Music & Money - an oxymoron?

If Courtney Love bags you out, you have to know something's wrong:

http://www.bmusic.com.au/links/industry/archives/ararchiv/loves_manifesto.htm

The thing Courtney needs to remember is that the reason she doesn't have any money is because she has spent it all on drugs. The alcohol and cocaine industries both concur that she is indeed doing very well. If you're filing on your tax return over $500,000 for snacks, you may have a problem.

If there's one thing I can't stand, it would have to be Courtney Love coming over the internet and eating my lunch for me. Perhaps a (ficticious) interview would be in order:

Courtney: Artists don't make any money, we're exploited!

YHN: Have you tried writing a decent album, or at least brought back Billy Corgan to write another one 'with' you? That may boost your margins.

Courtney: I am more interested in a more earthy link with my fans. I'm all about the music... oh, and expensive yet annoying film clips. Yeah, I guess I'm interested in music and clips.

YHN: Okay, so musicians are being exploited, and struggle to make ends meet in today's frosty economic climate?

Courtney: Yes, all the contracts and advances are baised towards the big 'companies' and 'conglomerates' making all the money. We are the new, A-list poor. We make zero money man... hey have you seen my class-A drugs anywhere? Hmm, oh well, must have left them in the mansion.

YHN: Shouldn't your income from music be to do with how you negotiated your contract with your record company? You did agree to the terms didn't you? Did any negotiation take place?

Courtney: I can't really remember, I was coked out of my gourd for most of it.

YHN: Never give a sucker an even break I guess. Still, it probably goes for everyone thinking of signing a major contract: perhaps read it. Just a thought. Then also after signing it not have 5000 word rants about how unfair life is, when you are essentially just a muppet who can't negotiate contracts.

Courtney: Oh, is the interview still going? I thought that was a concluding sort of statement.

YHN: Just thought I'd make another point- 'artists', essentially want money for nothing. There is nothing to making music. A little 4yr old kid in Russia has made a number one hit- all that crap about artistic integrity and creativity is all nonsense. I will defer to Dire Straits on this one. Why should singer/songwriters make a lot of money? It's not as though they work hard, or work in a difficult profession. 'Ooh, I work 4hrs a day, continuously hung over at those said times too, can I be a millionaire'?

Courtney: I am strangely attracted to you right now.

YHN: Must be the musk scent.

All music is crap now'a'days.

People have been saying that for the last 300 years*. So what's new?

Music is all aimed at 13yr olds anyway. Even they will eventually stop buying the shit music and then where will record companies be? Eating a turnip on a grassy hill.

Or, possibly going out of business.

Either way, I'm still having to watch my Saturday morning music videos with the sound off.

It's wang time.

*I have no legitimate source for this claim.