ROSES - MCKAGAN LAMENTS MUSIC INDUSTRY BUDGET CUTS

MCKAGAN LAMENTS MUSIC INDUSTRY BUDGET CUTS

Former GUNS N' ROSES star DUFF MCKAGAN fears the global economic crisis has hit the music industry hard - with artists slashing budgets while they are on tour.
The bassist, who now performs with Velvet Revolver, admits the days of rock stars making extravagant demands and trashing their luxury hotel rooms are over.
MCKagan insists most bands are living modestly on the road in a bid to save money - and he puts the change down to the current international financial crisis and rise in illegal music downloading over the past few years.
He tells Egigs.co.uk, "It's changed so much. People aren't selling records, so to sell a record you've got to get as much marketing as possible from the record label, to sell tickets to your tour. Bands are touring much leaner, tying to squeeze as much money as they can out of T-shirts, and the gig itself is the main thing.
"There's no staying in expensive hotels, if they're staying in hotels at all. Those kind of things you are cutting back on, so you can eek a profit out of a tour. Which is totally doable, but you have to be real smart about what you're doing."