Almost every other artiste will tell you that when they broke the news about pursuing music as a career, their parents' first concern was financial stability. It's no secret that most full-time musicians in the city are either teaching on the side or banking on corporate shows during season time (September to February) that pay relatively fat cheques even as they do their routine gigs at pubs.

But these aren't the only two avenues. Many artistes in the city have tapped into other passions or professions. Take city-based band Aswekeepsearching that recently launched their own line called Z I A. This was an idea born when the four-member band grew tired of wearing only black on stage. "We thought of getting into an apparel line as my sister Tanaya Sharma is a designer," vocalist and guitarist Uddipan Sarmah reveals. "Who would have thought a rock band would come up with an apparel line! It's not yet a revenue model for us. But any idea that can add to our income is great," he adds.