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# Wendy Fonarow: “Ask The Indie Professor”
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/wendy-fonarow-ask-the-indie-professor/
- Published: 2010-08-05T10:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2010-08-05T10:00:00.000Z
- Description: Mid-July, the Guardian debuted a column by Cultural Anthropologist and author Wendy Fonarow titled "Ask The Indie Professor." Some may recall Fonarow's book Empire of Dirt: The Aesthetics and Rituals. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2010/08/wendy-fonarow-ask-the-indie-professor.htm
- Author: admin
- Tags: Uncategorized, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:59

Mid-July, **[the Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/?ref=hypebot.com)** debuted a column by Cultural Anthropologist and author **Wendy Fonarow** titled "Ask The Indie Professor." Some may recall Fonarow's book *Empire of Dirt: The Aesthetics and Rituals of British Indie Music*, one which I haven't gotten a chance to go through yet. Thus far, her column has been well worth the read and I've been thinking about approaching Fonarow for an interview. In the meantime, here's a glance at one of her most recent question exchanges:

**What kind of living can non-chart-topping indie bands make?**

[![image from www.upne.com](https://a5.typepad.com/6a0111683c7a25970c013486015b25970c-75wi)](http://www.upne.com/author%5Fmugs/fonarowwendy%5Fmug.jpg?ref=hypebot.com) "Currently, **this is *the* issue in the music industry**, at least for the professionals who like music. It's the question of economic remuneration for artists and, **at present, there is no model**. Because of this, I can only answer historically when fans actually paid for music. **The answer to what kind of living** a non-chart-topping band makes is, they don't make a living. The "big" advance a record company gives an artist is **shared between the manager and lawyers**, and covers the recording costs of an album. Now, divide what's left between **the four or five band members…**" [Read on](http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/aug/03/ask-indie-professor?ref=hypebot.com).