In an interview with the Louisville newspaper Velocity (which has yet to hit the internet), Ted Leo of Pharmacists fame explains that sagging record sales have hit the band so hard that he probably won’t be able to continue his career as a full-time musician. Leo and his band released their sixth studio album, The Brutalist Bricks earlier this year, and despite critical acclaim, it only managed to stay on the Billboard Top 200 for one week. Leo explained that for acts his size, record sales can be especially crucial:
“People don’t think record sales matter to musicians. If you’re selling less than 10,000 records, it probably doesn’t matter. And if you’re selling more than 100,000 records, it probably doesn’t matter. But if you’re selling somewhere in the middle, it can make a huge difference.”
While sales have been declining steadily for years, the recording industry has never been so frail that established acts have been forced to give up on their careers. However, based on some of Leo’s statements, those days may be upon us:
“By next year, there’s no way I’m going to be able to be on tour like I have been these last few years. There’s no way I’m going to be able to keep writing and recording and playing music.”
[Via Buzzgrinder]
