If you want an insight into the trials and tribulations of being a mid-tier band in the current musical climate, Gareth David of Los Campesinos! is your man.
Last March, he wrote a blog post about how LC! played a first gig in Ireland in years, selling out a fairly sizeable venue, and yet still end up making a loss. The breakdown of earnings and costs was illuminating.
Now, granted the platform of a piece for the Observer, he's explained how streaming services such as Spotify are strangling the life out of music. Through failing to fairly compensate artists, they're contributing to the maintenance and indeed expansion of an "insipid monoculture" in which only those with money can easily prosper, with the shockwaves "felt through the whole music ecosystem, from the closure of grassroots venues, nightclubs and record shops, to the wilting of the music press".
The situation may be bleak, but David concludes by offering some positivity. Streaming isn't about to disappear overnight (and he doesn't deny its appeal), but buying music and merch direct from artists and going to gigs can help to make a difference.
David's candour on financial issues is refreshing - and he's evidently on a mission to convince others to follow suit: "I would love to see transparency from my fellow musicians about their income and the workings of the industry, to raise awareness among fans and to forge solidarity with their peers. A united front and a sharing of knowledge will be the first step in remodelling a broken music industry to favour those who give it value - rather than those who extract value from it."
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