It is called the music business for a reason - it is what happens when businessmen get involved with the music. For 99% of visible product, the balance is probably tipped massively towards the business end of the spectrum. We should be grateful that there is room for the other 1% there somehow, when then the music somehow retains its integrity through the business process, or bypasses it altogether (i.e. the non-professional scene...) - however even musicians have to live.

I always saw it as a bit of an enigma that in my direct experience, the UK and Australian folk club circuit was run by amateurs in the main, but supported a quite solid set of professional singers - go figure. On the other hand I did not see many of the latter driving Porsches, or in some cases even own a house (although most seemed to figure out a way to do so eventually, at least when houses were cheaper!).

- Tony