Martin Bowes of Attrition

What can I say? You could say, "These guys rock" - it would be true but it would probably give the wrong impression and would be a very unimaginative response to their craft....(pause). Below is an email interview with Martin Bowes of Attrition which appears on SystemCulture.org

• Some of your early releases were on labels like IRRE Tapes and EE Tapes, these labels were part of the DIY cassette movement. This was an important network for us (one my favourite cassette labels at the time was Insane Music, who were the first to give us a release). Do you think this (postal) network was important to independent artists at the time and that MySpace et al have become the natural siblings or are they totally different?

The whole cassette network was very important... really tied in with the fanzine net work we had at the same time...(i used to run a fanzine called Alternative Sounds myself from 1979-81...until ATTRITION took over my full attention!...) Cassettes were a really good way to get your music out to people without the vast expense of pressing records... you could make up as many as you wanted and they were so cheap to mail out etc.... they really helped a lot of artsists like ourselves.... and became big for a while with some excellent quality releases...and they were taken seriously by the press and record stores.... our first cassette releases sold many hundred copies.......
CDR's took over from cassettes for a while but nowadays the internet has replaced a lot of the networking tools like fanzines and cassettes.... although the internet is an amazing too...i cannot even imagine how we managed to organise anything with out it now!.... at the same time we have been flooded with....well DATA.... there is TOO MUCH information around.... and it can be hard to keep your head above that....
its almost like we need something again to stand out.... perhaps cassettes?... :)

• You are one of the most prolific independent artist I know; it must be really hard work to keep producing releases with such high (quality) standards. Is it getting easier?

I never think i am all that prolific...we have put out a LOT of albums...it's slowed a little recently as i've got so involved with reissuing material through our own Two Gods label....
I don't think it is EVER any easier to make and release music.... but that is the magic of it isnt it.... chasing the elusive....

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