When I lived in Seattle, I played bass in a band. On my old portfolio site, I had an entire section devoted to this band. I did this because, well I didn't have a lot of industry experience to show, but also because a lot of the skills needed to play in a band are the same skills that make for a great designer. You have to organise a group of people towards a goal. You have to collaborate and create an output together that everyone is aligned on. You have to think through branding and monetisation strategies. But you also want to all have fun and create cool things together. God I miss that.
