[DBB]

I think you should write a lengthy article on the shady aspects of Earache, Jim. It would seem to me that you are in the perfect position to do so (well not perfect, but close enough perhaps), since the other person who had an opportunity to take a close look at Earache is certainly not going to have anything terribly negative to say about the label’s practices:

DM: I have one last question, and I honestly don’t know what to expect from you from this, but I’ll go ahead and ask anyway. Digby from Earache has quite the reputation for being a little bit of an asshole. Is he really as much of a dick as everyone says?

Albert Mudrian: [Laughs] Digby has always been very sweet to me. Whenever I needed something, he’s always been around to help. [Laughs]

DM: [Laughs] We can leave it at that.

AM: No, no no. I’m going to do this in a way that is as diplomatic as possible.

DM: [Laughs]

AM: He has a reputation, some bands have complained about him, his practices and his label, and I think in a lot of instances they have a lot of points. But I think he’s also managed to keep this thing going for… it’s going to be 20 years next year, so he’s obviously not pissing everyone off if he’s able to bring in a band like the new Akercocke. There’s a band who signed to the label two or three years ago knowing all the stories and knowing all the tales, and I know those guys. They’re not stupid! [Laughs] I’m sure there’s elements of truth to things, but there’s two sides of every story, and I did my best to kind of let everybody have their say in terms of Digby in the book. Now, if you call Jeff Walker and ask him that question, you’re going to get a different answer. If you call Nicke Anderson or Barney Greenway, you’re probably going to get different answers.

doomsdaymusic.com 12.1.05