no - the underground will continue to evolve.
the underground is about providing what the mainstream doesn't provide and there is as
much a need as ever.

In the old paradigm of high-cost duplication and distribution, how many of those small
labels ever managed to cover their costs? How many of those lesser-known artists ever got
paid enough to make a living?

Most just wanted to get their music out there, so that that people who like it might come
to their gigs, or buy their cd, and most had to spend much more money to do that than they
ever got back in sales.

Have you ever noticed that the only artists complaining about people exchanging music
files on the internet are well known (mostly mainstream) artists and large corporations
who of course have a financial interest in maintaining the status quo?



 

yeah i've noticed that main stream music labels are trying hard to make ppl pay for their
questionable "music". but this was inside the tegma cd, not mainstream at all...

i have no idea what the mp3 exchange is like on the internet anymore (i stopped trading a
long time ago). but it must be a bit over the top for a label to include the above message
in their cd (i read a similar msg in the Lish album as well, and usta isn't exactly a
mainstream label)

if these artists efforts are continuesly pirated, they will obviously have to find
another way to survive/make a living... 

What a great and relevent topic!!
such a surprise for this board.........

I agree with bleepy.
Being underground means you aren't in it for the $$$.
Selling out, though not essentially a bad thing if you want to make a living from your
art, means that you are taking a payment/wage from someone and therefore have certain
expectations placed on you to provide something that will earn money.
Being underground means you can do whatever you want!!
Most underground artists will agree, they just want to share their music.  It used to be
DAT, now it's MP3.  
There will always be nice little kickbacks for the more well known/sought after artists.
Play that funky music white boy
Lightningfrog.
  
  

remember those "home taping is killing music" messages on records years ago?

It seemed to be more of a fashion statement at the time than anything else.

It certainly never stopped people from taping the records.