The point is that its only the Madonna characters who ever were protected. And even then its only because they earn such a lot that they don't miss what doesn't get collected.

That story about how Allen Klein got started by going up to recording artists and saying, d'you want a hundred thousand dollars - knowing he could make record companies pay that much because they daren't submit to an audit.

It only works for VERY successful artists. Lots of time, I've spent years doing doing shit jobs and shit gigs, because I didn't have the kind of muscle to extract money from people who simply knew they could get away with it - small amounts - but they would have paid the mortgage and put food on the table.

That other legend about the record company making Robert Johnson use the goods entrance to their building. Bottom line - they're attitude to artists hasn't changed. If they go down, good shuts!