CHAPTER 2
Quest for Glory and Grammy Awards
CHAPTER 2 - EXCERPT
Gripping the phone tightly, I swung my left arm out of the car window and pressed “record”. Endless waves of shaggy evergreens whizzed past, stretching skyward, filling the car with a wonderfully spicy aroma. This was Oakhurst California, home of Sierra Online, the famous video game company. I was entering town for a job interview and wanted to capture the moment.
Job interviews can be stressful. But as a freelancer working in the advertising business, I had developed a knack for stepping into new situations with a smile. Confidence and flexibility were important, but making a good impression often hinges on simply liking the people you meet and being likable in return...
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CHAPTER 2 - EXCERPT
The night of the party arrived, and I pushed my way into the crowded nightclub. A mobile DJ booth was pulsing over in the corner. Red and blue lights flickered from the ceiling, tickling a small dance floor. Music industry insiders were everywhere. Suddenly, I spotted the man I had come to see.
Chatting with a group of record execs was C. Michael Greene, Chief Executive Officer of the Recording Academy, otherwise known as “the Grammy guy”. I wasted no time getting next to him.
I introduced myself as a new member of the Recording Academy, and mentioned that I composed music for video games. He nodded, but seemed disinterested and distracted, his eyes darting around the room. I pressed on, posing the question I had driven to San Francisco to ask, “Is it possible to have a new Grammy Award category for video game music?”
His eye-wandering stopped, and he looked down at me – straight down his long, thin, slightly crinkled nose, “You mean like Pac Man and Donkey Kong?”
“No, not really,” I answered. “More like live orchestra, layered voices, classical guitar, and ethnic soloists. Sort of like what you’re hearing right now.”
Prior to our conversation, I had arranged with the DJ to spin up a copy of my Quest For Glory V: Dragon Fire original soundtrack. The first song was already sweeping across the room...
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