Something that's not been made clear, though Ralphie has hinted at it, is that the production cost of a pressed CD has far more to do with the numbers produced than anything else.

It's true that the cost of pressing another 500 CDs of an album that's already been recorded, designed and mastered is only about £300, and it's even cheaper if you get several thousand done at once. That's one reason why superstars who've already sold a hundred thousand can give them away free with the newspapers.

It's also the reason why the music industry would rather spend million s on heavily promoting their chosen few than giving hundred of prefectly good bands and singers a decent break, each of which wouldn't be nearly so profitable.

But many folk acts never get beyond the first 500 CDs, and the cost of producing the first 500 is more like £2500 if you pay for studio time and artwork. So after a lot of hard work and cash flow deficit you don't even break even until you've sold at least 250 at £10 each.

CDRs are OK to make in small quantities, but I find a batch of 10 is the best part of an evening's work - not just burning CD's but printing on the CD, tray card and 4-page inserts (even if only the 2 outside faces are printed) and cutting, folding and assembling. If I value my time, they aren't cheap.

Anahata