DAY JOBS
Look closely at your electrician. Can you imagine him as a rock singer? What about your cleaning lady — does she exhibit in the Saatchi Gallery? And have you heard the one about the aerobics teacher with a book deal? For a variety of (mostly financial) reasons, creative types have always held down day jobs: Philip Larkin was famously a librarian, and Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson works as a commercial pilot when not on tour. As the SNP come to power with a cultural manifesto that promises to ‘work harder to support Scottish creative talent’, Kirstin lnnes talks to six Scottish artists about their secret occupations
10 THE LIST 124 May /' Jun 900/
Rory Connaghan
Job 1 Lead singer, X Vectors
Job 2 Electrician
It‘s been a good year for X Vectors. Their warped. caustic club tune ‘Now is
Discotheque‘ is cropping up all over the place. and they've just finished a liuropean tour with
Klaxons. However. teetering on the cusp of success means they’re dependent on other
sources of income. Vocalist Rory (‘onnaghan set up as a self-employed electrician a few years ago and uses his skills to finance his involvement with the band.
‘l‘m lucky -— my regular clients understand what the hand means to me. We‘ve just had a couple of days off between gigs in (iermany and Amsterdam. and I had to try and lit in a couple
of jobs just to get some money. Being self
employed. I’ve got a bit more freedom. but there are appointments that just get put off. and all that
juggling is really stressful.
‘When I‘m not working. I‘m not getting paid. We're doing all these international gigs. and the fees sound amazing. but we have to cover our
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costs. I think the last time we toured we got a packet of cigarettes and a few laughs each. and that was it. But there‘s a point where you have to make a decision about what you‘re most passionate about. And it certainly isn't electrical work. I‘ll tell you that.
'()vcr the past few months. l‘ve been able to start calling myself a musician. professionally: the band is definitely taking up over 50”} of my time. I‘ve no problem with the ‘electrician’ tag. though. and I haven't got 'musician’ on my passport yet. Maybe some day.‘
David Bratchpiece
g Job 1 Stand—up comedian Job 2 Nightclub duty manager, the Arches Juggling two jobs has given David Bratchpicce a split personality. ‘Half the time I have to be the most »- responsible person in the room: other times I’m the mentalist up the front trying to make everyone laugh. I spend my whole life putting up with shouty drunk people. It‘s easier dealing with hecklers than punters —