INDIE
INSIDER
By Michael Raine
T
he dream for any dedicated
musician is to make enough
money from playing and re-
cording that you don’t need
the “side gig.” You know, the
job you do to supplement
music-related income to get the rent paid
and food in the fridge.
But let’s be real. The majority of gig-
ging musicians need that side hustle. Lord
knows CD sales and streaming aren’t pay-
ing for much in 2020 for most artists. So,
if that’s your reality, wouldn’t it be sweet
if the side gig was not only musical, but
could also advance your playing career
and chops? Of course it would, and that’s
why teaching music lessons can be a per-
fect part-time job for musicians with the
right background and personality.
“When I rolled over into my 30s, I kind
of hit what I call my ‘one-third life crisis’
and analyzed, like, ‘I don’t enjoy this retail
thing and I want to do music full-time,’”
recalls Jay Watts, the drummer for popular
10 CANADIAN MUSICIAN
TEACHING MAY BE THE PERFECT SIDE GIG
indigenous folk-rock duo Twin Flames and
a drum/vocal teacher at School of Rock in
the Ottawa suburb of Orleans, ON.
Watts had been a musician his entire
life and got into drumming after high
school. At one point, he played in as many
as nine different bands. “Naturally, like many
other musicians, I had to work a crummy
retail job to pay the bills … and then on
the weekend and evenings I would play as
many shows as I could. But as I aged, that
grind started wearing on me.”
Long story short, Watts went back to
university at age 31, majoring in music and
minoring in history with the idea of being
a high school music teacher. Fortuitously,
during his studies, a School of Rock location
opened near his house. He applied, audi-
tioned, and got the part-time job.
School of Rock wasn’t meant to be his
final teaching destination, but Watts didn’t
realize how fulfilling teaching lessons
would be, and how many opportunities
it would open up for him in his music
career. With other teachers at the studio
he formed Bytown Lights, a cover band
that does weddings, corporate events, and
other occasions. (“There’s excellent money
being in a cover band,” he notes). Through
teaching, he also got the chance to join
the Hitmen Drum Line, which performs at
pro soccer and football games as well as
corporate events.
“And it’s through that community that
I got on the radar of Twin Flames. One
opportunity will always lead to another,”
Watts says. “The more hustle you put into
your music career, the more valuable
you will become as a teacher. If you are
well-known in the community as an ex-
ceptional player, all around good person,
and someone who is passionate about
music, you will get teaching gigs. Good
paying ones too! The harder you work, the
more money you can make as a teacher.
The two are truly a harmonious pairing of
careers for any serious musician.”
As teaching brought about Watts’
good fortune, it became a good oppor-
tunity for two of his fellow School of Rock