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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 03/01/2007 : 06:00:35 AM
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I am amazed at the music talent in Hawai`i...serious talent. The best of the best. But I am saddened when I hear that, for instance, Bruddah Iz was on welfare, Gabby had to work for the road department or something like that. I have heard that George Kuo still works for the water department, Ocean Kaowili is a fireman, Uncle Ray Kane was a welder, and so on. I have heard Ledward say several times in films that I have seen that his boss is great about letting him travel for performances when he needs to. I guess just because I am a nebby nose, I wonder what type of "day jobs" our favorite musicians have now or in the past. My husband, Paul, is a body mechanic for the local transit authority, fixing buses. I think our friend Podagee is a custom auto painter. I am a quality specialist for DoD. What do you guys do to make a living, and how does performing fit into your lifestyle? Do you try to make money at it or is it an avocation? When you slack the keys on a 12-string, you need a large supply of strings. It sounds like many of you have wonderful guitars, ukuleles, etc., and plenty of fancy electronic gadgets. How does a musician finance his musical equipment needs?
Mahalo.
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 08:58:10 AM
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| Some of us are "lost boys" living in Neverland (first star to the right and on til morning). My wife works and I'm on the public dole (retired). I'd love to get paid for playing, but too many of you have standards. |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 09:07:19 AM
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I consider myself fortunate in this realm, because I've always pursued careers that tie into music. 19 years in public radio, then 10 years (and counting) as a music programmer for a business-music service, with brief stints as a record producer.
At present, part of my job closely ties in with all my Hawaiian music activities. I program the Hawaiian mix that you hear in businesses, restaurants, malls, airports, stores, etc., all throughout Hawai`i. That's the day job. (I also do programs of jazz, classical, new age and other music styles.)
For non-paying activities (a/k/a "hobbies"?), I play music with a hula halau, co-host a couple of Hawaiian music radio shows, and write a monthly CD review column for a Hawaiian community newspaper; lucky I live Seattle, where the large, open-hearted community of locals have been extremely welcoming to this malihini. |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 09:46:11 AM
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Wanda - Are you asking specifically about professional Hawaiian musicians? Or the Taropatch community? Or both?
I am a portfolio manager at Runnymede Capital Management. I spend my days researching public companies (understanding what they do, where their growth is coming from, make a valuation forecast) and building equity and bond portfolios for clients (individuals and institutions). Investing in high quality companies is fun because I get to learn how these great companies make money.
Music is a hobby. I started playing in my living room. Since 2004, I expanded to playing periodic gigs in and around New York city. If I were factor in all the time, I'm definitely not playing for the money. On the other hand, I am having fun, sharing some Hawaiian music and the gigs help pay for new toys. |
Andy |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 09:48:22 AM
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I am a consulting psychologist. This has nothing to do with playing slack key, except for the fact that it supports our lifestyle.
I have a regular gig at a local restaurant - most importantly it forces me to keep up and to learn more material - also, money's not great, but I haven't had to dip into general funds for any guitar related stuff for a couple of years.
I sometimes play at private functions, Aloha Festival, open mic, stuff like that.
My first guitar cost less than $200, used. My custom made was the last gift my father gave me. I don't have GAS. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 10:30:52 AM
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| Andy - I guess I started out wondering about professional musicians,like wondering what Led does for a living, etc. then, ran on as I frequently do, about you "regular" guys. I then got to wondering about all the things you "slackers" have in common...a love for the music, language, customs, literature, history of Hawai`i; a love for nature also seems to be a common thread; a good heart and a willingness to share and help; and wondering if there were any commonalities in professions or other values or if slack-key is beloved across a broad range of personality types. Most interesting so far. Also seems you guys all all akamai about computers. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 11:09:46 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by wcerto
Also seems you guys all all akamai about computers.
Tried accessing Taropatch on my typewriter, but it seemed I was the only one ever posting... |
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Davey
Akahai
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 11:40:45 AM
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Wanda:
I spend my days talking to guys like Andy -- I'm the investor relations VP for a women's apparel company based here in northern Idaho. Have performed professionally since my teens and still play, though mostly to pay for toys and strings. Most recently, I've been doing a folk & Celtic music acoustic duo with my wife, Tami, who plays tenor ukulele and guitar. Yes, Celtic Uke -- the next big thing! :)
Spent about 15 years in radio and then later as a print journalist. Playing music all the while. Retiring in June and planning to join Tami in teaching music, her profession.
Peace,
Davey |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 12:20:30 PM
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Wanda, I am in the same enviable career as Terry. When I was engaged in semiprofitable employment, I did everything anyone could do with computers for 40 years: from way out stuff like solid state magneto-optics research trying to make an all optical computer, to designing computer architecture, to devising programming languages, teaching and lecturing about all this, experimenting with "artificial intelligence" and implementing useful systems based on it, to database design, to inventing authorization systems, performing simulations of various sorts of real world processes, to managing a herd of analysts and programmers in a gigantic enterprise wide project that managed a 2 billion $ / year outfit called Yale. And, a bunch of other stuff. Oh yeah, I once lost $25 million (on paper) in one day, when one of my invention deals fell through - and that was when a mill was worth something. Thank God for Social Security, and that's no joke.
It is not so hard to figure out why most of us here are used to computers - they are parts of our everyday work. Even Sarah, who is at base an artist, uses computers in her design work daily. That's true of most of the people on the net.
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andyjade
Akahai
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 12:53:21 PM
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Statistics geek. For a large university. Doing math and writing about it. Pretty much sums it up.
Musically, I'm trying to get into film scoring. Already did one documentary (non slack), and am looking for more. My Thursday night bluegrass group will one day play second rate pizza parlors and suburban taverns. Hopefully.
AJ |
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GUke
Lokahi
188 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 3:39:23 PM
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I have always looked upon my job - pharmacy technician - as a means to allow me to "play". And "play" includes golfing, toy collecting, rollerblading, bicycling, snowboarding, and music. Now that I occasionally "sit in", and regularly open mic and kanikapila a lot of my salary has gone into music -- instruments, amps, mics, music books, tuners, dvd instructions -- this past year. And this year I've started bass guitar, and hope to have another ukulele by winter. Have made some money for performing, but very little in comparison to output. Since there's only myself to answer, I've spent freely. But now and then I scold myself on being too free.
Genaro |
Genaro
Should I? Itʻs only $, and where Iʻm going itʻll burn or melt. |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 6:25:04 PM
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AJ,
After graduating, Daniel Ho did some work scoring for films - he lived in his car outside the composer's house. The composer would give him the day's production and Danny would work on scoring the stuff. It's a great story. --- Dan also occasionally mentions that he was lucky not to have to go the usual route that most people do when they want to get into film work, either composing or arranging - namely working for the porn industry in So. Cal, supporting yourself until the big break comes your way. He told that to a group of Stanford undergrads one day - somewhat disillusioning for the kids "on the farm," or so I heard. Of course, it doesn't hurt to form a group like Kilauea at just the right time, either. |
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Podagee57
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2007 : 8:58:04 PM
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| Yeah Wanda, I do some custom paint work. Mostly pin-striping. I pick up the air brush now and then too. I've been at it in one form or another since I was 18. It's a funny thing. Over the years I've gotten to know a lot of other pin-stripers and it amazes me how many also dabble in music. In fact I recently found out that the T-patches own Al Perreira, yeah another Podagee, is also a pin-striper and only lives about an hour and a half from me. One day we'll get together for a little jam. I also just learned that Bill Keale is also an artist. Seems there is some kind of connection with an artistic mind and music. I find that both music and art, as long as there is not a deadline, are theraputical for me. Recently my wife and I, she's a realtor, had a discussion regarding work related stress. Seems there's always a deadline but when I am actually working, that is, creating and practicing my craft, I get lost in it and find great peace. Unfortunately for her, she can't say the same. |
What? You mean high "E" is the TOP string. No way dude! That changes everything! |
Edited by - Podagee57 on 03/01/2007 8:58:42 PM |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2007 : 12:01:04 PM
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| Lessee--cashiered English teacher, half-educated tech geek, failed computer consultant, intermittent tech/business/music journalist (self-taught). (Good thing I'm a faculty wife. If I were a gal, I'd be running a bead shop or selling Mary Kay.) One of the constants through all this has been playing guitar (fifty-some years now). Not long after I turned 50, I started (very tentatively) playing out and haven't been chased away yet. My partner and I have exactly one slack key piece in our set-list, and everybody has heard it so often that I'm going to have to work up another one some day. |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2007 : 2:48:38 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RJS
AJ,
After graduating, Daniel Ho did some work scoring for films - he lived in his car outside the composer's house. The composer would give him the day's production and Danny would work on scoring the stuff. It's a great story. --- Dan also occasionally mentions that he was lucky not to have to go the usual route that most people do when they want to get into film work, either composing or arranging - namely working for the porn industry in So. Cal, supporting yourself until the big break comes your way. He told that to a group of Stanford undergrads one day - somewhat disillusioning for the kids "on the farm," or so I heard. Of course, it doesn't hurt to form a group like Kilauea at just the right time, either.
A little "full-circle" story to go along with this...
Some of Daniel's earliest post-college arranging work was for Muzak - creating arrangements and scores, and producing sessions for the "elevator music" non-vocal versions of current pop hits. He says it was great real-world experience in analyzing the structure of hit songs, and seeing the inner workings of composition, arrangement and efficient studio production.
In addition, the folks who did Muzak sessions in those days were also permitted to submit some of their own original compositions for use in programs, allowing them extra pay and residuals as composers/publishers for years to come.
Many of his early originals for Muzak became the songs of Kilauea.
Last fall, when Daniel was touring the West Coast with Herb Ohta, Jr., the two of them stopped by our offices to meet folks, talk music, and to play a mini-concert for us. At Muzak. |
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andyjade
Akahai
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2007 : 1:30:19 PM
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I work in law enforcement on Oahu. Sometimes my buddy Rick and I take TC's chopper over to Kauai for extra crime-fighting opportunities. But that's only when Higgins isn't making me mow the lawn. Oh wait...that's what I WANT to do for a living...
Anyway, thanks for the stories on Daniel Ho...very cool to know that someone of his stature started out doing scores.......Great info, you guys!!! |
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