Nova-Caine eases Jacqueline's pain

Not being able to get out of bed only made Jacqueline May more determined to have the career of her dreams. Now a fully-fledged band manager, events organiser and music promoter, Jacqueline has learnt how to both work and play from the comfort of her sitting room

When I was three years old my mother took me to the doctors because I kept crying in agony for no apparent reason. My GP said I was attention-seeking; it wasn’t until just before my eighth birthday that I was diagnosed with arthritis.

Because of this, even though I have attempted to work all my life, I have only managed to hold down jobs for between three and six months at a time.

When I was a teenager my friends used to pick me up in their cars and take me to concerts. I’ve always dreamed of having a job in the music industry, and now I do.

I moved to London and started working for a mail order company that dealt with really rare music, but I found that I physically couldn’t stay there. I went for yet another hip replacement and realised that I wouldn’t be able to continue working in offices, it just wasn’t practical.

I was sitting at home, depressed, when a friend in an up-and-coming band approached me and said “help me out if you want something to do during the day, help me try and get us gigs, some airplay”.

A couple of months ago, his group, Razorbax finished their first album. They picked a release date and I got to work. My boyfriend is an IT whizz and built me a website through which I sell their music and promote them. I’ve found social networking brilliant too; the band is fantastic, their product sells itself, you just have to let people know about it. In the last few weeks they’ve gained hundreds of friends and fans online and I’ve had calls from all over the world, wanting to know more, wanting to hear them or see them play.

More artists have heard about the work I’m doing and asked for my help, which is great. In this job I can afford to pace myself. I can’t predict how I’m going to feel. I get tired very easily so I’ll stop between emails and have a rest.

I’ve been very open about my condition and everyone is completely accepting of it. I do what I can do and at the point where I can’t do anymore I ask for help. It doesn’t pay the bills yet, but eventually I do want to be able to have a career where I don’t have to keep an eye on the benefits system. I want to be self-sufficient.

I’m doing this to build a reputation, for the love of the music and because I know it will give me a future. And it’s really exciting.

• To find out more about Jacqueline or Razorbax visit nova-caine.com

•• Jacqueline May was talking to Cathy Reay

Jacqueline May: Career Path

• 2000 – graduated with a degree in film and TV production
• 2000 – worked in Ticketmaster’s call centre as a customer service representative
• 2004 – got a job at a marketing company
• 2007 – worked for a music mail order company in London
• 2008 – quit work and moved north due to illness
• 2009 – met Razorbax and set up Nova-Caine Music