Raising Hell:Freelance Hellraiser

Below is interview with McClain Jhonson about hellraiser freelance.

Freelance Hellraiser became famous for creating bootlegs (taking vocals from one song, and putting them on top of beats from another) out of his Essex bedroom. His early work (putting Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle” over The Strokes “Hard to Explain”) showcased creativity, humor, and skill. This year he’s done a string of great remixes, and will soon release his debut album. In this interview, Mr. Hellraiser discusses bootleg tips, the BBC and how his former careers help his DJing.

Is there one question that you wish the press would stop asking you?
Well I do get quite embarrassed when people ask me about the Nirvana v Destiny's Child booty. For some reason everybody thinks I did it and it was 2 Many DJs. It's a great tune and I feel bad that people think I'm claiming credit for it. For the record - it wasn't me !

What has been your wildest gig?
Definitely Glastonbury 2002.

What's the longest set you've played?
Probably about 7 hours at the FHM magazine "100 Sexiest Women" party in London. I was quite happy to play for that period of time.

Do you remember your first gig DJing?
Yes - it was at Dundee University in 1991. I remember playing 'Sympathy For The Devil' by the Rolling Stones and mixing in The Funky Drummer break using a crappy little sampler while my mate banged away on his congas. We thought it was the coolest thing ever!

You've done a lot of great remixes this year, what has been your favorite?
Probably “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera.

What is the biggest misconception people have about bootleggers?
That we're Internet pirates who believe all music should be free for everyone.

Did your bootlegging start out as an experiment and grow from there?
It started so I'd have some interesting mixes to play out in my DJ sets. It still is.

What has been your quickest bootleg?
I did an Obie Trice one the other day in 4 hours. It's actually quite good which is very surprising. I rushed it one Saturday afternoon so I could play it out that night.

Do you have any tips for people who want to create quality bootlegs?
Make sure both or all of the tracks are in the same key. I'm amazed at the ones I hear that are in completely different keys.

Who are some of your favorite DJs/Producers?
Blimey - too many to mention. Here's a few of them;
2 Many DJ's, Dr Dre, Timbaland, DJ Shadow, Norman Cook, The Neptunes, The DFA, Felix Da Housecat, Just Blaze, Jacknife Lee, Youth, Giorgio Moroder, Sir George Martin, Quincy Jones, DJ Yoda, Kanye West, Prince Paul, Moby, Prince, Nile Rodgers. It's endless! ...

Is there anything that you wish the press would ask you more about?
Not really. I'm happy that they're asking me anything at all!

What was the oddest experience you had working as a freelance hellraiser (a person who is paid to get celebrities angry) for the tabloids?
I was asked to go back to my old school and talk to the young kids about how to become a hellraiser. I had them fighting the teachers in mock celebrity battles. Very surreal seeing your old head-master dressed as Liam Gallagher, being attacked by an 11 year old.

Did anything from your last career as a postman help to make you a better DJ?
It was working for the post office that pushed me into music. My advice is to get the worst job imaginable. Nothing spurs you on to succeed better than a terrible job.

What are some of your favorite tunes of the year?
“Crazy In Love” by Beyonce is one of the best tunes ever, The Speakerboxxx/Love Below album by Outkast, the Colder album, Final Straw by Snow Patrol, Electromagnetic EP by Freeform Five, House Of Jealous Lovers by The Rapture.

How long did it take you to complete "Want You To Know?"
About 2 years on and off. It's still not finished to be honest...

Have you finished your debut album?
Not yet - still working on it. I'm hoping it will be finished by the end of Feb '04.

Do you have a title for it?
Not yet.

Describe the sound of the new album.
Psychadelic folktronica rock and roll soul.

What's your favorite thing about living in England?
Our radio is not as genre-defined as yours which I personally love. BBC radio and XFM in London play Hip-Hop and Rock n Roll and Pop and R&B and House music one after the other. Having said that – most of the music they play is American!

Keep an eye out for Freelance Hellraiser's debut single "Want You to Know."

Taken from : www.thefreelancehellraiser.com

Become a Freelance Article Writer

As a freelancer there are many opportunities available for working from home or to provide an extra stream of income for your business by filling the needs of a widely diverse market as a paid freelance article writer both on the internet and in offline publications.

What is a Freelancer?

A freelancer is an independent writer who earns his/her living by contracting for work projects, working for no fixed employer, and may work for a number of employers at any given time.

You will be required to negotiate the terms and conditions of work and all work must be completed to the satisfaction of the clients requirements.

Tip: The objectives and requirements of both parties should be understood fully by both parties from the start to save any problems later on - this includes terms of payment.

As a freelancer you need to keep up with the latest developments to compete in the marketplace.

This requires studying and researching the needs of the marketplace along with selling yourself to your potential clients.

Getting Started as a Freelancer

The freelance market can be fiercely competitive at times requiring emphasis on marketing your work effectively and assessing your expertise and skills.

"How to" articles tend to sell well and most successful freelancers maintain constant contact with marketplace trends and requirements seeking those areas where they can fill the needs of potential clients.

You will need a resume and/or a writer's brochure.

When writing your resume it should be written with the view of selling your strengths.

Use short sentences with each paragraph easy to read and clearly outline your qualifications or related experience for the job.

Normally you will only have a few seconds to make an impact on your prospective client - this can make the difference between hiring you or someone else.

To find a niche (your niche) Web monkey has a very good article on finding and defining your niche as a web freelancer.

http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/98/44/index4a.html?tw=jobs

Many writers prefer to stick within the topic subjects they can write confidently on although a good freelancer can research and write on any topic if and when required.

When you are decided on the subject niche you would like to fill, seek out magazine publications - online and offline - on your chosen topic.

If you do not wish to bid for online work contracts at some of the sites listed below until you have gained confidence in your work then you can start your freelance career by seeking out publications in your chosen field that accept articles e.g. if your interest is in fishing go to your local outlet selling magazines and see if they accept article contributions (this can usually be found near the inside of the front cover in most magazines)

Many freelancers start by submitting to local community newspapers/letters as a way of establishing credibility as a published writer.

Send a query letter or email your chosen publication/s with your subject ideas and an outline of your proposed article and how they may contact you if interested.

However, expect to wait some time - sometimes up to three weeks or more if approaching offline publications for a reply as most editors are very busy people.

Finding work on the Internet

The internet has made it easier to build a successful freelance career as a independent professional.

Many sites can be found searching for "freelance writers" on any major search engine.Specify if possible by adding words that fit your needs e.g. paying markets, travel magazines etc. Also visit Yahoo groups, Topica etc and join the many writing job newsletters and job boards.

Here are some places to start.

There are however many sites that bring people together. Some offer a free service, others you will need to register with and/or supply your resume before you can get started.

http://www.writerfind.com (international)
http://www.freelancewriters.com
http://freelancing4money.com
http://www.worldwidefreelance.com (international)
http://www.elance.com
http://www.travelwriters.com (for travel writers)
http://www.freelancewriting.com
http://www.writerswrite.com

Tip: The government is one of the largest sources for freelance contract work in most countries so don't forget to check out what work contracts they may have available.

Another option for the freelancer is to do some detective work of your own to source work. Apart from enquiring with local businesses in your area you can also look for new web sites on the internet and send a congratulatory email.

Explain your services and how your work can help them while politely enquiring if they have any current or future needs for the services you can offer and how they may contact you. For example...

I am a full-time freelance writer specializing in online content. I can help your website get results through email communications, website copy, and niche-filling articles tailored to your audience.

Newly launched web sites can often be found via press release sites -

http://www.internetnewsbureau.com
http://www1.internetwire.com/iwire/home
http://www.pressreleasenetwork.com
http://prweb.com

Sign up to receive the daily releases if you are serious about earning money as a freelancer.

Many freelancers start by submitting to local community newspapers/letters as a way of establishing credibility as a published writer.

Send a query letter or email your chosen publication/s with your subject ideas and an outline of your proposed article and how they may contact you if interested.

However, expect to wait some time - sometimes up to three weeks or more if approaching offline publications for a reply as most editors are very busy people.

Finding work on the Internet

The internet has made it easier to build a successful freelance career as a independent professional.

Many sites can be found searching for "freelance writers" on any major search engine.Specify if possible by adding words that fit your needs e.g. paying markets, travel magazines etc. Also visit Yahoo groups, Topica etc and join the many writing job newsletters and job boards.

Here are some places to start.

There are however many sites that bring people together. Some offer a free service, others you will need to register with and/or supply your resume before you can get started.

http://www.writerfind.com (international)
http://www.freelancewriters.com
http://freelancing4money.com
http://www.worldwidefreelance.com (international)
http://www.elance.com
http://www.travelwriters.com (for travel writers)
http://www.freelancewriting.com
http://www.writerswrite.com

Tip: The government is one of the largest sources for freelance contract work in most countries so don't forget to check out what work contracts they may have available.

Tip: Producing free content articles is a great way to build up your business and reputation. They can also be used as publishing credits if they have been placed on another's web site - don't forget to mention where samples of your published work can be viewed.

Writing freelance articles increases exposure for your business and your work to other market segments of interested individuals.

If you had not considered freelancing as a possibility why not give it a try!