I have had it playing music for a living

[PuniShredderParticipant 2268]

Stick a fork in me. I’ll be 47 in a month and I’ve done this for over 30 years. I got into it because I wrote and performed my own music and wanted a careeer, but I never intended on playing cover music. I just can’t deal with it anymore and between the s~~~ty pay gas and toll costs I can’t seem to break $30,000 year. It’s untenable. We started A live music events business and I believe it will build up over the course of five or 10 years to be very profitable but in the interim I still have to gig myself and I just have less than zero desire to do so. So basically I still have to work a “day gig“ and I don’t want to play music for that gig anymore. I need to get into something work to make 50 grand have some semblance of the decent standard of living. To be able to do some hobbies save some money etc. which I’ve been unable to do. I’m fine with getting training as long as it’s not several years so I’m asking Brothers for some ideas. I have a high IQ and I believe I can do anything I set my mind to. Coding Boot Camp and trucking were the two things that I came up with. However trucking has obvious problems as I can’t be here to attend to business. Advice?

I know KeyMaster talked about the fact that he used to be a performer and left for the same reasons I’m having difficulty in my career so I’m sure he gets it and give you some great insight and it’s always greatly prescient thank you.

Here’s my live music brand. http://www.thesoundtracklive.com

Be professional be polite but always have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

Wow I considered music a hobby for most of my life.
I chose the hard labor of stone masonry as my occupation.
Now I cannot make 20k a year doing that.

I have verse exploding from me now.

I am 55 and My creative juices are flowing now.
Hardship seems to bring forth my fathers spirit.
He could always turn a phrase and make a rhyme.

I don’t know what type your original music is
But I say go with your gut and put your stamp
on the music world.

I plan on recording mine and turning it loose
on the net.
After my father gets his credit for inspiring it.
Come what may It is my free gift to the world
I expect nothing in return.
Cannot be disappointed that way.

Love and respect to all

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[Anonymous 7]

IT can be difficult to get in to with a degree ( doesn’t have to be CS) without even harder.

Database admin and system networking (hardware) is always in demand. Even small businesses need someone to baby-sit the hardware and data. Some will go with a service some prefer to diy, some look to employee a dependable, knowledgeable person. Even moderate sized businesses need a IT help desk for the useless cows they employee.

Not many business need custom software.

Good luck.

[PuniShredderParticipant 2268]

harpo-my-“SON” wrote:

Wow I considered music a hobby for most of my life.
I chose the hard labor of stone masonry as my occupation.
Now I cannot make 20k a year doing that.

I have verse exploding from me now.

I am 55 and My creative juices are flowing now.
Hardship seems to bring forth my fathers spirit.
He could always turn a phrase and make a rhyme.

I don’t know what type your original music is
But I say go with your gut and put your stamp
on the music world.

I plan on recording mine and turning it loose
on the net.
After my father gets his credit for inspiring it.
Come what may It is my free gift to the world
I expect nothing in return.
Cannot be disappointed that way.

Love and respect to all

No I already wrote 1000 songs lived in Nashville and Los Angeles toured all of North America lived and toured around Europe played on crew ships around the world and played that entire thing out. I’m done with all of that. Music was my primary focus and passion for well over 30 years.

Be professional be polite but always have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[black_knightParticipant 2602]

Trucking could be viable if you got into a job such as night trunking, where you start and finish at the same time each night, and simply swap a trailer with a driver from another state at a yard or truckstop. Parcel companies are where you might want to look. Not all trucking is living in the truck 24/7 for a month at a time.

Alternatively, I once read some blog which proposed certain potentially lucrative careers, and one of them was song writing, and sending them to music companies. Had you thought of pursuing that on top of playing music? What about teaching guitar? I paid £23 per hour ($32) 16 years ago for guitar tuition.

[Anonymous 42]

Move north to the mountains of Kentucky, grow weed and distill moonshine!

[Anonymous 7]

black_knight wrote:

What about teaching guitar? I paid £23 per hour ($32) 16 years ago for guitar tuition.

I don’t know you so grain of salt and spirit of….
Teaching might be the thing. Get a low stress gig and supplement.

I know a handful of f~~~-wits that have money to burn and fancy themselves as special b/c they can play an instrument. These f~~~-wits pay good.

[joetechParticipant]

I remember meeting a guy I was in the Navy with. He played a mean guitar, even better than me, and I asked him why he wasn’t professional. He just shook his head at me. Listen to John Fogerty talk about how the record company screwed him. When I had a band and wanted to do gigs at bars our bass player from Iowa flat out said, “If I go back to that life Joyce will kill me.” (Joyce was his wife) I’ve always been warned away from making music a living. I’d rather have music as a hobby, and if I can make a few extra bucks on the side…all the better. But I wouldn’t want to rely on it.

"Don't follow in my footsteps...I stepped in something."

[PuniShredderParticipant 2268]

This who can’t do teach. I do and have zero patience for those that can’t or won’t put in the work required. And teaching takes a few years to build up a solid client list anyway. Been there done that f~~~ing hated it.

Songwriting is not lucrative anymore I live in Nashville for four years and wrote songs every day has several friends that have six number one hits and you be surprised how little money they made.

Be professional be polite but always have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[IRuleMeParticipant]

PuniShredder wrote:

This who can’t do teach. I do and have zero patience for those that can’t or won’t put in the work required. And teaching takes a few years to build up a solid client list anyway. Been there done that f~~~ing hated it.

Songwriting is not lucrative anymore I live in Nashville for four years and wrote songs every day has several friends that have six number one hits and you be surprised how little money they made.

Music is about who you know, and how much money you have. Right place, right time kinda thing.

[Anonymous 54]

PuniShredder wrote:

This who can’t do teach. I do and have zero patience for those that can’t or won’t put in the work required. And teaching takes a few years to build up a solid client list anyway. Been there done that f~~~ing hated it.

Songwriting is not lucrative anymore I live in Nashville for four years and wrote songs every day has several friends that have six number one hits and you be surprised how little money they made.

I tried teaching back in the day, but hated it for thoses same reasons.
They just want to buy licks, not learn theory.
It p~~~ed me off no end that they wouldnt practice.
You cant just buy it. Youve got to earn it.

[MaddladParticipant 765]

I hear you PS. I have done the cover thing from time to time in between being a signed artist for my original stuff and the cover scene sux big time.

Ive had two record deals in my life (I’m 45 now), one with a major label back in the 90’s and my new band got signed by and independent label last year. In both cases I don’t make enough money to live off my original music so I work day jobs in admin. I do stuff like data entry that I can just leave behind and not think about when I walk out the door at quitting time. This way I earn enough to pay for my house and hobbies, and still enjoy music as my career without overdosing on it.

If you can find a simple admin job that pays decent coin you can have time to play music when and where you want it. I hope you find something you like. All the best. 🙂

[PuniShredderParticipant 2268]

Maddlad wrote:

I hear you PS. I have done the cover thing from time to time in between being a signed artist for my original stuff and the cover scene sux big time.

Ive had two record deals in my life (I’m 45 now), one with a major label back in the 90’s and my new band got signed by and independent label last year. In both cases I don’t make enough money to live off my original music so I work day jobs in admin. I do stuff like data entry that I can just leave behind and not think about when I walk out the door at quitting time. This way I earn enough to pay for my house and hobbies, and still enjoy music as my career without overdosing on it.

If you can find a simple admin job that pays decent coin you can have time to play music when and where you want it. I hope you find something you like. All the best.

Thanks man!

Be professional be polite but always have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[IRuleMeParticipant]

The way music is today, if you’re not on one of those singing reality tv shows like The Voice, or whatever, or unless you grind your reputation selling music online, you ain’t making it. You have to have a look people want, and a sound people want and hope that someone “discovers” you. The problem is, everyone and their grandmother strikes out to make it in Nashville and Hollywood. Musicians are literally a dime a dozen. Last time I was in Nashville, musicians were taking turns playing sets at venues downtown. A solo act, or group would come in, play for 45 and leave, then go to another bar, play for the same amount of time and leave. Rinse, repeat. That’s not a working model for getting noticed, or building a following.

[anonymousyamParticipant 4605]

PuniShredder wrote:

I can’t seem to break $30,000 year. It’s untenable

You are making almost 30k a year just playing s~~~ty cover music? damn that is the life now when it comes to this this is based on the mindset you have here.

You probably thought 30 years ago you would be riding in a private jet but just turned out to be in a s~~~ty cover band living in a crack den and that you hate it (you were fooled into thinking it would have made you millions and did not do it because it isn’t your life, you are the kind of person who won’t live in a dumpster for it and for your mission).

But with making money i have heard that Walmart warehouse workers make almost 40k a year (for something that should not be too complex especially if you did not go to college and straight into the music). It won’t be a good job but you will at least make over 30k (almost 40 is the average for the workers, you could rise up and make over 40).

Also jobs later at night tend to make more money so if you are a night person you can just work overnight shifts and bank a little extra then the morning workers (due to the fact it is harder to find night workers in genera, most people want the 9 to 5 gig).

PuniShredder wrote:

Here’s my live music brand.

This is the band you play with? you are lucky to make 20k a year with that s~~~.

Just an east coast asshole who likes to curse, If you get offended by words like fuck, cunt, shit, piss, bitch or any racial slurs then you just scroll down.

[Anonymous 54]

anonymousyam wrote:

This is the band you play with? you are lucky to make 20k a year with that s~~~.

Ouch! Hahah
Now you know why its a tough buisness!

[Anonymous 1]

Yeah, I tried making it as a musician when I was 18-20. I found out pretty quick that I couldn’t make a living at it. This was back in 2005-2008.

Ultimately, I took a job that I do not particularly enjoy, but it pays the bills.

I’d be curious to hear what you have to say about the Music industry in general. I remember the Gen. X bands told me to find a different career because the Music business was drying up. That was early 2000’s.

It seems like Millenials are not particularly interested in music. Or at least it doesn’t impact them the same way as it did Gen. X. After 30 years in the business you must have seen some changes…

[PuniShredderParticipant 2268]

[/quote]This is the band you play with? you are lucky to make 20k a year with that s~~~.[/quote]

It’s corporate bulls~~~..they eat it up. Obviously not the kind of music I listen to. It’s a product. I make the majority of my cash playing solo acoustic. I could make more if I were hunting bar gigs etc but I’m burnt. I never set out to play covers in the first place. I have zero retirement, can’t afford hobbies, can’t afford a vacation…I’m changing it up.

Be professional be polite but always have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[PuniShredderParticipant 2268]

Anonymous wrote:

Yeah, I tried making it as a musician when I was 18-20. I found out pretty quick that I couldn’t make a living at it. This was back in 2005-2008.

Ultimately, I took a job that I do not particularly enjoy, but it pays the bills.

I’d be curious to hear what you have to say about the Music industry in general. I remember the Gen. X bands told me to find a different career because the Music business was drying up. That was early 2000’s.

It seems like Millenials are not particularly interested in music. Or at least it doesn’t impact them the same way as it did Gen. X. After 30 years in the business you must have seen some changes…

The Music business in general is a vile s~~~ show. I’m not in it anymore. Bar bulls~~~ and Corporate crap is not the music business. When I left Nashville in 2014 it was s~~~ and the songwriting business had gone to s~~~ with Bro Country and rap starting to dominate. Anything creative is tough because your success is based on other people and not your own merit a lot of the time. I should have put it in the background 15-20 years ago, got a good career and just continued on as a hobby. I tried and just could not break from the music. Writing and recording was an obsession for me until about age 40-42.

Be professional be polite but always have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[Anonymous 1]

PuniShredder wrote:

The Music business in general is a vile s~~~ show. I’m not in it anymore. Bar bulls~~~ and Corporate crap is not the music business. When I left Nashville in 2014 it was s~~~ and the songwriting business had gone to s~~~ with Bro Country and rap starting to dominate.

Yeah, in my area the big stars were Kid Rock, Eminem, Insane Clown Posse. I can’t stand any of that s~~~. I haven’t played a live show in almost a decade. It’s all s~~~ nowadays.

[Author]

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