Features / Series: Commerce or Amusement?

Commerce or Amusement? is an interview series conducted by Chuck Coffey (aka Charlie Continental of Snappy Little Numbers, SPELLS, Chap, and more). Chuck seeks opinions to the eternal question: Where is the line between hobby and work?

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Commerce or Amusement?

Regular Columns / Commerce or Amusement? • January 26, 2026

Howdy out there! Welcome to the introduction for a new interview series I’ll be helming. Thanks to SPB for having me. My interviews are going to revolve around “music biz” kinds of things. Before I keep going, I need to tell you something…I am not actually in the music business. However, I am involved in music. As a musician, label owner, producer, engineer etc…I never approached any of those monikers from a business standpoint. I’m a fan above all else and the rest has occurred as a direct result of that. As such, the interviewees will all be drawn from various corners of the music world. It’s important to realize that there are financial implications in various fields of music, but that will unfold over the course of the interviews I conduct. For anyone doing a band, label, blog, etc., I’d like you, the reader, to ask yourself: “Am I in the music business, or just involved in music?” If you’re reading this as a music fan, the question for you changes slightly: “Do I support the music business, or just support music?” These are not trick questions and there are no wrong answers. It’s not the '90s anymore, where if you’re in a punk band and admit you’d rather make money than lose money you’ll be ostracized. If you’re a fan that wants to work at a record label or manage a band, you won’t get any sideways glances by people who are suspicious of your motives. What this … Read more

Features / Series: Commerce or Amusement?: browse all

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