[Technology] Music Cassette Tapes

Weststander · Sep 24, 2020

I’ve still got all the cassettes from my recording from the radio from the late 70’s onwards, plus my own mixes from my vinyl. With a working Akai tape deck in my hifi stack. The recordings include dance/pop music from the radio in a summer spent on the Algarve in the 80’s and the excellent pirate station Laser 558 in the mid 80’s.

Without even playing them for decades, the following are etched in my mind - Scritti Politti, Bronsky Beat, Laura Brannigan, Lisa, SOS Band, Paul Hardcastle.

Finger always ready on the pause button to eliminate ads or DJ’s talking.

Youth, loved it.

Johnny RoastBeef · Sep 24, 2020

Remember when auto-reverse was an innovation on a par with teleportation.

Super Steve Earle · Sep 24, 2020

Weststander said:
I’ve still got all the cassettes from my recording from the radio from the late 70’s onwards, plus my own mixes from my vinyl. With a working Akai tape deck in my hifi stack. The recordings include dance/pop music from the radio in a summer spent on the Algarve in the 80’s and the excellent pirate station Laser 558 in the mid 80’s.

Without even playing them for decades, the following are etched in my mind - Scritti Politti, Bronsky Beat, Laura Brannigan, Lisa, SOS Band, Paul Hardcastle.

Finger always ready on the pause button to eliminate ads or DJ’s talking.

Youth, loved it.

Must have been sickening when you realised you permanently etched Bronski with a 'y'

Weststander · Sep 24, 2020

Super Steve Earle said:
Must have been sickening when you realised you permanently etched Bronski with a y

Tippex.

(I wasn’t anal about labelling).

Mr Banana · Sep 25, 2020

They are coming back. Loads of bands are issuing stuff on cassette now. There are a fair few examples in Rarekind. Big sellers are doing it, too - Bjork and the White Stripes spring to mind, recently.

chaileyjem · Sep 25, 2020

Stato said:
I must say that recording Peel Shows was my first thought about the advantage of cassettes. Whilst I accept your argument that these are digitised now, what hasn't been is the Wedding Present show at The Pavillion Theatre for Radio Sussex's Turn It Up Christmas Party in, I think 1988. I still have it on tape, so thanks cassettes and thanks [MENTION=24867]chaileyjem[/MENTION]

pS: A very good thing of course but only my doing in spirit. that TIU Xmas party was just before my stint (1989-1994)

Dancin Ninja BHA · Sep 25, 2020

Bruntburger said:
Yes I used to go to rounder every Saturday for my flyers.
World Dance,

Currently looking at two flyers I've got up on the wall from events at the Zap from 1993. Both all-nighters, one of them 10pm (which is now by bedtime!!) to 8am!!!! Trying explaining THAT one to your nine year old son when he says, "Daddy, how did you manage to stay awake until 8am?"

?!!!!

"Erm......." is the reply :wink:

Jam The Man · Sep 25, 2020

Got my original collection of 400+ mix cassettes on display at home. Never play them but it’s a collection I’d never bin off.
Some poignant personal tapes amongst that lot.

Worried Man Blues · Sep 25, 2020

Converted all mine to CD. Had a lot of those lovely Memorex swing shut cases. Mostly Paul Jones Blues radio shows and Blues and Boogie with David Freeman on Fox Oxford Radio, but now own a car with a casette option thankfully it also has CD. Cassettes now in land fill under Reading!

Oscar · Sep 25, 2020

Recently restored an old ghetto blaster for some retro tunes in the shed. On the look out for decent tapes but all I ever seem to find is Val Doonican and Max Bygraves. Never Beastie Boys, Bowie or ...ahem... Now That's What I Call Music 4.

BadFish · Sep 25, 2020

ozzygull said:
I have to say this was a technology I was please to move away from and adopted MiniDisk for my portable music option as soon as I could afford it.

But having a look in the loft for something else I found my old walkman and the collection of tapes that were sentimental and had not been sent to the tip during various house moves.

When trying the walkman out I realised that the drive belt had perished and the crackle on the volume switch needed some deoxidation spray.

After fixing that I have been having a nostalgic time today playing my old cassettes while working from home and apart from a bit of hiss they sound pretty good.

View attachment 128711

Even the Phil Collins ones? Did you tape something over them? :lolol:

BadFish · Sep 25, 2020

Rowdey said:
I've still got most of Pete Tong's Friday and Saturday shows recorded on SA90's from 91-94 in a huge sealed plastic box..

Alway's wondered if a tape to USB machine would decently convert, or pay a fair bit of money to a studio to convert for me..

I dug out some old tapes recently and started recording them using Garage band. The play button on my deck won't stay on though.

I was looking at those tape to USB things, has anyone used one?

Perfidious Albion · Sep 25, 2020

“technology I was please to move away from and adopted MiniDisk for my portable music option as soon as I could afford it.”

Ah..mini discs....they were good! I had loads of stuff that I home recorded on mini discs . They were brilliant. Sound quality was great and for a slight reduction in quality you could get loads of time on it with double-play feature. Sadly they disappeared from the market due to the growth of home computer software that enabled us to make c do.

I got rid of them in the end when my irreplaceable mini disc unit went home.

Westdene Seagull · Sep 25, 2020

Braggfan said:
Also miss making mix tapes. I think its a shame that youngsters don't know the fun of making a mix tape for someone you fancy, or the excitment of getting one.

Or the excited anticipation for two hours on a Sunday afternoon listening to the chart rundown with the record, play and pause buttons pressed, fingering hovering over the pause button ready for when the song you wanted played - obviously hoping that the DJ wouldn't talk over too much of the song.

Is it PotG? · Sep 25, 2020

Sometimes our FM went a bit 'fuzzy' in the evenings causing unwanted white noise on the recording process.

We had one of these, was a joy if/when you could tune finely enough to get the red FM Stereo light on.

AIT76 · Sep 25, 2020

Was genuinely touched recently when I discovered my missus had recreated the very first mix tape I did for her as a Spotify playlist.

Mix tapes, always a feeling of satisfaction if you could get your timings right so the last track on each side finished just as the run out tape appeared.

Braggfan · Sep 25, 2020

Westdene Seagull said:
Or the excited anticipation for two hours on a Sunday afternoon listening to the chart rundown with the record, play and pause buttons pressed, fingering hovering over the pause button ready for when the song you wanted played - obviously hoping that the DJ wouldn't talk over too much of the song.

I genuinely think there's something psychologically satisfying about the whole process. Its so remvoed from clicking a few buttons and adding something to a play list. Recording things off the radio, or copying from another tape to make your playlist is a physical process, you're actually making something. I'm feeling really nostalgic about that.

ozzygull · Sep 25, 2020

BadFish said:
Even the Phil Collins ones? Did you tape something over them?

I guess you have superior taste in music then me. Most people who slate Phil Collins have not listened to his albums and don't realise that the first two are eclectic and pretty dark, they help me as a teenager get through a tough time. I have never heard "Do you know and Do you care" or "I don't care anymore" played on the radio

ozzygull · Sep 25, 2020

Perfidious Albion said:
“technology I was please to move away from and adopted MiniDisk for my portable music option as soon as I could afford it.”

Ah..mini discs....they were good! I had loads of stuff that I home recorded on mini discs . They were brilliant. Sound quality was great and for a slight reduction in quality you could get loads of time on it with double-play feature. Sadly they disappeared from the market due to the growth of home computer software that enabled us to make c do.

I got rid of them in the end when my irreplaceable mini disc unit went home.

I still have my Minidisk portable players and a Tascam MiniDisk recorder. When the world was normal and I travelled to London for work I would still use them. It would confuse young people when I changed the disk :lol:

BadFish · Sep 25, 2020

ozzygull said:
I guess you have superior taste in music then me. Most people who slate Phil Collins have not listened to his albums and don't realise that the first two are eclectic and pretty dark, they help me as a teenager get through a tough time. I have never heard "Do you know and Do you care" or "I don't care anymore" played on the radio

Sorry dude, didn't mean any offence. Just a cheap shot at Phil. I will check out those songs. I love eclectic and dark.

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[Technology] Music Cassette Tapes

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