Parting Shot

One year after I decided 10 slow down all my networking activities, it seems the perfect time to take stock of the present state of the network.

It took me almost one year to find a new, “healthy” balance that enables me to keep in touch, as well as having much more time for myself, for my new band … and even some time justto sit down and enjoy something. Many recent comments and events have convinced me that the network is going through a period of change very positive to realize. I believe this is a sign of an ongoing evolution.

During the heyday of my networking activities, it seems I was in Louch with everyone. I wanted to have a widespread overview because I was documenting it all in my Magister Thesis for Berlin University. There were several “big” cassette labels regarded as the pioneers of this movement. There were magazines that reached an international audience and small, personal information sources (newsletters) leading to many direct contacts. There was a spirit of definition and building up. I date this from 1987 to 1991. This spirit of building up was based on the new idea of the network which came about in the mid 80s.

In the historic days, the network was a part of the so-called “independent” movement. When this movement sold out its original idea by joining the traditional music business, a fair amount of net workers tried to do the same. Some succeeded, most failed or went into obscurity.

New people, who saw what had happened to the independent scene came, joined in and were working on different ideas. People like Red Neon Tapes from Belgium who believe in “making music, not money” by practicing tape exchange. This was the main idea of the time: avoiding traditional business structures.

Then I became a working maniac, concerned with spreading the news about t11e network and that only by avoiding traditional business structures could this movement lead to something new. I met numerous people worldwide with the same idea and some fruitful relationships began. I wrote for several magazines, sent out heaps of free newsletters, compiled information cassettes, gave many interviews at “official” radio stations, had my own radio show in Berlin at Radio 100 which broadcasted cassettes on the air and so on. Every day there was a new surprise in my mail box.

Then in 1991, something like an overkill happened. I was drowning in material that people sent 10 me and there was no way 10 keep up. Similar things must have happened with several people. Almost overnight, Hal McGee of Electronic Collage disappeared. David Ciaffardini stopped publishing Sound Choice, which had been active since the early 80’s. Several pioneering tape labels had extreme financial difficulties and either slowed down or stopped completely. I guess some of us got trapped by the idea that we had to do it all and do it NOW. But there is no way to handle it this way if there is no income by doing it.

All this could lead lo a very depressed view of the network. There are people who think that the days of cassette culture are over. But I believe the state of the network is probably as healthy as it ever has been.

There is an uncontrollable amount of new people joining in. And everybody who joins in gets the idea that spreading the news is part of the movement, so that’s what they do. This means that in 1992 we have a growing number of very well-made, free newsletters and an increasing amount of labels who offer non-profit distribution of almost any sound sent in to them.

The snowball system works. The avalanche is coming. All this works on a decentralized level. Plus, a logical development is that the quality of the products continues to get belier, because the technological tools have become increasingly cheaper and better.

First releases of new labels often come with very well-made covers and excellent sound. The cassette is still the medium of the scene, but that will soon change as other formats become as easy to handle as the cassette. It’s the idea of a do-it-yourself, free exchange music culture that is important, not whether you put your music on cassettes, vinyl or CDs – or whatever might come in the future.

Some things still leave us unsatisfied, however. There is no real distribution or central information platform. This makes it difficult to pursue networking activities beyond a certain level, due to financial and time contraints.

But the whole movement is decentralized by its very nature. To set up a distribution service would be a stupid thing to do today, because there is no audience, only performers (we’re always telling people not to just watch but to join). And besides, to do this on a larger scale would make it all very impersonal (which is opposed to the idea of cassette culture). It is simply impossible to be in touch with 50,000 people (and this is still a small amount of people if you are talking about distribution in terms of more established music distributors.

So, you see, I believe that the way the network is developing is quite perfect. A decentralized, snowball system, if that makes any sense. Just be patient, be active on a level that you control. Improve your work and keep an eye on the whole movement..

Lord Litter, September 1992