Off Licence Magazine #11

So yeah, Cost of Living is the theme of this issue. Pretty bleak stuff.

The current financial strife has been tagged with an official title, one that boosts search engine optimisation and provides a handy header menu on news websites. But the creatives of this world struggling financially is not news.

You don’t need someone shuffling papers to tell you that. It’s always been the way. From when rich well-to-do types commissioned Caravaggio to paint saints, to when an energy drink started putting its logos on the posters of rap gigs, art and artists have always needed someone or Something dot Inc to give them a big bag of money.

But people aren’t trying to fund oil on canvas, they’re trying to keep their radiators hot.

And so music and culture can feel insignificant in comparison and quite rightly so. You can’t eat a bowl of UK Chill Rap and as warm as the crackle of vinyl is, it’s not going to heat your whole living room.

But can you imagine a world without art and the social trimmings that come with it? Or perhaps even worse, a world where only the upper classes can make and release music? We like classical as much as the next person but ain't gonna download Sir Edward William Elgar on Bandcamp Friday.

We got to chatting with artists both international and local, getting the point of view from record labels and record shops, promoters and people, all of whom help us believe that our own silly little creative venture might pay our bills, too.

And now over to Brickcellphone for traffic and travel...