Name: Alexandru “Dude” Dragomir.
Citizenship: Romanian and American citizenship.
Contact: 718-717-9311 Winkerz5@yahoo.com
Languages: English – Near Perfect - Verbal and Written.
Romana – Medium – Written.
Romana – Good – Spoken.
Pajazz:
There isn't too much I can't do, as I’m finding out as times goes on. I have always cared to listen and understand any problem, situation, or requirements of my surroundings just too ultimately progress. It has been proven that I am not shy and I am not scared, and that I am not materialistic. “I am like water”. I have learned the hard way to be result oriented and not to focus on mere distraction that seem like a good solution at a given time for the stress involved in a working environment. I have to be very constructive (with my brains synopsis firing off at 500 times per second) other-wise I feel as if suffocation begins. My responsibilities as a musician are the main cause of this way of being. I always care about stream-lining tasks to make sure everything works as smooth as possible, keeping everything ‘attractive’ whilst indulging my worry. I dislike wasting my time and more importantly my efforts to do silly things that have no purpose whats-so-ever in a process of WORK, respectably so, I also know that I am asked to do as I’m told for my salary to cometh.
I’m not into main-stream culture, and I don’t follow trends. To see me read a newspaper, or watching some video about the newest summer clothing, or just laughing at some stupid video on youtube is a rare event. I prefer substance.
Though Pajazz is about the showboating of ones characteristics to utterly impress the reader with some big worded mombo-jumbo. It’s about hitting the letter ‘I’ enough times to make a computer see the user as a selfish child. It can be used though, to transmit a big big amount of self-confidence but…hey who cares. For me there are things I don’t do, and things I do. For example, ‘I’ respect those that respect ‘me’. ‘I’ never judge a person to be superior or inferior to ‘me’ without a careful exchange of dialect. ‘I’ also take into account the amount of work done, and ‘my’ well-being. ‘I’ won’t be immature and complain about things such as long hours when they are obviously forthcoming and required to keep a business running.
Professional Abilities and competencies:
Strong knowledge of: Sony Acid, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premier, GIMP, Image-line Fruity loops, Maya, Ableton, Microsoft Office, Windows in general, Regedit, All media players, Torrent based clients, Ftp based clients/server, Mirc based Clients, Adobe Photoshop and Paint shop, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Fireworks, Xara 3d, Adobe flash, The Nero Suite, Musical theory, Guitar/Bass, Driving, Driving mechanics, P.R., H.R. consulting, Reaper, Cooking, Time management.
Good knowledge of: Linux (though I have learned to hate the whole sudo, root, machine id encryption of data) Drums, Saxophone, Psychology, General medicine, Engineering (except that part that deals with equations I don’t know any off the top of my head), OSIM, Accounting, Resource management, Promotional affiars.
Weak knowledge of: Macintosh, Command line, Php, Mysql, Python, etc..
Abilities: Create demonstrations in flash/ any other video/audio format, Organization of large groups of people, Organization of events, Anything written, Cooking, Thinking clearly/Staying focused, Learn quickly by any median, Typing exceptionally fast, Etc. (Just the raw basics that are needed to do anything from 3d modeling, to accounting, or just teaching English or Math. I mean really, if I think hard I could put down that I can go to the moon in these lists as a weak ability. I also know “when to draw the line” and "being realistic").
Work Experience:
Stanton-Chase International.
Stanton-Chase is an H.R. company, a very big one.
Here I was brought in at a time of much needed effort. The idea was that I would work in the accounting department 3 days out of 5, from 10am-2pm aiding in ‘getting back on track’. Of course that didn’t work out as planned, and I ended up for 6 months coming in at 8 and leaving at 6-7 mostly, every day. I worked mainly in the accounting office, with my own desk and a personal laptop provided by the company (of which had supplied the programs required). Some of the responsibilities there were for organizing contracts and creating new ones as well as managing invoices (creating and sending and checking) and balancing different acounts (some-times having to go back in time to state-ments of what was bought 4 years ago). I’m not complaining. And accounting is a very relaxing job, which involves sitting alot on a computer and doing math. It’s just that it’s very hard to work with a data-base of invoices that you’ve never seen in your life (especially when the company was started in 2004…. I seem to recall), if there had been a grace period of a few days to get accustomed to all the files and the business in general it would have been more comforting than working as diligently as I had from the first day of service. Since the company was and still is a very large commercial establishment, the client list was rather huge, though the candidate data-base was even bigger.
Since everything was backed because of the flood of signed contracts and the surge of candidates that contacted the company in search of employment, I also had the responsibility of checking the data-base for typing errors and information errors for candidates and companies (there was a collection of business cards of which the information on them had to be proofed, and some-times entered).
Independently Recording musicians and getting involved with venues.
I have been making music in Romania since my arrival...back in 2005. The fruits of the 7 years of labor has been my residency in a few clubs, and a working agreement with 4 studios to bring in bands (though the agreement started off with just 2 studios 3 years ago, I never found any band worth bringing in). Originally I was just a guitarist but in 7 years of working with different musicians and bands and studios I made my way to the sound-board and actually started re-organizing speakers and what not. The first time I got involved with the sound of a club was when a club (Goblin) owned by a hip-hop label (Hades records) first opened, basically from everything I learned trying to make better recordings I talked to the owner about getting the sound right and soon found myself adjusting the lo end amplification on all the speakers to really make the place boom.
My on-going pursuit of becoming a better musician (musician to me is some-one who knows everything involved in music from selling an album to creating posters and not just playing a guitar) has had plenty of rewards. I have played and talked theory with some great musicians, I had free access to so many concerts, even if Romania is a really small country.
I have established myself pretty well, and I have a endorsements from clubs as well. Though after 3 years of constantly searching for bands worth recording or promoting, the negativity of the place got to me and I left, also 3 years with-out signing a single contract was a result that I was not happy with.
The Darias association.
I collaborated on the organization of a musical/cultural festival in Costinesti. The festival was called Youth Fest, and it sucked. Mainly I made sure that the youth rock portion of the event had bands. I obtained Coca-Cola as a sponsor (worked with other sponsors as well). I stream-lined the press team to maintain a strong result/effort quota. I obtained and confirmed bands participation (from musicians in other portions of the events). And I was the super-visor to the organizational body amongst many other things (writing articles and creating the sense of importance to the printers, creating a data-base of info consisting of band demos hosted on a streaming internet location, and a bunch of other thing I did not sign up for).
I originally contacted the organization looking to participate, but after it took them 2 weeks to respond to my email, a girl from the place responded to my second email (a rather mean email explaining to them how stupid and incompetent they are). Of course that lead her challenging me to come in and do a better job. Other than working their, I had to help the girl cope with the grief of her boy-friend and finding motivation to keep working.
This was around June 2009 - late July 2009.
I left because we finished organizing the festival, the boss put all the funds into his pockets, and it was just a laundry service for a sporting club. The boss could care less to actually get me to Costinesti to continue my efforts, and I had to pay for the trip as well as the hotel room and food. The festival was just a ploy for the boss to endorse his sons piano playing and gay singing, not having any pay though or rewards I attempted to call off the event (called all the bands and told them why not to go and that they are gonna get screwed over in the deal, no-one listened because they felt they could make it happen....apparently). The event went as planned, all the bands payed for their participation in the show (by taking care of road and housing chargers) and I started receiving calls from the bands that I was right. The stage was to be occupied until 3 in the morning by a gypsy singer.
Due to a heavy rain one day en-route to the office. I lost a laptop, that was never compensated as well.
Benefits/Salary : Working at “Casa Presei Libere”. Participation at the festival. Being in charge of 5 pretty women.
Talent Works.
Here I was the personal assistant to the director, band manager for the studios band (with no funds), and a part of the ‘project work-team’. Some things I did there were teaching who the director wanted to be in the band musical theory and auditioning others. Creating a pilot episode for a silly project the boss wanted me to help her start (which also involved filming, editing, and audio mastering). Driving around all of Bucharest to keep the Director happy J.
It was an ok job, though I was not getting paid anything and the procrastinated contract I was promised led me to suspend all services to the company until the contract was offered. Of course, they just ignored me, something typical of Romania. Though it was nice to have a vehicle and gas and food..... I constantly felt in-secure.
This was in March 2008 – June 2008. I got the job from a friend who worked there. Since it was my birthday in March, I spent some time with various friends. My friend had invited me to the studio, we started a band and on the first day of practice we had a show (at a private party of Talent Works). At the party I was requested to not drink the whole night and drive every-one home. That led to me spending a few months there.
Benefits/Salary : Personal car. Meeting people in the entertainment industry from studio-hands too directors and screen-writers. Having a full rehearsal studio. Flexible work schedule. I didn’t have a salary because the Director was like a forced mother figure, though she took care of everything anyone needed.
Moka-life.
Collaborated to help press the company into mainstream culture. Drove around and met people from Iasi, Pitesti, Ploiesti, etc. And developed substance, while selling ideas.
The company was a fresh SRL, and apart from selling a few key-chains was still discovering and still is discovering what market to get involved in.
Originally the idea was to develop an on-board computer that would inform drivers of all the data collected by the car, but failed as other manufacturers (bigger) already were developing these gizmos.
From my life as a musician the photography aspect of the the company began to originate. To this day I still feel that if the company was in America we would have plenty more success.
This was from May 2008 until April 2009.
I left because of a depressive work environment and lack of progress from my long time friend and founder.
Benefits/Salary : To many benefits to list. Salary meant expenses paid.
The Epsilon Rising.
Apart from being the bassist, drum and guitar coordinator, aiding on all compositions, recordings, and auditions. Being the bands manager, and sound-monkey, I also organized most of the bands concerts, and maintained a full house at every show with the help of the singer non-the-less.
This is one of my longest commitments, It ended in February 2009 and started sometime in spring 2006.
I left because I felt it was a waste of time (not the band but the lack of musical development in Romania).
Benefits/Salary : Apart from moving in with the band. Having equipment for any event I needed. A big studio with plenty of hard-ware. A-lot of expenses paid. I had the luxury of exploring the Romania music industry as the singer was constantly requested to show up and sing on various tracks of big name producers (well they considered them-selves big name). Very educative commitment.
Though this always felt like I was being taken advantage of.....
Kings Burger.
After my first day of training I was left alone to take care of inventory, the cash registry, and the kitchen. I was a cook at a fast-food joint making hamburgers and shaworamas, patatoe salad, snitels, and barbecue, and of course feeding myself :). The building itself was a typical Fish and Chips kind of fast-food. And it was nothing more than cooking food handing it to people and taking their pay-ments.
July 2008 - September 2008
I left because I felt the business was going under. 1 month later it closed due to re-routed traffic and closed off pedestrian travel around the shop. 4 months later the Banassa bridge started construction and the shop had to be demolished to make room for equipment.
Benefits/Salary : Free-food. 50 Ron per Day. Music at work.
On-point studios.
Here I was mostly a studio musician, but I did help create an end of year thesis for students at Berklee university. The studio itself obtained funds from Sony BGM.
This was so long ago…I most of been 16-17 years old. The perspective I had then compared to now was very different and I did not stick around much. I got involved from an ad I picked up at guitar-center "Looking for a bassist" and soon found myself in the studio every day.
For Christmas I went to Romania to visit and live with my mother, and since the studio was in Broome county of N.Y. it ended everything.
Benefits/Salary : Working for the biggest studio in the area. Free transportation, housing, and food. Plus, I like music, and entertainment, my dream job was to work in a studio for Sony.
Dish-washer.
Before I turned 17, I had a few jobs as a dish-washer just because I had to get a job. It felt good to have my own cash.
Benefits/Salary : Always free food, and the salary was usually 6.00$ an hour, which back than was alot!.
Academics:
I’m very proactive, energetic, and creative in regards to my education. I maintain a positive hands-on attitude towards knowledge in general. I have studied independently after 9th grade both in Romania and America (and studied independently before too, impressing my teachers with knowledge of things I was supposed to know, ahead of time). Learning more then I could have possibly learned by staying in a classroom. I have had my whole family disregard me as a failure until I finally attained my own Educational Degree (This was a period of 3 years) with-out following the known system of education that they knew. I found out about a degree that was created during the Vietnam war for Americans that left to war at an early age to be taught by the U.S. military, after which, having attained knowledge in a war environment, the “under-graduates” could obtain a degree allowing and creating the middle class of education for Americans. Of course in Vietnam the “kids” also picked up on medicine and biology, engineering and psychology from first hand experiences. The test asks of participants to have a strong knowledge of life and the world they live in. It proves responsibility and regard, and further more it protects liberty. The GED I got in America allowed me to attend University in Romania, shutting all doubts.
Now my entrepreneur independent spirit is focused on a Higher Education (College and University). I still know very well what I have to do to obtain my next degrees and I am well on my way to them. At the moment my first hurdle is to establish a financial back-bone to pay for it.
I have studied mostly in Vestal, of New York until I turned 14. Attending Vestal Senior High-school for just one year before moving to Romania. I remember plenty of days when I missed my classes to socialize with people. And I remember plenty of days when I helped my teachers explain to students, materials (both in Romania and In the states). In Romania I have attended George Coshbuc of Bucharest, another school (A school in valeni de munte) and PttR of Bucharest (Posta Televiziune Telecommunicati, si Radio.). Getting good remarks from my teachers and participating in a “Olympiada de limba Romana” (a contest for Romanian language) along the way. I have never failed a class, or repeated a grade, but I have had bad grades because of poor, very poor attendance. Once I got into college though, it was a matter of learning the materials. I soon found out I do not like politics.
More.
Yep. There is always more to a person then what can be written in a word document, filmed and watched through a movie, wrote in a song, or read out of a book. I always advocate meeting people, and I have a strong stand against the cookie-cutter templates of a resume’.
The need of a job is some-thing psychologically related to society. In the presence of many, any individual needs to regard him/her-self in terms of what they achieve. The then needed satisfaction of any person to finally be at peace with their soul is a matter of verbs. Simply put…some-people are happier with an average life-style, while others are over-achievers, and must fill their life with hotel rooms and business flights. And on the other end of the spectrum we have the groups that want to stay home, smoke and drink watching movies all day.
I have spent time volunteering as a child, helping with fund-raisers and planting trees, to collecting fossils and collecting food for the needy. I have always given a good perspective to even the most unrealistically negative idea and I still do. I have listen to countless people that I have called friends talk about issues they consider discussed to understand further their lives.
I have projects that I want to develop to help with humane treatment of homeless people and stray animals. I want to help develop Romanian culture from being a minimal pop driven “State de Romania”. I want to go to schools to lecture kids, and teenagers on life. Teach people the beauty of life and the art of living. I also have a project for music, with plenty of people who want help on expressing there ideas through notes and chords (And I have a pretty big team of musicians, economic majors, and dreamers). Though most of them just got my back, and are waiting on me to always do something. But most importantly I want to raise a family.
To sum everything up in a nut-shell. I’m working on developing State and Politically independent programs/ lifestyles, and further awareness of what most people consider common sense. I’m also trying to be a spokesman for a Petrol boycott, and change towards better lives. Cheers.
A few "attractions"..
http://goblinclub.ro/ - Hades records bar.
http://soundcloud.com/dheudeghetlaust - I usually post recording here.
http://www.bigmamou.ro/site/category/concerte/ - Bar I am a resident of.
http://buxs-manhunt.blogspot.com - My personal blog.
http://www.mytalentworks.co.uk - Talent-works.
http://stantonchase.com/
http://www.theepsilonrising.com - If Leo has payed the bills….
http://www.onpoint.net/
http://www.mokalife.ro/ - If Dex has payed the bills….
http://eastroots.ro/ - A very good Romanian band I am responsible for in regards to American shows.
http://www.fenixstudios.com/news.cfm - (One of the) Studios I bring artists to.
