> I have friends in the music industry, and there's been a few instances of people getting these really big advances. Then come the big, expensive sushi dinners

> I have friends in the music industry, and there's been a few instances of people getting these really big advances. Then come the big, expensive sushi dinners, flashy parties, etc. It looks like the record company is picking up the check... but not really. The artist is on the hook. What is reasonably big? Any artist with half a brain would put that entire cheque into other investments.