Ignoring the beer/hookers/drugs, the big cost is always time.
Not a band mentioned often on here, but My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless' virtually bankrupted their label - apart from taking the best part of three years to finish (during which they recorded two EPs), they also worked in 19 studios. At the end of it, they reckon they only spent 4 months working on the music, but effectively had studios rented out for almost three years solid.
Steve
