[pashields]

The pre-internet version of this is Steve Albini's "The problem with music" which shows how major labels can end up costing bands quite a bit of money. Originally printed in Maximum Rock 'N Roll in 1993, but reproduced here on Negativland's site: http://www.negativland.com/news/?page_id=17

It's worth the read if only for the amazing end line: "Some of your friends are probably already this fucked."

Apparently, he'll be updating it for the digital age soon based this article from January: http://www.mhpbooks.com/steve-albini-to-update-the-problem-w...

[kafkaesque]

Sorry, I don't make it a habit to plug stuff I submit to HN, but in case anyone is interested, I submitted Albini's article here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4901063

I used to do music and a lot of my friends and I discussed the economics of music a lot.

The funny thing is...some of my friends really ARE this fucked. As in, literally. I have friends who are signed and tour a little over 50% of the year all over the world. They get depressed and always ask us to email them to keep them from getting too depressed or from going out of their minds.