Most creatives have jobs they love, jobs they see more as vocations or callings than ones that merely pay the bills (live to work rather than work to live). However many creatives, also work on side projects. When I say side projects, I don’t mean moonlighting for another client in the evening to earn some extra cash, I’m talking about projects that, at least start off as unpaid, that we do for the love of it. Some call them passion projects, others side hustles, but for the sake of consistency, I'm calling them side projects. I first chatted with three creatives back in 2021 about their other loves, and now I'm revisiting the subject – this time with a musical theme. Here I talk to design industry creatives, Jamie Ellul, Louise Kyme and Rob Howsam, about their music projects.
Jamie Ellul
Q1: First of all, what’s your day job?
Jamie: My day job is as Creative Director of my little agency Supple Studio. Creative Director makes it sound quite glamorous – but in reality as a small team of five I have to wear many hats (some of which aren’t very exciting looking hats). Designer, occasional artworker, account manager, project manager, writer, invoice chaser, coffeemaker, toilet cleaner and constant email writer. But that suits me – I get bored very easily and actually like juggling loads of jobs and roles throughout the day.
Q2: What’s your side project?
Jamie: It’s a book called ‘Logo Rhythm – Band Logos That Rocked The World’. It’s co-created with my friend the writer Jim K Davies and it's a meticulously written and designed 452-page book telling the often-untold stories behind over 90 band logos – from the 1960s to now.
Q3: Why did you start the project?
Jamie: Jim noticed that back in his design journalist days, there was a common theme with many designers he interviewed – their interest in design and branding was often sparked by copying band logos onto their bags and pencil cases whilst at school. So back in 2017 Jim came to me with an idea to start a blog that chronicled the design stories behind band logos. He knew I was a musician turned designer and loved music and I’d jump at the chance. So I whacked together a blog using Square Space and bandlogojukebox.com was born. We took an alphabetical A-Z approach – starting off with the classic ABBA logo (even though we both despise the music – it’s a killer logo!). As we got going we started to wangle some interesting interviews with designers and musicians – and soon realised that what we thought would be 500-word pieces on band logos were becoming really interesting untold stories.
Q4: How has the project evolved since the start?
Jamie: Well the switch from blog to book wasn’t that easy to be honest. In 2019 I was working with Thames & Hudson on another book and so had the opportunity to pitch the idea of BLJB as a book to them. They initially bit and asked us to change the approach to a more short form logo per spread and short story format. We did that and after months of back and forth they ditched us. In hindsight that was a blessing – their vision for the book didn’t match ours and we were slightly swayed by just wanting to get the book out there with a proper publisher. Rather than sticking to our creative guns and going for a deeper dive into each story.
So in 2022 we redesigned the blad pages and started sending a proposal around to more publishers. Jim had been recommended Circa Press by his friend the designer Andy Altman (who had put out a book called ‘Tat’ with Circa). And Circa was the only imprint to get back to us – we had a meeting with the founder David and he got fully behind the idea. We were off and running.
We then had to create more content than we had on the blog to stretch out to the 400-page format that Circa wanted the book to be. That was quite a daunting prospect – but by early 2024 we had well over 400 pages laid out and we were ready to run a Kickstarter campaign to fund the book.
Amazingly we hit our funding target in 36 hours thanks to a bit of a social media frenzy. And by the end of the campaign we’d doubled our target. That’s when the really pernickety hard work kicked in – Jim and his wife putting together all the credits and me making 1,978 amends from our proofreader! But it’s been well worth it now we’re getting amazing feedback from people who’ve bought the book. And it’s a buzz seeing it in bookshops. Madness! And it’s currently a No.1 Bestseller on Amazon in the Branding and Logos category.
Q5: What do you gain from the project that you don’t necessarily get from your day job?
Jamie: It can be quite draining running a design agency and these days I’m not designing as much as I used to be; just due to the many hats I need to wear (see above). So it was a real pleasure working on the book as an antidote to some of the more mundane parts of my day job.
I took November 2023 off of work and locked myself in my home studio – that month was probably the most enjoyable month of designing I’ve ever had in my 23-year career. No phone calls, no client meetings – just pure focus on one thing. We were lucky that Circa trusted Jim and I to just do our thing – so we had complete autonomy on the design and content. Which is a big difference to our day jobs as you can imagine!
No phone calls, no client meetings – just pure focus on one thing.
Q6: Any side project plans for 2025?
Jamie: Well I’ve been making a lot of music over the past year or two – all influenced by our favourite era in music – specifically 1968–1972. One is a recording project with my brother (who’s a pro musician – drummer for The Heavy and The Jim Jones All Stars) called The Mystery Callers. We’re just mixing an album’s worth of material we hope to release in 2025. We’ve also started writing and recording record number two.
And after all that – maybe Jim and I will have had enough rest to think about Logo Rhythm Volume 2… maybe.
More on Jamie’s music: Instagram.
Louise Kyme
Q1: First of all, what’s your day job?
Louise: I’m a brand consultant with a specialism in the not for profit and charity sectors. Previously I spent a decade at the British Heart Foundation. And up until recently I was Managing Director/Strategy Director at Studio Texture. I moved consultancy-side this year, to gain a bit more flexibility in how and when I work, in part so my ‘side’ projects don’t get lost in the pull and pressure of the 9-5.
Mostly I work with clients to either develop their brand or their advertising capability. Often writing brand strategies for very interesting subject matter. All of it centred around people and their lives, and that’s what keeps it interesting for me.
Q2: What’s your side project?
Louise: I’m an artist and musician. I sing, write songs, play guitar and accordion. I released an album in 2020 (I was fortunate to record it in San Francisco with Chuck Prophet and his band), and I’ve spent the time since working with my UK band playing shows, building an audience.
I’ve played music since I was about 8. This developed further in my teens playing in my family’s band. Putting out records and touring. It took a back burner, as grown up life took over, with jobs and careers, and at best I dabbled with gigs here and there. And then in the past 8 years became dominant again, building my own band, touring, releasing albums. All with the realisation that a career can only take you so far in the journey of life, and a desire to understand where my creative potential in the world lay.
Q3: Why did you start the project?
Louise: It’s been such an ongoing journey for me, it’s hard to define it as a ‘project’ or give it a start date. But it resurfaced in recent years as a consequence of burning out at work and taking a trip to Austin, Texas for a couple of months. I’d played there with my family band in my early twenties and through this recent trip, re-discovered a music community and a different way of viewing the world. I had an unusual upbringing, and I’ve always felt like a bit of an anomaly in London. Work became the thing I put my creative energy into, but when you’re working for someone else (even if it is a charity) after a while it can feel a bit empty. So in part, this project resurfaced because I was trying to fill a void and find connection.
Q4: How has the project evolved since the start?
Louise: The deeper I go with music, the more it gets real. Folks get easily drawn in by the idea of a rock n roll lifestyle, but for a long time I’ve been scared off by what I know is the reality. As a kid, it was tough trying to navigate the music industry and get somewhere. We were broke, and the odds were stacked against us no matter how much we put into it. In the end it felt like a mug’s game.
I’ve also had, if I’m truly honest, a doubt that I have any talent. Lots of love for music, sure, but talent? Leaning 100% into something, where you fundamentally question your ability, takes much nerve. I don’t think I had the nerve until now.
I was given a very rich musical education by my Dad through his love of American music. We grew up surrounded by blues, jazz, rockabilly, country, rhythm and blues, western swing. And really I’ve only dipped the surface in my own exploration of what that music means to me and the interpretation of what I hear in my head.
My Dad passed away in 2023, and I had a pretty powerful moment of “oh wow, yes death really is pretty definitive” and “you really do only get one chance at this” combined with “what is the one thing I would regret not doing, while lying on that hospital bed”. It focussed the mind for sure, gave me the nerve I was missing.
Nowadays I’m placing more emphasis on the craft - the repetitive practice and a desire to finesse my technique – in a way I struggled to in the past. I aspire to have the parts that come easier to me (songwriting), to be grounded in the aspects that I find harder (guitar).
And I also want to work on my assertiveness as a performer. And the roots rock blend of what I do. Write more songs that inspire a rocking accordion sound. I’ll be ready to record a new album soon…..but just not quite yet.
My day job meets functional and emotional needs: pays the mortgage and helps me learn about other people and the world around me. My music project meets my spiritual needs: self expression, exploring my internal creative world.
Q5: What do you gain from the project that you don’t necessarily get from your day job?
Louise: Well, everything I’ve just answered above probably answers that question! But in my head I see it as - my day job meets functional and emotional needs: pays the mortgage and helps me learn about other people and the world around me. My music project meets my spiritual needs: self expression, exploring my internal creative world, and doing it through community.
Q6: Any side project plans for 2025?
Louise: I’ve just had my visa approved to study music in Austin, Texas in 2025! So all of the above is what I shall be exploring in the coming months.
Rob Howsam
Q1: First of all, what’s your day job?
Rob: I’m an Independent Creative Consultant, specialising in Brand Strategy, Brand Identity and Communications Design. I enjoy helping business and organisational leaders to build their brands using focused strategies, simple tools, practical guidance, and good design.
I work from home supporting a range of clients, which currently include: a Scientific Research Institute, an Investment Intelligence Provider, a Property Developer and a Pearl Merchant.
Q2: What’s your side project?
My main side project is called ‘Six Four Zero Two’. I think of it as a ‘sonic sketchbook’.
It’s a solo music project, with the occasional internet based collaboration. I write the music, play the instruments and fumble my way through the production. I also enjoy creating the accompanying graphics and promos.
The sound is rooted in Post-Punk, with elements of other sounds and genres that have inspired me over the years.
It’s purely a hobby, and my only aim is to enjoy making and sharing music freely.
Q3: Why did you start the project?
I started learning guitar when I was ten, formed a ‘garage bound’ Punk band when I was 17, and gigged in a terribly named, mullet-maned, Post-Punk band when I was 19.
Since then, my musical endeavours have been safely confined to the back-bedroom.
As the years rolled by, an ambition to have “just one song out there” started to form; wherever ‘out there’ might be, and regardless of whether anyone would listen to it, or like it. That part was irrelevant, this was for me. Like having an urge to scrawl some kind of ‘Sonic graffiti’, I guess.
I started ‘scribbling' in Garageband. Jamming. Finding a groove. Layering.
80% of it would be completely unusable, but every now and then there would be a flower amongst the weeds – invariably at a point where I wasn’t consciously trying to make something sound good, and had just relaxed into the music.
I would take the nuggets and start to build. Eventually the sketches would start to become structured tracks.
Q4: How has the project evolved since the start?
I've been making music in my spare time for 12 years and have created over forty tracks.
The tracks can be heard on streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, and also on Soundcloud and Bandcamp.
'Six Four Zero Two' has been a regular choice on Fresh On The Net’s, ‘Eclectic Picks’ playlist, was picked out by Tom Robinson for his BBC Introducing Mix Tape, and aired on BBC Radio 6 Music. And, with the generous support of a number of independent radio DJ's – ‘Six Four Zero Two’ has had airplay in the UK, USA and Australia.
Initially, whilst I may have hoped that the music would be heard, I was less keen to be seen as the artist. So, I put my music out anonymously under a suitably oblique moniker – ‘Six Four Zero Two’ (which comes from my old RAF service number, P8246402) and hid behind my graphics.
As my enjoyment and output grew, I started to make connections with other amateur musicians through Soundcloud. This led to a number of collaborations, and a side project, within a side project, was born.
X6402 Collaborations
I'm a better whistler than I am a singer, so I started to invite vocalists to bring their words and vocals to ‘Six Four Zero Two’ instrumental tracks.
There has never been a brief. At most there might be a working title that can be used as a prompt if useful, or completely ignored.
I enjoy seeing how the artist will interpret the mood of the music, and translate it into words. Their response will in turn inspire mine, as I shape the final production. It’s like a dance with a stranger.
On other occasions, a vocal artist might provide me with the starting point, and I build from that.
Whilst creativity is happy to be channelled, it will never be held captive – and side projects give it space to run free.
Q5: What do you gain from the project that you don’t necessarily get from your day job?
My side projects have helped me to recognise not only the role and value of play in the creative process, but the importance of having a vehicle for self-expression.
No client, no deadline, no budget, and no one to please, except myself, and my collaborator.
With unlimited space to play and the freedom to roam – I explore, I discover and I learn. It’s definitely a virtuous cycle as many of these learnings will feed back into, and nourish my approach to professional work.
We’re very lucky in our sector, in that we are able to make a living doing something we enjoy, using our creative skills. But whilst creativity is happy to be channelled, it will never be held captive – and side projects give it space to run free.
Making music as a hobby gives me absolute creative freedom …
… licence to play
‘I Really Like You’
This song was originally written and performed on an acoustic guitar by Juline Costa, a singer-songwriter from Lisbon. Juline allowed me to use the original vocal part to create this darker, synth and electric guitar based version.
‘He Of Ebony’
A collaboration with an amazing vocal artist called Suzanne Ledwith, who is based in Ireland.
If you only bother to listen to one track, I’d go for this one.
Watch the video below.
‘To The Light’
A collaboration with an artist called ‘Wheelwright’, made during the second UK lock-down. I enjoy creating artworks for each track, and for its simplicity, this is one of my favourites.
‘Fight The Construct’
Emma Forman, is a Scottish singer who I first heard via Tom Robinson’s ‘Fresh-on-the-Net’.
This is one of five collaborative tracks that we’ve made since. We work very well together, despite having never met, or even spoken.
My working titles are usually a throw away phrase that springs to mind during the making of the music, and that appears to fit with the sound. Emma will invariably take the title, and run with it, adding meaning through her words and vocals.
… an outlet for my emotions
‘Forgiven’
Another collaboration with 'Wheelwright'. Both of us had recently lost a parent. We didn't talk about it, but we each poured some grief into the pot.
'The Cruel Sea’
This is an instrumental that was inspired by the words of an old friend who now has a very stressful job in the Emergency Services. He writes poetry, privately, and it helps him to process his thoughts.
… a vessel for my frustrations
‘Social me-me-media’
At the height of the Global Pandemic in 2020, I saw a listing of the most popular hashtags on Instagram at the time – every one of which appeared to completely detached from what was happening in the real world – #amazing #beautiful #PhotoOfTheDay #repost #style #smile #followforfollow – FFS!
I used text-to-voice software to turn the hashtags into vocal parts for the track.
‘Sun Is Moon’
A song about friendships lost to mis-information and conspiracy theories.
Watch the promo here.
… and a platform for protest
‘Dump Trump Trilogy’
Three mocking tracks made during Trump's first term and featuring samples of his verbal excrement.
These tracks are not on the Spotify playlist as I only put them out on Soundcloud.
‘One Brave Voice’
This track was inspired by the brave women protesting following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died after being detained and beaten by Tehran's Morality Police.
The accompanying video showcases posters created by 'Iranian Women Of Graphic Design' – an open-access platform featuring graphics by Iranian and non-Iranian designers created to amplify #WomenLifeFreedom protests in Iran and beyond.
‘Stefan’
This collaboration was a reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A singer called 'TaNezHa' who is based in Kyiv, Ukraine, recorded a vocal part, in the style of a traditional Folk song. I created the music, responding emotionally to the story and mood.
I find it astonishing that this artist can find the strength to make music when she is living in daily fear of missile attacks.
Q6: Any side project plans for 2025?
I don’t really plan for side projects, and they can be quite accidental.
A curious peek into a ‘Rabbit hole’, becomes a deep dive into a new interest.
One of my other side projects is just that, and “A collection that got out of hand”.
Fear not, I'll spare you the details of that one.
I do tend to feel most 'still' when I'm actively engaged in doing, and preferably making.
I’ll certainly continue to make more music, but I’ll also look forward to falling headfirst into a few more creative warrens in the future.
More on Rob’s music: Linktree; Playlist of tracks mentioned
Thanks to Jamie, Louise and Rob for chatting with me.
Images and videos courtesy of the contributors.
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