Attrition: Британдық қара толқын және готикалық рок тобының тарихы

British dark wave / gothic rock band

Attrition are an English electronic music band, formed in Coventry in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock. The band emerged from the experimental post punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly contributed to the development of industrial music in the UK. Attrition's first London concert followed, with a supporting slot from Coil, and the first European tour in April 1984 with the Legendary Pink Dots. The debut album The Attrition of Reason appeared on Third Mind Records in autumn of 1984. The next year, Julia left the band to join the Legendary Pink Dots, and Bowes returned with new band members Marianne, Alex Novak, and Pete Morris to release the second proper Attrition album, Smiling, at the Hypogonder Club, which was generally well received. The following year, however, this lineup dissolved and Bowes released In The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts, a collection of rarities, compilation tracks, and B sides from the preceding few years. This was the last release on Third Mind. The band then switched to Belgium's Antler Subway Records for the release of At the Fiftieth Gate in 1988, which saw the addition of guitarist Gary Cox. This album also was the first proper release on Projekt, a relationship that would continue for many years and would see the release of a succession of albums during the '90s that saw progressed development of Attrition's signature sound. Also in 1996 the band toured the US for the first time, at the culmination of which Julia left the band once more. Two Gods would serve as a vehicle for releasing remastered reissues of the entire Attrition back catalogue in the following years. It has also served as a label for releases from other bands, including Rossetti's Compass. In June 2008, Attrition once more became a multi member act with the addition of female vocalist Sin D'rella. Bowes and Sin then released the twelfth album proper for the band, All Mine Enemys Whispers The Story of Mary Ann Cotton, a concept album built around the true story of a mid 19th century serial killer in England, the arresting officer of whom Bowes is a descendant. The album bears a marked departure from what has come to be seen as the signature Attrition sound, ditching prominent synthesizer base lines, percussion, and vocals for atmospheric, ambient, and found sounds. Guests on the album include Emilie Autumn, Erica Mulkey, and Bowes' own two children. 2009 has seen the release of a live album, Kill the Buddha!, that celebrates 25 years of live touring, and Wrapped in the guise of my friend, an album of Attrition songs covered by other bands. In 2012, Martin worked with his wife Kerri on their first full length movie score, Invocation. Martin taught music technology at City College in Coventry for many years and left in 2011 to work full time on mastering and production for Attrition and other artists in his studio The Cage. In 2013, the band released, The Unraveller of Angels, which was followed in 2015 with Millions of the Mouthless Dead. The latter album Martin made with Anni Hogan (of Marc and the Mambas fame), which explored First World War poetry set to dark ambient scores, including a guest appearance from Wolfgang Flur (ex Kraftwerk).

Martin Bowes has cited a wide variety of influences on his music, including experimental rock, punk, post punk, and industrial groups such as The Velvet Underground, Crass, the Sex Pistols, Magazine, Joy Division, and Cabaret Voltaire, early experimental electronic groups like Kraftwerk, classic rock'n'roll (Elvis), and even Beethoven. In the early 1980s, Attrition was grouped into the post punk movement, and as post punk birthed subgenres and cross pollinated with others, the band came to be seen as an early and influential part of the fledgling industrial and darkwave genres. Later on they would also gain a considerable following among the goth scene. By the early 1990s Bowes had become the primary member and songwriter and Attrition had developed its own distinctive electro acoustic sound. This was based on Martin's deep growl, Julia's fretless bass work and breathy sub operatic vocals, and a backline of electronic instrumentation, comprising analogue synthesizers (including a Korg Mono/Poly and Korg MS 20), sequencer (Roland MC 202), drum machine (Roland TR 808), and various effects units. "At first, there wasn't the same sort of scene and we were in more of an 'industrial' thing. There was nothing like the clubs you get now, it was actually quite difficult to play anywhere that would appreciate you. It's a lot easier now, it's not just Goth, it's a mix Darkwave or whatever. That's gotten stronger, so that has helped, but really, we were there before it was built."