Day Jobs Don't Pay
So I spent all of our savings on the new CD, and the 18 shows that we have on the calendar for the rest of the year are not going to be enough to cover our expenses. I've been flirting with the idea of getting a day job for the first time in 5 years, but I'm afraid I've become way too spoiled...
Spoiled by days like last Thursday when I spent the day at the home studio that used to belong to Alison Krauss, fine tuning the record I've spent so many hours on and learning a lot about how an album is mixed in the process.
Spoiled by days like Monday, when Jodi and I took some Somalian refugee kids to their first day of school in America after we found them sitting on the side of the road with no clue where to go.
Basically, it seems like if I spend every waking minute of every day working on this career, it MIGHT just happen. After a really dang long time. If I spend 40 hours a week mowing lawns for $9 an hour and relegate music career stuff to late nights and weekends, well....at least I would get a tan while I watched what little career I have tank.
So, I think I'm going to get back to my research now and maybe tonight I'll see what household items I can sell on EBay to pump up our cash flow.
Spoiled by days like last Thursday when I spent the day at the home studio that used to belong to Alison Krauss, fine tuning the record I've spent so many hours on and learning a lot about how an album is mixed in the process.
Spoiled by days like Monday, when Jodi and I took some Somalian refugee kids to their first day of school in America after we found them sitting on the side of the road with no clue where to go.
Basically, it seems like if I spend every waking minute of every day working on this career, it MIGHT just happen. After a really dang long time. If I spend 40 hours a week mowing lawns for $9 an hour and relegate music career stuff to late nights and weekends, well....at least I would get a tan while I watched what little career I have tank.
So, I think I'm going to get back to my research now and maybe tonight I'll see what household items I can sell on EBay to pump up our cash flow.
11 Comments:
At 6:54 PM, Ben Jordan said…
Day jobs are way over-rated. I think that starving artists are the coolest kinds of things that starve. Keep up the good work and I can't wait to hear the new CD.
At 8:37 PM, Keith Brooks said…
Sometimes the complexity of life that is the "real job" makes one remember with fondness life on the road.
Keep the faith, guys. You are in our prayers, and God continues to bless you with talent that is unique and that will find its place in that crazy Music Row.
About the W candle holder...perhaps it has a place in the Brooks' home decor up here in Louisville, but I'd have to run that one by Jenny. Maybe we have a relative back somewhere with the initial "W" that it could serve as a memorial to. The understated elegance is obvious.
At 9:11 PM, Zane said…
To Ben... That's my problem!! I'm not starving!! How could I have been so blind? That's it---no more food for me. I should be able to save enough in a month to do a half-day photo shoot! Z
PS Where are you these days? Send me an e-mail update if you get a chance.
At 9:18 PM, Zane said…
Ben again...just followed your link and checked out your portfolio site. Looks great! I'm going to eventually want a site redesign, maybe we should talk about it sometime. Z
At 9:28 PM, Zane said…
Hey Keith---yeah, I think about you Glorify Him guys sometimes when I'm on the road. It doesn't seem fair for me to still be doing it when some of you guys aren't. Of course the past four or five years it has just been Jodi and me on the road, which is a lot simpler than going out with a band. I'm starting to do more stuff with a band now, and it's exciting but it's kickin' my tail financially and organizationally.
Oh, and Jodi told me that the W is "hers" and is not for sale. Maybe I'll sell my hacky sack collection... :)
At 10:37 PM, kaija beamer said…
Your music is so cool! why would you need to get a day job? (unless of course jodi says you need one)I can't wait to hear your new cd and i really want to get your old cd and your really cool t-shirt! What have you been up to? Where have you been playing? Well i will talk to you later!
At 11:20 PM, Jon Baas said…
Hmm. Zane, I know it may sound strange, but when you're on Ebay, take a moment and look in the "Everything Else" category. There's a little category there called "Mystery Auctions". A truely creative person (let alone a professional musician such as yourself) could do well there (with a little research first of course). My career(s) are in professional acting and art (when I'm not following your career that is! LOL!). I've been active an active seller in this category for four months now... and like I say, with a little creativity, and lots of honesty, it's not a bad source of supplimentary income.
Just a suggestion, since you did bring up the idea of Ebay. Keep on truckin' Zane. (um, pun intended).
Kind Regards,
Actor/ Artist,
-Jon Baas
At 11:58 PM, Holly Figueroa said…
I haven't had a day job in about 15 years. I can't imagine going back. Too bad you didn't win that first place, you coulda sold that guitar. :-) (kidding!)
Good luck, and I hope you encounter a windfall that keeps you from the grind. Those kids are CUTE, BTW...wow. I'll be looking for that CD in the mail, and send me your address so I can send you mine, yo?
At 9:03 AM, Allison said…
zane, you could always become a Mary Kay or Avon consultant...beauty products are a gold mine...and with Mary Kay you could work towards a free car. or you could sell lemonade on the corner, or walk dogs. ;)
if not, music shall suffice. COME BACK TO STRITCH SOON!
At 11:36 PM, Zane said…
@Kaija Well, if I knew more folks like you I wouldn't need a day job. :) Right now it's just that I have had a slow year in the college market, I spend all of out savings, and I'm playing more with a band which means I make less money per show. Anyway, the Live CD is for sale on the website, as well as t-shirts (although we have run out of some sizes). The address is www.zanewilliams.info. You can also see my tour schedule there----I've been playing more local stuff in Nashville recently, but still touring some as well. The "previous posts" section of this blog can tell you about some of our trips this summer!
@Jon Thanks for the tip! I checked out your blog and your auction on EBay---looks pretty cool. I'll be watching it on MyEbay. I can tell you did a lot of careful preparation, hope it pays off for you! (The reverse image pencil drawing of the girl is really cool too.) Thanks for keeping in touch and good luck!
@Holly... Wow, 15 years is quite an accomplishment! Way to go! That's a very cool thing. I'm going to wait and send you my new CD once we get it mixed and mastered here in a few weeks, and I'll e-mail you my address.
@Allison... All good ideas, all good ideas. Coming back to Stritch is probably the best one of all! :) I'm scheduled at UW West Bend in Oct.---if you have any pull with student activities let me know and maybe we could get a tie-in date then. I'd love to come back through Milwaukee. Peace...
At 7:41 AM, JD Myers said…
Unfortunately the problem is that sometimes there are starving kids attached to the starving artists which is really about the uncoolest kinds of things that starve.
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