I wasn't sure which thread to post this in but I wanted to get the forum's opinion.
I know several musicians who are either unemployed or working part-time. I haven't met anyone who has a regular 9-5 job like I do. yet. When I ask, they cringe at the thought of wasting 40 hours a week in a cubicle or office environment, etc. For as long as I've been playing in bands I've had some kind of job going on. In my early 20s, I went on an extended tour with my punk band and had a taste of what my life would be like if I gave up all I had and went for broke. Unfortunately, the end of the tour revealed harsh realities among my bandmates and within the the next few months, we disbanded. Unsure of continuing to play drums or be involved in music altogether, my dad advise that I get a degree in network engineering so that I am not struggling to make a buck. A few years later I graduated with a degree and began my post-music career in IT.
Today, I'm 30 years old, not married, have no kids and make decent money. I currently perform in two bands outside of my 9-5 job, possibly a 3rd if the audition goes well. Drumming is my passion but somehow I can't see myself giving up the steady income I earn to go on an extended tour like my last punk band did. Have I sold out in a way, have my ideas of success changed as I got older or am I just a hobbyist? Silly as it is, I'm stoked just to be playing at rehearsal or at a bar with less than 10 people.