Speaking as someone in the UK, specifically about here but it may apply elsewhere:

• everything is vastly more expensive than before, with help slashed for individuals and groups

• Brexit. Bands used to be able to tour Europe just as easily as in the UK, aside from the whole language thing. Drive to the coast, get on a ferry, drive from France. We could earn there with no issues, perform with limited issues, but now? Not any more. Anyone other than established bands have been cut out.

• Due to the cost of living, COVID, etc, venues have shut down on a huge scale. I have many locations I used to love seeing bands at which have ALL shut down. Some were around for decades prior. Where can new bands tour now? The pubs I knew that offered places to perform have now also gone, some out of business and others out of noise abation notices due to new apartments nearby.

And in my opinion really, all this has an effect on bands. Why bother putting one together when you aren't going to be able to gig easily anymore?