Many studios have risen to the economic challenge and are now priced to sell - You can now record at a major recording studio for less than the price of an iPad and many producers and artists are now rediscovering the benefits of working in a studio.

If the band is well rehearsed and arrangement is worked out in advance, there's no reason why you can't spend a few days at Abbey Road, Ocean Way etc etc and then take the files away to mix. It's actually very affordable to do and it is one way to focus on performance and what connects the public with your music.

Recording at home has never been easier but sometimes it's just better to focus on what you're good at, playing. Let people who dedicate their lives to recording do their thing. At the end of the day the public will judge you on your product, they don't care if it cost a little or a lot, they just buy what sounds good. Using a good studio is an investment in your own future.