Rethinking a Musician’s Day Job with Neil Boland

Rethinking a Musician’s Day Job with Neil Boland

Can a corporate day job actually save your creative freedom? Melbourne guitarist and digital marketer Neil Boland has spent years straddling two worlds — playing gigs on weekends, running SEO consultancies on weekdays, and funding his music career entirely through work that has nothing to do with music. He's part of what he calls the 99% of musicians who don't make a living from their instrument alone. And he's completely at peace with it. In this episode, Lyndon and Breallyn sit down with Neil to talk about the practical reality of building a creative life on a working wage - how a redundancy payout from a music store bought him his Martin guitar, how his corporate skills made him a better bandleader, and why the musicians who end up playing for big artists are often the ones who spent years playing other people's music in covers bands rather than waiting to be discovered. Neil also gets unexpectedly candid about not having it together as much as his Instagram suggests - recording this episode between day jobs, rebuilding a freelance consultancy in a tough economic climate, and still finishing an album in his spare time. Also in this episode: the correct side of the Yarra River, the flanno rule for band aesthetics, and a Vince Gill gig in Nashville that took twelve years to turn into a client lead. You might want to listen if: * You have a day job and a creative life and you're not sure whether to feel guilty about that * You're a musician, artist, or writer who wonders what it would actually take to fund your own work * You want to feel less alone in the gap between how your creative life looks online and how it actually feels Pain In The Arts is hosted by Lyndon — musician, studio owner, and producer - and Breallyn - copywriter and novelist in progress. New episodes every Tuesday. Want to know more about Neil? Click here Who Is This Neil Boland Character? [https://linktr.ee/neilboland?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn3mrFvtvNWmJj-LIMin9hM-0TkBFYdg24FKkzb0Y88vZUn4nUW9ZEYdbuTmI_aem_4JU2216vIhn7DImicQaIIg] Pain In The Arts is a weekly podcast about the reality of creative life — hosted by Breallyn and Lyndon Wesley. If you enjoyed this episode, the best thing you can do is share it with one person who'd love it. Subscribe and listen: On your favourite podcast app or visit paininthearts.life [http://www.paininthearts.life] Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/painintheartslife [ www.patreon.com/painintheartslife] Find us online: paininthearts.life Instagram: @paininthearts Theme music by Lyndon Wesley [www.lyndonwesley.com] Produced on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Problem with Productivity: Ditching Bullet Journals for The Grail Method

Why is there such a massive gap between wanting to start a creative project and actually doing it? In this episode, we look at why over-engineered productivity systems and bullet journals can create a barrier to entry instead of helping you create. Lyndon shares his latest breakthrough: the 'Grail Method'—based on Perry Daniels' recent discovery, it's an Indiana Jones-inspired journaling framework that removes creative friction and helps builds momentum. Plus, we celebrate the arrival of Lacey, our new elite assistance dog, we break down how to beat the digital doom scroll and how to lower the stakes using hands-on making practices like furniture restoration and a campervan fit-out. Can we redesign our environment and build low-friction creative rituals? We are holding each other to a six-month accountability pact—tune in to see how you can join us! The Grail Method Watch Perry Daniels fab video here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QVYfPnNOg4&t=328s] Pain In The Arts is a weekly podcast about the reality of creative life — hosted by Breallyn and Lyndon Wesley. If you enjoyed this episode, the best thing you can do is share it with one person who'd love it. Subscribe and listen: On your favourite podcast app or visit paininthearts.life [http://www.paininthearts.life] Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/painintheartslife [ www.patreon.com/painintheartslife] Find us online: paininthearts.life Instagram: @paininthearts Theme music by Lyndon Wesley [www.lyndonwesley.com] Produced on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Armchair Treasure Hunts: From Masquerade to the Forrest Fenn Fallout

Can a book change your life - or cost it? In this episode of Pain In The Arts, we explore the obsessive world of armchair treasure hunt books. It started with Kit Williams’s Masquerade, an illustrated book that hid a real gold hare in England and sparked a public frenzy. We trace the line from that creative invitation to the chaos that followed: Byron Preiss's twelve buried casks, France's golden owl, and the infamous Forrest Fenn chest - a million-dollar cache in the Rockies that drew 350,000 searchers and cost five lives. Discover what happens when art becomes a real-world obsession, plus a look into personal creative quests, from airport runway lamps to a Tarago campervan fit-out. Pain In The Arts is a weekly podcast about the reality of creative life — hosted by Breallyn and Lyndon Wesley. If you enjoyed this episode, the best thing you can do is share it with one person who'd love it. Subscribe and listen: On your favourite podcast app or visit paininthearts.life [http://www.paininthearts.life] Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/painintheartslife [ www.patreon.com/painintheartslife] Find us online: paininthearts.life Instagram: @paininthearts Theme music by Lyndon Wesley [www.lyndonwesley.com] Produced on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Sacred Space: Why You Must Guard Your Creative Process

A recent studio session ended on a flat note - not because anything went wrong, exactly, but because unfinished songs met outside ears too soon. From that, Lyndon unpacks an idea he's been sitting with for years: the studio as a sacred space - a safe environment where artists can experiment, make mistakes, and collaborate freely, without the burden of premature feedback. Breallyn brings her own version of the same instinct from writing and theater. It's a conversation about creative process, the vocabulary gap between insiders and outsiders, and knowing when to finally open the door. Pain In The Arts is a weekly podcast about the reality of creative life — hosted by Breallyn and Lyndon Wesley. If you enjoyed this episode, the best thing you can do is share it with one person who'd love it. Subscribe and listen: On your favourite podcast app or visit paininthearts.life [http://www.paininthearts.life] Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/painintheartslife [ www.patreon.com/painintheartslife] Find us online: paininthearts.life Instagram: @paininthearts Theme music by Lyndon Wesley [www.lyndonwesley.com] Produced on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

[RE-RELEASE] Brett Wood: From Session Guitarist to Solo Artist

This episode was originally released on November 25, 2025, and we're re-releasing it today due to an outbreak of flu rampaging our home — hope you enjoy the chat with Brett! Lyndon and Breallyn chat with Brett Wood, one of Australia's finest blues guitarists and long-time collaborator with Pete Murray. Brett shares his remarkable journey from a passionate young guitarist who wrote fan letters to Tommy Emmanuel, to becoming a respected session and touring musician, and now launching his solo career as a singer-songwriter. The conversation explores Brett's nearly two-decade partnership with Pete Murray—including his contributions to the acclaimed Blue Sky Blue album—his fourteen years with Melbourne rock band Electric Mary, and the inspiration behind his debut single "Real Piece of Work." Brett shares candid insights about working with legendary drummer Chris Layton and the vulnerability of releasing his own material after years as a supporting musician. An engaging, deeply musical conversation about artistry, mentorship and life in the Australian music scene. Connect with Brett Wood Website: www.brettwood.com [https://open.acast.com/networks/66bc15d494a112c8bb4fb979/shows/66bc1a4d8681753490f376cc/episodes/www.brettwood.com] Social Media: @brettwoodmusic (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) Pain In The Arts is a weekly podcast about the reality of creative life — hosted by Breallyn and Lyndon Wesley. If you enjoyed this episode, the best thing you can do is share it with one person who'd love it. Subscribe and listen: On your favourite podcast app or visit paininthearts.life [http://www.paininthearts.life] Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/painintheartslife [ www.patreon.com/painintheartslife] Find us online: paininthearts.life Instagram: @paininthearts Theme music by Lyndon Wesley [www.lyndonwesley.com] Produced on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.