Just before they kicked off their current run of dates, the '90s alt-rock greats Garbage announced that it would be their final North American headline tour. When the band played at Denver's Mission Ballroom on Sunday, frontwoman Shirley Manson said why Garbage won't tour like this again: "It has become entirely unsustainable for a band like us to come and tour anywhere except the coasts."
In a speech that she described as an "alarm call," Manson went on to cite things like paltry Spotify royalties and lack of union representation. Manson says that the intent of her speech is to speak up for younger generations of musicians, who maybe don't have a bunch of classic radio hits and a drummer who produced Nevermind. Here's what Manson had to say:
We have announced that this is our last headline tour of North America. By that, we mean it has become entirely unsustainable for a band like us to come and tour anywhere except the coasts. And it's upsetting, but we've had a glorious 30-year career, and we really have no complaints. But I bring this up every night because I think it's imperative that that we all start to understand what exactly is going on in the music industry. And it's difficult to get your head around, right? Because you see all these big pop stars, and they're making billions and billions and billions of dollars and they're rich and they're glamorous and they're amazing. But the problem is that most of the music industry is not made of these big pop-stars. They're made of working musicians.
This is not a pity party for us. This is an alarm call for all the young generations of musicians who are in our wake, and who we feel duty-bound to speak up for because there's nobody speaking up for them. There is no governmental body. There's no fucking real effective union for musicians that fights for young musicians to get paid. The average musician makes $12 a month on Spotify. They're sleeping in their vans, they're holding down numerous jobs, and they're playing their guts out every night. The fact that they are not even able to sell a record and it's taken from them by rich motherfuckers on streaming platforms who get paid royally by record labels, who get paid royally by Ticketmaster, who get paid royally by merch companies, who get paid royally -- the list goes on and on and on. There's accountants. There's lawyers. They're all fucking getting paid, except for the musician.
So I bring this up tonight because you are the ones who will lose out on generations of esoteric, risk-taking, creative, adventurous weirdos, rebels, agitators, and provocateurs. You're gonna get fucking white bread. That's it. So thank you so much for coming out tonight, for supporting us for 30 years. Our love is strong for you. Keep supporting live music when you can. Buy vinyl when you can.
Shirley Manson has reportedly been making some version of this speech at different stops on the Garbage tour. This one is circulating at least in part because Manson's peers in Fishbone posted the video on their socials. Here it is:
@fishboneband Big ups to Shirley Manson and @Garbage for taking the time at their show in Denver (who we all love and have been great to Us as well) to discuss the reality of being a working musician and band. What she says hits us too… a band for 40+ years that still struggle with the high cost of tickets, high cost of touring from transportation, gas, hotels… but we all keep in keeping on… so when we have “unforeseen circumstances” it just comes down to we can’t afford it all the time and these promoters rely on data… that means “pre sales”… so when bands like us are out there pushing shows months before the date, it’s because the numbers are being watched… when the pre sales don’t show strength… unforeseen circumstances begin to brew from promoters. Bands get a guarantee to get paid and cover touring costs. Band members in the end (if you add up the time) can make below minimum wage, so if sales don’t look great, promoters ask for “reductions” which means taking less for the show that was guaranteed… which means the people that take the hit are the band and the musicians. Why take a “reduction”? Because it’s a business built on relationships. It’s like, do me a solid and i’ll do you one later (questionable), but it’s the game… why do you tour if you are making below minimum wage? Because this is what we were out on earth to do… so when you see merch and it’s $5 more than the last time, or an LP or CD is higher than you wanted, it’s all to make up the difference to make a little extra to stay out in the road… plus, there is a cost for manufacturing, but that’s a whole other post.. thank you Shirley and thank you Garbage for bringing this to people’s attention… keep showing the love , supporting the band and we will have a lot for you in 2026. Gracias.
♬ original sound - Fishbone
