By what and when you was inspired to launch Cold Spring? Some historical background, please. And could you imagine something that is able to force you to stop your work (except death, heaven forbid!) ?

COLD SPRING was initially started in 1988 while I was running the Temple Ov Psychick Youth Access Point in Northampton, England. I started the label to release works by Temple members and also as a way of raising funds to pay for the running of the Access Point. We released a handful of cassettes and a vinyl album in 1990, and then began seriously into CD and worldwide distribution in 1992. Since then, I've worked some of the biggest names in this scene, and the opportunities for the label grow every year. Forcing me stop?...excepting death....not sure....financial failure wouldn't as I'd just start again the next day. I'm not too sure about that one...!

Of course, a label's aim is to produce and expand records. But each label should be sure their work is important and actual for someone or something. Can you lay dawn the aim of CS in such light? ...and the label's ideology?

The ideology of the label has changed in many ways from the time of its birth. We've always stood besides those that have been pushed aside by today's society, and especially those that hold steadfast to cultural manifestos that a capitalist system seeks to destroy. I find it sad that all Europe's heritage and symbology is rapidly being replaced by global multi-national company logos, on food, clothes and lifestyle. It's something I think we all have a duty to fight against. So, the label can carry bands who express these opinions. We are also moving into the world of television and movies, supplying film soundtracks. This is an exciting path I'm looking forward to working in.

To which criteria should a band satisfy to be noticed and signed by CS?

Be aware - politically, culturally and magickally. To be aware of such things and then to attempt to express that through music shows a deep commitment to what they are doing - and that's what we take seriously.

Which are your own THE MOST favourite releases by your label? Also, was there released something you are VERY proud of?

There's a few - INADE � 'Aldebaran' is a favourite, the forthcoming VON THRONSTAHL - `Imperium Internum` is a fantastic album - but also the classic MERZBOW / GENESIS P-ORRIDGE - `A Perfect Pain` CD is also one of my favourties. A lot of the PSYCHIC TV (especially `THOSE WHO DO NOT`) is fantastic. We are working now with the X FILES and MILLENIUM composer MARK SNOW. He is recording an album titled `DEATH....BE NOT PROUD`, and that will be a remarkable record.

Being in this kind of business for years, how do you estimate current situation in such music-scene and have you own prognosis for it? Any changes and tendecies in styles, trends, popularity? Why -at your opinion- people turn to it at all?

I think the `industrial` scene encompasses very many styles - and some of those are the most extreme forms of music on the planet. Now, dark ambient especially, has managed to cross-over into the metal scene - which has a massive fan-base, and weird hybrids are forming - and so there is always a new audience. New generations are adding to the public awareness, and thankfully it is such an intelligent genre, you don't lose fans because of fickleness or fashion. I predict a steady growth in the scene as a whole - though many countries media (including the UK) refuse to accept its existence and will not tolerate its promotion on TV, magazines and radio. Even without that, our mailing list is 4000+ people - the word spreads to those who want to hear it.

Searching through CS discography, I found a curious "CSR5CD" release made on the request by Virgin Records. Is this the same major label, which released Madonna etc?! How the story begun and how it ended? Do you still cooperate with them?

Yes, it's the same major. The Virgin Group is a massive corporation divided into smaller companies, so Virgin Records (Madonna, etc) and Virgin Retail (who own all the stores) are separate businesses though owned by an umbrella company. We were importing many titles into the UK, that were being distributed among the 35 Virgin Megastores in the UK and the head of Marketing noticed that some titles were selling and they proposed that Virgin paid for a sampler CD to be manufactured of the best titles we had. He leaned on us heavily for the `most commercial` tracks, and that's why I don't think its a very good record. I couldn't even be bothered to think of a title for it! It was only released for the UK market, and sold out quickly. We ended our relationship with Virgin a year later, but they now distribute our titles in the UK and USA via our main retail suppliers.

Whom or what you can name as the CS allies? And CS enemies?

We have many allies across he world, as I personally know the vast majority of the bands and labels. And as for enemies...he-hee...yes, we have them too....but I believe its a magickal act to name them, but if people ask me about certain companies I'll tell them the truth.

Your "Seedmouth" compilation had presented a piece by Mikhail Atom from Russia. Have you received more stuff from our area?

No, not a great deal...but I'm happy to listen to anything that is sent to me.

BTW, what mean those hieroglyphs at CS CDs? "Cold Spring" too? Why you use Japanesse characters at all?

Yes, the Japanese text reads `COLD SPRING`, and is only supposed to be used on Japanese COLD SPRING releases (like MASONNA, CCCC, MERZBOW, etc).

Forthcoming releases and plans for the future?

New releases and forthcoming: PSYCHIC TV - `Were You Ever Bullied At School - Do You Want Revenge?` double CD set, NOVATRON - `New Rising Sun`, FOLKSTORM - `Victory Or Death` CD, REMANENCE - `Apparitions` CD, HAZARD - `The Law Of A World Without A Future`, KEROVNIAN - `Dead Beyond Death` embossed 7" pack and second CD album, PSYCHIC TV & Z`EV - `Direction Ov Travel`, MARK SNOW - `Death...Be Not Proud` CD, ENDVRA - `Contra Mvndvm` CD and many more....