The "Analog Network" of the 80s, the Magic of the Underground!

 

"In the 80s, before the internet, the underground scene (both in Brazil and around the world) was sustained by an alternative social network based on mail: a network of letters, fanzines, cassette tapes, photos, flyers, and posters exchanged between bands, fans, independent labels, and record companies."

Fanzines (home-made, photocopied magazines) circulated in large numbers. They were produced in a DIY fashion (typewriting, collage, drawings), and contained everything: reviews, lyrics, band biographies, clippings. In their letters, zine creators would include the addresses of other fanzines and bands through flyers, creating a network of contacts that spanned across Brazil and even the world. The internet was a distant idea, and relationships were built with waiting (up to 15 days for a letter/tape), stamps, photocopies, and trust.

Metal Fanzines: Photocopied publications without fixed release schedules covered the Latin American explosion and even international bands. There were also cases of fanzines that soon became widely known magazines, such as *Rock Brigade*, which had nationwide distribution in newsstands and kiosks.

Tape Trading Culture

The cassette culture flourished as an alternative way of spreading music. Bands recorded demos on cassette tapes and traded them by mail. It was common to send out lists of available recordings for swaps, or even sell tapes through the postal service. Imagine the joy when the mailman arrived with several letters at home!

Visual and Promotional Material

Along with the letters, came flyers, press releases, photos from shows and bands, posters, and even cassette tapes with demo recordings or live performances. This material helped shape the visual identity of the collectives and fueled the scene.

Independent Production of Demos and Compilations

Home recordings: studio demos, live recordings, and first albums marked the beginning of semi-professional production in Brazil.

Independent labels: Labels like Cogumelo Records, Baratos e Afins, and even *Rock Brigade* released records by Brazilian bands that later gained worldwide recognition.

DIY Festivals and Shows

Local bands performed in alternative spaces, even in garages, with their own organization—based on letters, posters pasted on the streets, flyers in fanzines, and shared in local spots. This self-managed circuit generated the heat of the 80s scene.

Local bands and fans of the genre organized events in alternative venues like garages, cultural centers, and other non-traditional spaces. Festivals like "O Começo do Fim do Mundo" (SP, 1982) brought together punks and anarchists, with record and fanzine exhibitions, supported by the groups involved.

Conclusion

The underground network of the 80s was built through letters, local spots, and cassette tapes, creating a solid and decentralized web. Physical spots gathered fans and bands, sparking discussions, show organization, and label actions. All of this without Google, Instagram, Facebook, or any other social network: it was the era of face-to-face meetings, home-recorded demo tapes, and Xeroxed zines folded with love—an era when the underground was built in the heat of the streets, the mail, and the pure will to make it happen.