Agreed. I know a sound engineer quite well who, since the 80's, has claimed his income has diminished to the point where he was working for about £5 per hour. Right now, that's less than minimum wage.

The UK has always had a really shitty music scene, too. If you don't live in London then you won't crack the ceiling as an artist or an engineer.

The people I know who are comfortable are all composers of some form who readily embrace the internet. One of whom played in a pretty popular indie band. He made more money off a single syndication deal than his entire career as a session musician. He lives a pretty decent life now scoring TV stuff.

The gig scene in the country is fucked too. The government wont help the grass roots out because they see the ginger dude with the guitar selling out stadiums and assume that means everything works. Never mind that it's responsible for the employment of something ridiculous like 70,000 people.

I guess my problem is I don't know anything else. It's the life I've lived and I can't let it go. I think you're right with the assertion that in the future it will be IT or broke, which is why I'm looking into this line of work. I just find it shocking that you have to give up your private life in order to even start climbing the ladder.