed” for ‘day drive music’ would start up and pleasantly and surprisingly (gratefully and awesomely!) “run-off-the-discs” starting at “track 02” [FX Fighter I sang to and Wipeout got ‘stories-of-what-is-happening’ while music “ran-off-the-disc” past “track 01” or “data track.”]
Quake II honestly (at 16) taught me to appreciate new kinds of music… music I did not experience beyond the video game honestly but subtly guided by. Respect indeed bloomed from my playing the video game featuring Rock music – not the gameplay alone—but MUSIC too I learned to like rock music because of completing the video game Quake Two at sixteen into college it’d follow. Although I didn’t think of it at the time--it would be three-future years ‘til…
Answering telephones and requests became part of my four-hundred-a-month tax free salary [which I would spend mostly on gas, online items / web orders & new music on Compact Discs].
I had no idea why “tax free salary” was so awesome but was told by a friend “That’s really good!” I would be entrusted to account money as well being [what I call today] a “S.O.R.A.” =3 Indeed it was not without lesson. u.u I recall this one time I got a weird feeling as one payer left after issuing a seventy-five dollar check for a month’s lessons. I didn’t know it until I was told but the paper check had no signature— I got asked why. My boss although family; told me I did an outstanding job then explained that I should have made sure the check was signed before the payer left. Indeed. Lesson stuck with me. “Accounting.” “It is important paper checks have sig.”
Don’t laugh. u.u =B Home-schooled
Other secretaries [mostly women] were hired and my time was not always spent “Secretary, Office Management, Receptionist and Accounting” ^^ I played piano on some of the various ones at the school in individual rooms while reading music less than playing what my own compositions and would drum in the near-sound-proof “Drum Vault” so-as-long as the door was closed it was “near sound-proof.” ^^; Sometimes I would play a song [usually original] onto physical synthesizer-keyboard on “one-time” record and play drums to it ^_^ After playing, the recorded song would “go away” when the “off button” was hit on the electronic keyboard. At the time—“solo jam sessions” didn’t bother me as this ‘effort-into-air’ I did not perceive as such as until years later when I began...
Later after cleaning up my office and organizing beginner and child song books, I was cleared to instruct sometime by the business owner who trusted the lessons I had learned while younger and in the-then newly established “Gifted Musician” program -- could indeed be taught to others. One day, I taught one gal-friend how to play on piano “Beethoven’s fifth.” That is how it started.
Then came the Roland Boss DR-5 Rhythm Section, a Windows NT network and my stepbrother [biologically] would awesomely begin populating and beginning the construction of an amazing professional recording studio…
Forever In Love With All That Which Exists,
(That Which Is Seen & Unseen, Known & Unknown)
- Writer, Artist, Musician, DJ, Producer, Eternal Student & Being of Existence,
-BAM! P.E.F. WAM! D.A.P. DJ, TIGER M ^_~* Tiger M. Gales [Sincere Day 2016! ^^ ~ =) ~ =3 =3 ^_^]
-3:18 PM (Monday December 26th, 2016) [Eastern Standard Time, North-of-Equator, U.S.A.]
P.S. Thank You for reading.
Remain Awesome and Happy Holidays ^_^ On-into NEW YEARS! *”Party –arty –arty…!”* =D