everyones gotta eat

That doesn't automatically class anyone as sell-out... just 'cause they're not on Timmy's Low-Budget Homemade Basement Records. It's all about whether their ethics are sacrificed or not. Soul Coughing was even on Slash Records, which is under Warner Brothers. And, they never became sell-outs. And, there's tons of good stuff on EMI and Virgin, et cetera. You can be on a major label and be making music that isn't empty.. it is possible. And then there are some artists just don't hold their ground... and that's foolish.. to do something that's supposed to be artistic and turn it into something corporate. When the marketing gets more important than the substance of the music.