MATTHEW BOWER (Skullflower, Total, etc.)

Matthew Bower first surfaced in the UK power-electronics / noise scene in 1982, when Pure, containing many future members of Skullflower (and two former members of Zos Kia), evolved into Total in 1982. Somewhere between 1985 and 1987, Total mutated into Skullflower and Total became Bower's solo project. He has also collaborated with others on occasion.

PURE

This is where it all began. Matthew Bower, Alex Binnie, and Alex Winsor originally formed this band to play violent, guitar-oriented power electronics, sort of like Whitehouse with cheap, damaged guitars instead of cheap, damaged synths. They made one limited cassette release before mutating into Total, which in turn mutated into Skullflower. The project AKE, about which i know nothing, apparently also contained a member who was involved with Pure, although i don't know who that would be.

CASSETTES:	FETOR (???) [Birthbiter]
LPs / CDs:	none
SINGLES:	none
COMPILATIONS:	BETHEL C60 (???) (???] STATEMENT (???) [Broken Flag] MERIDIANS 2 C60 (???) [Touch] PEYRERE C60 (???) [???] (see note below) EQUINOX EVENT C90 (???) [Produktion] (flyer)

Note: The PEYRERE cassette also contains a track by a band called Total. This, however, is not Bower's Total; it is, in fact the band Bower "borrowed" the name from when it ceased to exist shortly thereafter. And while I'm on the subject, don't be confused by the fact that there is another band currently in operation called Total -- an all-female R&B act that has absolutely nothing to do with Bower and company.

COLLABORATIONS

SITE/REALM (with Richard Youngs) (1995) [VHF/Insample]
RELAYER (with Richard Youngs) (???) [VHF]