Uhhhh, dunno about that one. Pretty sure it's public knowledge labels will go to almost any lengths to ensure artists cannot be independent, especially when they're small. Good recording quality is quite readily available in many large cities, either as a paid service (which sometimes is still outbid by labels), or through a public library. Many of the issues of "labels investing in artists" loop back around to "labels have made it physically impractical or impossible for the artist to invest in themselves".