Photo: Pigs, Pigs, Pigs+ | By Dave Simpson, The Guardian | The first Musicians’ Census recently found that almost half of working UK musicians earn less than £14K a year from music. It’s fine for the lucky handful making millions, such as Ed Sheeran or Adele, but most are having to rely on a second job or similar side-hustle to support their income. We spoke to three visibly successful musicians about the difficulties and realities of balancing a career in music and a “parallel life”.
‘Fans are amazed when I say I’m back in the office tomorrow’
After finishing university I moved to Manchester with the sole intention of forming a band. We signed to a record label, released an album and went out touring, but juggled it with day jobs. You think: “Are we doing something wrong?” before you realise that, unless you get a huge hit single and are opened up to a really big audience, this is the reality.
When I went for job interviews, as soon as I told them I was in a band it killed it. They think you’re going to be off. In some jobs when I asked for time off to go on tour they sacked me. I realised that most jobs are just not compatible with what you need to do to be in a successful band.
When I moved back to Newcastle and started Pigs … I realised the only way I could get it to work was by working in the music industry, with people who are sympathetic to my situation. I work for Wipe Out, a music publisher in the north-east. My job is to look for syncs [placing songs in TV, film and games] and other licensing opportunities for artists. Whenever we go on tour, I take a laptop and work in the van. The band’s success has actually helped; people I’ve been trying to reach for years have suddenly made contact. When we played in LA, I met people in the US industry I’d never have been able to get access to without the band.
For us it was never about making tons of money and the rest of the band have jobs as well. After four albums we are at a point now where the income from shows is pretty good, but there are only so many of those opportunities a year.
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Read the full story here:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/04/musicians-second-jobs-anchoress-himalayas-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs
The Anchoress’s new album Versions, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs’s latest album Land of Sleeper and Himalayas’ debut From Hell to Here are all out now. Himalayas’ single VOV will be released in the new year.
[Thanks to Alex Teitz for contributing this article! http://www.femmusic.com]
Photo: Pigs Pigs Pigs etc | From their Facebook page
‘I’ve been sacked for asking for time off to tour’: The Perils of Being a Musician with a Second Job
