Decisions, decisions..

[kickinwing65]

Well, I have come to a fork in the road and don't have many people to ask. I am currently in a band which might have a good chance at having something happen for us. We are co-headlining a huge festival before Mastadon in MI and possibly might go on tour opening up for them this fall. On the other hand, I just got offered a job where I would be set for pretty much life. Full time, full benefits, salary, up to 50k/yr doing another thing i love which is working with computers. I'm not sure what I should do and which path I should take. I would really hate to miss out on the experience of touring which I have never done and the other great things about that by sitting in an office building from 9-5 5 days a week for the rest of my days.. I am 20 and haven't even completed a degree yet. I also own a home recording studio which I would also like to do but that would also come to a standstill if I took this job.. oh and the girl of my dreams just wants to be friends and happens to be moving away next year. Probably never going to see her again.. being 20 blows ass.
:Smokin:uke:
Fuck 2010

 

[Charlie E.]

and possibly might go on tour opening up for them this fall.

I think this says it all dude. And being 20 isn't that bad. You can always quit the job if you're unhappy with it. You still have time to experience touring.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

if that "possibly" turns into an "indefinately" sometime soon, go on the fucking road. However if it isn't guaranteed, then don't get your hopes up. Take the job and work on your band, when you have a firm foot in the door, then you can quit the job and take to being a full time paid musician. But up until the point you are guaranteed paid musical success don't do anything stupid.

 

[JBroll]

Do you mean 'definitely'? Going on tour indefinitely seems uncomfortable.

OP: 50K with full benefits in Michigan seems pretty comfortable. If it won't get in the way of what you want to do, take it.

Jeff

 

[FloridaRolf]

Get the job, srsly

 

[-Gavin-]

Get the job. Touring/Band life is a waste of fucking time...
I regret wasting years of my life on Music as something beyond a hobby.

Job = Awesome.
Computers = Awesome.
Paycheque = Awesome.
Security = Awesome.


Plus, 10 years down the line... where are you? 20?

The touring experience isn't that special... it's waiting around lots and not being able to shit/shower when needed.

 

[drew_drummer]

Take the job. Use your holiday allowance to plan tours.

 

[Nebulous]

Take the job. Use your holiday allowance to plan tours.

+1, and use the money that you WILL earn to buy some nice gear for that studio

 

[jangoux]

Dude, i had the oportunity to graduate, get an IT job at the local Hilton hotel earning a good salary for a 21yo and declined, hoping my band would tour around, get recognized...We had the oportunities to do so, but the other members werent so excited...so, nothing happened. I left college, didn't graduate and continued with my band. It eventually broke up. That was around 5 years ago.

Now, I am an AE, work my ass off to earn not enough to pay my bills, have two daughters and a wife to support and regret so much being stupid and not listening to everyone who said I was being stupid (and that was a LOT of people). I am also back to college to finish the two disciplines I have left to get my degree but I am struggling so much - a lot has changed.

Just get the job, man. You never know what may happen in the future. Dont be stupid like me - you'll end up posting the same thing I am atm 5 in another forum 5 years down the road. Earn your life now, have fun later

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

A steady job with awesome salary and full benefits or living hand-to-mouth on the road with a small chance of making it big some day? Let me think it over...

 

[drew_drummer]

Even if you do make it big...

http://www.negativland.com/albini.html

 

[Skinny Viking]

The touring experience isn't that special... it's waiting around lots and not being able to shit/shower when needed.

+1

or eat

Take the job

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

I just got laid off from my job of 12 years about a month ago. And, as I sit back and look at the whole deal now (at 32 years of age with a house, wife, 3 kids, etc.), I am glad I took the path I did. But, I quit pursuing music as a career and still to this day kick myself about it.

Go on tour man - you only live once.

There will be plenty of time to get into a "real" job, but you're really young man - you can afford to take some time and do this.

 

[drew_drummer]

Point is; you can still do music even when you have a job. I manage perfectly well. It's just about managing your time effectively.

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Take the job... Keep music as a hobby. It will only be getting more and more difficult for it to be a career.

 

[El_Gato]

do what your heart says, you only live once.

 

[vikk]

do what your heart says, you only live once.

this.

Having bands and doing gigs is surely not stable, but nothing stops you from working with music. Either with production like many here do, or something else. My guitar teacher gets something like 50k a year teaching guitar.

 

[Jevil]

I'd take the job. I agree with Carlos and Gavin.
I play gigs just for the money, I do not find it something very funny or enjoying, unless you are a top musician with loads of people working for you.

Bad sleeping, spend hours in a ass-smelling van, eating shit, shitting pee, working as your own roadie, hours between the soundcheck and the show, nerves...and always thinking "what the hell am i doing here instead of being with my friends & beers or with my wife & romantic dinner"

 

[arv_foh]

With the job market as bad as it is nowadays, I think it'd be pretty stupid for you not to take the job. Make a bunch of money, save it up, to where you have a sizable amount to live off of, then you can worry about going on tour because you're probably not gonna make any money that's worth mentioning when you first start out touring anyways.

 

[kickinwing65]

Thanks for all the responses, I still am trying to figure it out.. we met this guy who joined our band and seems to give us an advantage because so far we have done everything on our own, recorded mixed and mastered our first album, local people for artwork, taken our own promos, etc. Also, this guy is best friends with the guitarist from mastadon and he showed him our stuff and they really like it so the possibility of a tour with them is looking really good. If I got this job I doubt I would be able to take five weeks off for vacation right away.. I'm still pondering it.. maybe something will hit me and it will be really clear.