Yes, the music the majors put out sucks. But come on, the motto is SEX AND DRUGS AND ROCK N ROLL! They were doing this when the music was good.

I read this story listening to a 30+ year old Funkadelic album. Today, these recording industry assholes wouldn't give Funkadelic a second look/listen. That's the whole problem with the recording industry, the corporate filter keeps them from signing any good artists. Now it's all 'bout a pretty face, big tits, MTV/VH1 videos, American Idol, etc. The reason these folks can't sell CD's is because their products suck and nobody wants to pay for something that will not stand the test of time......

This could scarcely be the bar bill for a top 500 company.
Plus, its a rare rep who'd sully himself with this expense. Or notate as such.
This was perhaps the titty bar tips for the Midwest.
Having reread the article I find it laughable unless there were two guys in Jersey they really had to blow big time for shitty records.

When I was with radio they took me to nice places for dinner.
The rock stars ordered good wine.
We were all happy.
This was 80's-90's.
I missed the Alan Freed era..but so did we all.

They got the idea from Bill Clinton's Administration.

HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE? THIS IS NOT THE ONLY INDUSTRY TO PROVIDE THESE PERKS. TRY THE PHARMECUTICAL INDUSTRY, POLITICAL OFFICES, TV EVILGELICANS, THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND ANY OTHER THAT COMES TO MIND. THIS IS WHAT US POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE PAY FOR.

I wonder what Inland Revenue has to say about this?

One point in the article is completely wrong, and that is that this practice of providing sex and drugs is limited to the entertainment biz......its a time honored tradition in lots of big business deals, as well, of course, in politics. Its how business gets done. You don't think the big wigs just like great scotch and a cigar, do you? They're human, after all......

Hey, cocaine's not cheap, gotta go get legal rights to snoop other people's computers and then take em to court for music downloads!

EMI's budget for hookers and dope is only $400k? That'd only give 400 people a treat once a year ($1k apiece for a quality hooker a a few good lines about right? Feel free to supply your own figures - mine a re guesses)!

Sure the zeros are in the right places?

Yeah, if millions of people keep on swapping files, the record execs might have to go to rehab! (But they say no, no, no!)

$400,000 for coke? Sounds like an Ann Coulter weekend.

$400,000!! How long is that supposed to last a guy? Just doesn't seem like nearly enough.

Fine then! I'll start my own record company, with blackjack... and hookers.

The ECONOMIST may not choose to look into the budgets of the paymasters of right wingnut trolls but this is interesting. Substitute Preperation H for cocaine, child prostitutes & kiddieporn for hookers & parties & there is an ugly picture of endemic waste among entities which fund right wingnut trolls. One must remember that the ECONOMIST has a world-wide circulation before one criticizes it for not investigating & reporting on this enterprise which may be unique to the USA.