Yeah, you'd be surprised how many well known musicians have regular jobs. And yes, I'm a machinist. That's how I made my guitars - at a machine shop.
My father was a die maker for 39 years, so I had a basic understanding of the automobile industry and what the manufacturing world was like, just from the opportunity to spend time with him - just talking, because he was a car buff.
When I worked with General Electric, again this was soon after the Second World War, you know, I was keeping up with new developments and they showed me a milling machine and this thing worked by punch cards - that's where computers were at that time, and everybody was sort of sheepish about how well this thing worked because in those days machinists were treated as though they were great musicians because they were virtuosos on these machines.
If you build a robot, you're welding, machining sculpting, casting, dealing with electronics and hydraulics.
You cannot make an aircraft without forged components.
A lot of the jobs I had revolved around metal fabrication and creating and building and maintaining equipment.
To help my mother, I started working as a workshop helper. There I learned welding and other tools.
I am a mechanical techie. I can build things with my hands.
By trade I am a metal fabricator, so I have a degree in custom automotive fabrication.
The manufacturing-intensive advanced energy industry promotes work for engineers, machinists, coders and installers, but also administrators, accountants, truck drivers, sales force, and a range of other occupations.
