Zach Amster of ABRAMS | It's Nearly Impossible to Be in a Band Full Time — and They Do It Anyway

ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster on one of the most honest topics in independent rock — the financial reality of being in a working heavy rock band in 2026, why making a living from music alone is nearly impossible at their level, and why that has never been the reason they do it. Zach talks candidly about the economics of independent touring and recording — streaming revenue that doesn't cover costs, tour expenses that eat into any money made at the door, day jobs that exist alongside the band rather than instead of it — and the mindset that keeps a band like ABRAMS going through all of it. The music is the reason. Everything else is just the reality of doing it in 2026. It's a straightforward conversation about something most working musicians live with every day but don't always talk about publicly. For anyone in a band, thinking about starting one, or simply someone who wants to understand what it actually takes to sustain independent music at this level — this one is worth your time.