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In the mid 1980s, Sarah Champion and Alison Martin met while working on the Northern alternative radio shows On The Wire and Meltdown for Radio Lancashire and Manchester. They combined their cheeky initials to launch SCAM, a fanzine dedicated to leftfield music that featured interviews with the likes of Adrian Sherwood, Beastie Boys Husker Du, Mike Pickering and the Swans.
As Madchester hit their city, SCAM evolved into a PR company who helped several Manchester acts reach the Top 40. The SCAM roster included 808 State, The Charlatans and Inspiral Carpets as well as various acts from London's dub/reggae label On-U Sounds. Alison Martin continued SCAM under the moniker Red Alert and scored PR successes for the likes of Oasis.
Sarah and Alison's spin-off was the Manchester label SCAM Records in collaboration with cassette label Bop. Inspired by acid house, industrial, new beat and hip hop, their releases included vinyl/cassette EPs from AAAK, Dub Sex, Black State Choir and Social Kaos, the UK's first Asian dance act. The label's compilation of Manchester & Liverpool electronic music Freak Beats featured 808 State and other experimental beats.
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