Welcome to the music industry: where art becomes commodity and performance, a competitive sport.

Unless you choose to do music for the sheer love of it, you'll have to deal with the industry. You can do the club scene, or the touring/release cycle. Either way, it behooves you to learn how it works. Then be resigned to the nasty haul.

The industry is rapidly changing, however. Conventional wisdom (and cynicism) tells us that the artist will be screwed in the end. However, technology can liberate.

If you decide to walk the industry path, remember that the music scene is more of a rat race than the one you may be trying to avoid.