There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not just to pay the bills. Jobs provide new challenges, personal fulfillment and, yes, some rent or gas money. And usually when somebody is writing a new record or scheduling a tour, they have to balance that with their job.
How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music or – sometimes – how their music provides escape.
In this edition, we chat with Mustafa Daka of The Brokedowns about life at a musician-owned pizzeria in Chicago, and how that setting provides a unique blend of both worlds.
The Brokedowns released Maximum Khaki in January.
Scene Point Blank: What do you do for a living? What is your official job title?
Mustafa Daka: I am the Kitchen Manager for Dante’s Tavern and High Dive.
Scene Point Blank: What led you to Dante's, career wise? How long have you worked in restaurants?
Mustafa Daka: My good friend, Tim Murphy, whose bands would play with mine over the last decade or more, is one of the owners and staffs Dante’s with musicians and artists allowing them to leave for tours and projects and still have their jobs when they come back.
He gave me a job as a cook and the opportunity to learn and grow with the company all these years. I can wholeheartedly say that I love my job and the crew I’m lucky enough to work with! I’ve worked in restaurants, (including owning one) since I was 15 and illegally working like 80 hours a week in the summer at McDonald’s.
Scene Point Blank: Were you making music before your first restaurant job, or how have "your music path" and "your career path" overlapped or developed in parallel?
Mustafa Daka: I’ve been musical and have been performing since like 1990 but I started playing in bands the same summer I started working at that McDonald’s. I haven’t really noticed until now that all that shit started happening at the same time. And, incidentally, until Dante’s, none of my jobs have really been that understanding of me missing work to go on tours. I’m pretty sure I’ve had to fake sick before to go on like a weekend warrior. I’ve definitely realized that with both work and playing music, I can’t get away with phoning it in and not giving them my complete focus and energy.
And I love it!
Scene Point Blank: Did you get that McDonald’s job to fund music purchases (or was it just an added perk)?
Mustafa Daka: Just a coincidence!
Scene Point Blank: Were you able to work through COVID shutdowns?
Mustafa Daka: Yeah. We never missed a substantial amount of time, save for the occasional positive case at work. But we were there listening for any updates on the radio. Learning about mandates and procedures to follow. It was crazy. To be safe, we decided to mask up a week before it was city mandated. And we’ve been open and adjusting this whole time!
Scene Point Blank: It sounds like you're a jack of all trades at the restaurant? Is that flexibility helpful in balancing your job with your bands?
Mustafa Daka: It doesn’t help me stay away from work because I would definitely have to cover.
It’s like on Sanford and Son when Bubba asks Fred if he can borrow $5. Fred replies, “You got me at a bad time, Bubba…I got it.”
Scene Point Blank: Dante's is uniquely music themed, so I imagine music comes up a lot on the job? Does that include your own music?
Mustafa Daka: Absolutely. I call the practice space “Punk Rock High School” and Dante’s is “Punk Rock Cafeteria“.
If you are touring and your Chicago show isn’t with Canadian Rifle and you didn’t eat at Dante’s the next afternoon…did you really play Chicago? Lol. Kidding. But for real, there’s so many friends that are
musicians and music lovers that hangout here regularly. One of our bartenders is a tour manager. Surrounded by music!
Scene Point Blank: Does it come up with customers too?
Mustafa Daka: See the question above.
But also, one time our old front of house guy, Tommy, asked me to bring out these people’s slices and as I walk out into the dining room, I can hear The Brokedowns on the stereo, which you can imagine has me just thrilled. And Tommy goes to the customers as I’m dropping off their plates, “You guys hear this band? It’s his band! You guys like it?” What a dick. Love you, Tommy!
Scene Point Blank: What about in previous jobs? Did you ever talk about your own art?
Mustafa Daka: Most jobs I would hide the fact that I was in a band with most coworkers because I knew that all they had to do was hit me with that random drug test and they’d instantly know that I’m all about that sticky.
When I worked for Citibank a coworker who, I guess, listened to Bad Brains on Pandora said that he got a suggestion to listen to The Brokedowns and was surprised to see that the drummer looked just like me. He asked me in front of everyone if I was in The Brokedowns and the next thing I know, my whole job showed up to our next local show. That was interesting.
Scene Point Blank: Have your experiences from making music or touring influenced your day job in any surprising ways?
Mustafa Daka: It generally influenced myself to make sure I sleep right, eat right, stay hydrated, and to stretch! Because I didn’t do any of that on tours. Except I can always sleep sitting up in cars or anywhere. With one eye open, no less!
Scene Point Blank: Any references on the new album, or even just drum fills you dreamt up during a slow night?
Mustafa Daka: Not that I can remember specifically off the top of my head, but we are always listening to music at work and always inspired!
Scene Point Blank: Does the job affect how or when you write, play live shows, practice or tour? How so?
Mustafa Daka: We’re lucky enough to work around these things!
Scene Point Blank: What advice would you give to a musician who is trying to figure out a career path that fits their creative interests?
Mustafa Daka: I would say hopefully you find a job that you don’t hate and allows you to still be you. It’s definitely way easier said than done, but I hope that for everyone.
Check out previous entries in the Don’t Quit Your Day Job series.
