Underground bands are NOT corporate. That's the entire point of underground, is to get away from all of the corporate fat cat taint that pervades everything you hear on the TV and radio.
Offer them a multi million $ deal and see how long they stay NOT corporate FA. Money matters, it is the difference between getting bogged down in Rio Vista CA or bumfuck TN versus taking a week vacation in London. Which would you rather do? 
But the thing is, most bands will never have that chance. Even if they did, the major labels may just screw them over if the band is not willing to compromise their music to be marketable to the masses.
The point is, money doesn't matter when it comes to music. It just shouldn't. Commercialization is the death of all art, as the saying goes. And why should money even be a motivator in the first place? Only a handful of musicians in the world ever truly profit off of their music, let alone enough to afford Ferrari's and mansions.
If it were a motivator, No Mean Feet, Sean Thomas & the Funk Monkeys, Littmus, Patrick Levi, Doghouse, Urapun and Ebb & Flo would have decided to go to Sony, EMI or WEA and chase the bucks. They decided to stay small and playe here and maybe at a few other small places.
They may not be the same as the big name bands, but the talent definitely is still there. And maybe I'm biased, but I'd much prefer them than shell out money to someone who may not be even getting fraction of what they could be getting, or someone who I'm never likely to voice my appreciation to.
NB: all the bands and acts I mentioned I have met personally and have spoken to members. Quite friendly people.
