I'm a musician with a day job, as are most of the people I play with. The thing that's hard is coming up with the motivation and discipline to put a high intensity of effort into music, or any sideline, when a job is occupying the better part of your waking hours.

And not everybody gets a big bucks job -- many entry level and lower skilled jobs are not far removed from sweatshop labor, and involve work schedules that preclude being able to perform.

Notable in Gioia's History of Jazz is that quite a few musicians were mentioned as having day jobs. But while they got good enough to be recognized for their proficiency, the move that got them into the history book always involved quitting that job.

In my own case, I've never been recorded, except a few demo's that I've done as a favor for friends. I've turned down offers to tour with bands that already had decent album sales. My day job affords me those luxuries. But I also haven't developed any musical ideas that would be missed.