The Hours Are Long, But the Pay Is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music

"The music business is not a meritocracy: it is a crapshoot taking place in a septic tank balanced on the prow of the Titanic, a venal snake pit where innovation, creativity, and honest business practices are actively discouraged."

Rob Miller arrived in Chicago wanting to escape the music industry. In short order, he co-founded a trailblazing record label revered for its artist-first approach and punk take on country, roots, and so much else. Miller's gonzo memoir follows a music fan's odyssey through a singular account of Bloodshot Records, the Chicago scene, and thirty years as part of a community sustaining independent artists and businesses.

Hilarious and hundred-proof, The Hours Are Long, But the Pay Is Low delivers a warm-hearted yet clear-eyed account of loving and living music on the edge, in the trenches, and without apologies.

Author: Rob Miller
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: 3 Fields Books
Published: 11/25/2025
Pages: 304
Weight: 1.23lbs
Size: 9.19h x 6.22w x 0.81d
ISBN: 9780252088964