“Music is just one of those things that’s going constantly through your head,” says Colin Wolberg. “Practicing and going over things in your head is actually just as beneficial as physically doing it.”
Wolberg is a member of the band Siberian. But he doesn’t have time to think about the band much during the day because he’s working at Snap-Tex in Ballard. There, he saws up little pieces of plastic track and big slabs of foam insulation, and assembles them into a frame. Then he stretches, staples, and glues fabric over the top to make acoustic panels. Colin builds rooms for clubs and private homes that are totally quiet.
“It is definitely a thinking job, unfortunately, for me,” he says. “I mean, it’s something that I enjoy, definitely. But being a musician and pursuing that seriously makes it kind of difficult because I feel I’m wasting some productive energy.”
Wolberg tried to quit his job once, but it didn’t work out. Now he works part time. He says that’s helped his life feel more balanced.
“I try not to think about the day too much when I’m at work, I try to let it pass by as quickly as possible, you know. Although, to get through the day, I’m listening to music. Music makes the day go by really quickly, y’know? It can brighten up your spirits a little bit if you’re really itching to get out of here.”
Day Job is a look at how musicians pay the rent. Starting today, we’re relaunching Day Job as a podcast. Go to www.seattleweekly.com to hear the whole piece.
