I've always understood music to be a very pure thing. In my mind, the only reason one would play music and create albums was to make art. It wasn't until I'd been immersed in the music business for years that it really hit me; many people have their eyes on the cash prize. A slow path of artistic growth wasn't on everyone's mind, like it was for me. This can work, in varying degrees, but its effect is felt everywhere. I still believe in music and recording as art, but I also know it's enmeshed with commerce as well. Making records costs money. Getting music in front of listeners costs money. Sometimes there's a lot of money to be made. Other times there's very little financial reward.