Russ – yeah, that’s pretty much the point. I think the way some people talk about music puts others (with a lot of good experience and useful stuff to say) right off. Using the ‘i’ word is part of that. But then I guess there’s a risk of spending too long fannying around trying to find a form of words/drawing arbitrary lines that offend no-one rather than doing much of any practical use – music politics, eh?

Maybe I’m in some kind of minority, but the distinction being drawn seems obvious enough. I have definitely never thought that “music industry” equates directly to “music and gigs”. Use one of those terms and I think of companies that lend money to a random selection of bands and artists prior to demanding it back, or mobile phone firms that endorse poor-quality venues for big concerts by bands signed to said companies. Use the other and I think of music and gigs.