Every band says they’re going to make it. Most of them end up updating their résumé.

This week on Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa dig into the strange, depressing, and occasionally inspiring second acts of musicians who traded backstage passes for time clocks. From metalheads who became accountants to punk rockers who now sell insurance, they explore what happens when the dream dies but the bills keep showing up.

Some found success. Some found stability. Some found themselves explaining transferable skills from a six-month tour in a van that smelled like wet socks and regret.

It’s a journey through career pivots, shattered ambitions, and the soul-crushing moment when your former bass player sends you a LinkedIn connection request with the title “Regional Compliance Specialist.”

Because not every rock star gets a farewell tour. Sometimes they just get dental insurance.

Tune in for a darkly funny look at the musicians who left the stage, entered the workforce, and discovered that corporate America is somehow less forgiving than the music industry. [Ep 142]


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Produced by: Charles Mooney
Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney