12 DT vlogs and 2 years later, it's official.

Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos), the Penn alumni friends who moved to Austin to pursue music and swore that "real jobs were not my forte" have split up because of "real jobs".

After the jump watch their final episode where:

• Ben and Blake talk about the wisdom they've gained
• Listen to and download the 3 of their new songs
• and find out what their individual future plans are

On behalf of all Penn alumni musicians and Penn alumni daring to live out a dream, thank you Blake and Ben for letting us follow you on your journey over these past 2 years and best of luck in the future!

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After 11 DT vlogs, the duo (Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos)) who moved to Austin to pursue music is about to split up.

Why? Because Ben is going to Stanford to pursue a career in Neuroscience.

In this Penn-ultimate episode (pun intended), after the jump find out some tips about:

• how they got some new gigs
• some great resources for e-mailing booking agents
• and footage from the recent EP sessions.

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They graduated Penn and moved to Austin to pursue careers in music.

Now, 18 months and 10 DT vlog episodes later, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) kept the faith and finally found someone "instrumental" to their progress in Austin.

All the while, they've been preaching that "real jobs are not their forte", however after a year, Ben indeed applied to grad school.

After the jump find out if he got in, what effect that may have on all the work they've done thus far ...and which Wharton professor (and record producer!) they'll be working with.

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Find out why Ben is crossing his fingers!

It's been over a year now since we started documenting our DT exclusive music and actor career journeys with 3 recent alumni. The key to these series has been capturing that immediate time right after college filled with hope and attainable aspirations when the world is your oyster.  I hope it has been as refreshing and inspiring for you DT readers to watch the achievements of these young alumni as it has been for me to report it.

On that note, last week we covered these 5 important lessons any actor should take to heart before getting into the business.

Now, today, Austin musicians Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos):

• sum up their year
• discuss what exciting endeavor is on the horizon 
• and share with us the production process from start to finish of one great (!) song they worked on. This should definitely be enlightening to anyone who has wondered how songs get produced.  

And find out after a year whether despite initial intentions a real job is manifesting itself for one of them...  hmmm....

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A year ago, last August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

In this 9th episode (and after living in Austin now for about a year), Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) explain what it takes to record an album and actually show us by bringing us into the studio as they record an album for a great singer named Jessy Dorsett.

If you're a musician wanting to go professional, get their advice and guidance after the jump!

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Last August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

In this 8th episode (and after living in Austin now for almost 10 months), Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about a few things any musician should consider and ask about any city they consider moving to. (and weighs in on how Austin stacks up)

Plus they fill you in on a recent downfall of theirs that happens to many bands!

More after the jump...

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Last August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

In their 7th episode, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) give fellow musicians must-know tax knowledge (you can now bank of next tax season) including tips that can ultimately save you money!

In addition, they also talk about the new singer they found for their band, the jobs they've been able to maintain this year, and the number 1 networking event they just attended.  

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"
• RJANMF Episode 2: "Don't Get Trapped"
• RJANMF Episode 3: "Know Thy Bandmates!" 
• RJANMF Episode 4: "It's All About the Music"
• RJANMF Episode 5: "Diversify Your Income"
  
• RJANMF Episode 6: "Bad Times, Good Times"
  

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Back in August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

In their 6th episode, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about their transition living in Austin from bad times to good times.

Per Blake,

"For roughly the 8 weeks hiatus, things were looking bleak. Ben was running out of cash, my main source of income was leaving in months, still no new band members, and we were unsure what to do next. We were losing momentum, but we took some specific actions to help us get through which we'll share as part of our 6th lesson, and give some positive updates about what's been going on as of late!"

Watch Episode 6: "Bad Times, Good Times"!

*On a related note, check out "One and the Sun", the song Blake and Ben created originally for the first episode of their Vlog series here on DT.  Since their first episode, they have turned it into more of an actual piece and it's available for purchase here.

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"
• RJANMF Episode 2: "Don't Get Trapped"
• RJANMF Episode 3: "Know Thy Bandmates!" 
• RJANMF Episode 4: "It's All About the Music"
• RJANMF Episode 5: "Diversify Your Income"
  

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Back in August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

This month, in their 5th episode, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about what happens when you find out your main source of income is leaving. As well as the trade-offs between doing music full-time, and having a "day job" so that you can focus on YOUR original music. They also do personal and band updates. Lastly... it looks like Ben might become a traitor to the anti-real job crusade!!!

Watch Episode 5: "Diversify Your Income"!

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"
• RJANMF Episode 2: "Don't Get Trapped"
• RJANMF Episode 3: "Know Thy Bandmates!" 
• RJANMF Episode 4: "It's All About the Music"
  

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Back in August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

This month, in their 4th episode, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about:

• each of their personal and band updates
• how they're close to completing their band
  
• what their ACTUAL finances have been versus what they projected 2 months ago

Plus, this month, from an Austin rooftop, they feature a fellow musician to give the lesson of the month: "It's all about the music".  Listen to what musician Mike Maven says about having a social life in Austin.  ...I guess you need to be real dedicated!

Watch Episode 4: "It's All About the Music"!  

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"
• RJANMF Episode 2: "Don't Get Trapped"
• RJANMF Episode 3: "Know Thy Bandmates!" 
  

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Back in August, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.

This month Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about:

• what they're doing now to make money in month two living in Austin ...and whether a "real" job is slowly becoming their forte?
• their pursuit to find a particular type of band member who seems to be the hardest to find in Austin
• advice about picking bandmates and warnings about people who "talk a big game"

Watch Episode 3: "Know Thy Bandmates"!  

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"
• RJANMF Episode 2: "Don't Get Trapped"

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Last month, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.  

This month Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about:

• their move to Austin
• their new day-to-day life
• their plans for how they're gonna keep eating and living (and how much that costs...). 
• What sorts of gigs don't make financial sense for musicians like themselves.

Watch Episode 2: "Dont' Get Trapped" above!

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"

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If you're an aspiring musician, you'll want to tune into this post...

What happens when you're in a band at Penn and graduate ...and now only 2 of the members want to embark on a music career full-time?   You embark on your journey in front of all of Penn to watch and learn from in a new exclusive DT monthly video series called "Real Jobs Aren't My Forte".

First, to give you some background, at Penn, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) (guitars, cowbells) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) (keyboards, pyrotechnics) were part of the band Satellite Heights which was composed of four Penn musicians, and a non-Penn singer who lived in the area. It was a progressive, modern rock outfit that recorded one album in Brooklyn in the fall of '08. That album was called Launch Sequence, and was released on iTunes in March of '09.  All have graduated and the band is now defunct. Ben and Blake now prepare for their move into Austin's music scene.

This new DT Vlog will document the life of Penn graduates who go on to become musicians, so that others can learn from their experiences. Ben and Blake will be getting into all the gory details that they can once a month on DT in a 3 minute post.

• Where is the money to live coming from?
• Teaching lessons? Gigging? Working at starbucks?
• And how did they acquire the students, or the gig, or the job?
• Are they taking showers in the dark just to save on the electricity bill?
• Are they eating cereal sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner cause they can't afford real food?
• Is the myth that rock musicians end up with a lot of girls really true?
• And any other things they wish they would have known before they started.

Watch Episode 1: "Don't Panic" above ...where Ben and Blake explain who they are, why they're moving to Austin and why you shouldn't panic if you too are embarking on this music journey.



Other compelling Penn Vlogs HERE

Other Penn musicians HERE

More DT stories about alumni working together HERE

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