50 years of the cassette

Border_Mind · Post edited by Border_Mind at 2013-08-30 13:24:43

This is an interesting piece.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/aug/30/cassette-store-day-music-tapes

I must admit I have very little time or affection for the format the way I do CD and Vinyl , but apparently tapes are making a resurgence and there is now such a thing as Cassette Store Day, I knew about Record Store Day, but this is quite a surprise.

I think I am right in saying there are one or two tape heads on this forum, don't know perhaps I should say tape junkies? Tapes anyone?

cw37frapp

Out of all the formats the cassette was easily the worst. They got tangled up. Cds are hardwork sometimes but they are way better than the cassette.

Border_Mind · Post edited by Border_Mind at 2013-08-30 13:37:46

I have to say that's something I agree on, yeah tapes were a nightmare like that. Ironically I am going through the process of transferring one or two unique pieces I have on cassette and I still even record the odd thing on cassette, but they had a lot of flaws in my opinion. Then again there is often a unique personal story with some tapes I guess.

Vinyl is my preffered choice to be honest. There was a programme about the history of the single (I think) and that guy Fat Boy Slim who I am not that keen on, he is obviously a big vinyl junkie, and described the CD as 'insipid'. I kind of like CD's so that's not my take on them but I do find MP3's somewhat 'insipid', whilst I don't deny how convenient they are but the thought of an MP3 being the only way to 'own' something is, yes rather 'insipid' ;)

Whickwithy

cw36frapp said:
Out of all the formats the cassette was easily the worst. They got tangled up. Cds are hardwork sometimes but they are way better than the cassette.

Ya, loved eight-tracks....

But, MP3 outdoes anything. As I am picky about what I listen to, the digital playlist and the whole idea of creating, buying and selling individual songs should completely revolutionize music in the coming years. I always felt sorry for the poor artist that would get stuck having to do 12 songs, 9 of which sucked, just to fill an album. Some folks just aren't as prolific in their brillaince as Alison and Will. It doesn't mean they don't do good work, just means they don't need to fill an album. Actually, compliation CDs are an awful nice interim step.

Sartori

Whickwithy said:
I always felt sorry for the poor artist that would get stuck having to do 12 songs, 9 of which sucked, just to fill an album.

Bless them for Head First.

Border_Mind · Post edited by Border_Mind at 2013-08-31 02:47:40

Whickwithy said:

cw36frapp said:
Out of all the formats the cassette was easily the worst. They got tangled up. Cds are hardwork sometimes but they are way better than the cassette.

Ya, loved eight-tracks....

But, MP3 outdoes anything. As I am picky about what I listen to, the digital playlist and the whole idea of creating, buying and selling individual songs should completely revolutionize music in the coming years. I always felt sorry for the poor artist that would get stuck having to do 12 songs, 9 of which sucked, just to fill an album. Some folks just aren't as prolific in their brillaince as Alison and Will. It doesn't mean they don't do good work, just means they don't need to fill an album. Actually, compliation CDs are an awful nice interim step.

MP3 is good for convenience as I say and yes it's pretty revolutionary but it's just a digital file at the end of the day. I think the format feels soulless, vinyl's, cassettes, CD's have an almost individual character by comparison.

If I like an artist it usually goes without saying I am going to appreciate more than three songs on an album, it's only when I feel lukewarm towards an artist that I like just three or four songs on album. The great thing about albums is the discovery through time, it very often occurs that tracks take time to develop in the listening experience.

I don't like the idea of individual songs ever over taking an album, if all an artist can offer is individual songs spread over time rather than a cohesive piece of work at once then the chances are they are not going to appeal to me. Long live the album I say and don't get me wrong, I like being able to put playlists together, I like the fact that one can carry a whole music collection around on something smaller than a CD or cassette box, but I still maintain MP3's are rather insipid as anything other than a secondary source of music, but each to their own eh ;)

Border_Mind

I wanted to purchase a C90 today funnily enough and they are all out of them!

thathurt

I grew up with cassettes, well they did a better job than my parents did. They were slow but I must have had time for them. I remember taping various shit off Radio 1 in the 80s. I had a twin casette deck. Probably still have. Still got many of my casette albums. Oh dear.

thathurt

I used to drink a lot of Brookbond D tea to get my free casette tapes. Thats why Woolworths died. My bad.

Border_Mind

thathurt said:
I grew up with cassettes, well they did a better job than my parents did. They were slow but I must have had time for them. I remember taping various shit off Radio 1 in the 80s. I had a twin casette deck. Probably still have. Still got many of my casette albums. Oh dear.

Nothing wrong with that, do you get any playing time with them though?

I was given an ION Cassette Conversion System, the only problem is that it plays the tape back slightly too fast. I could use Sound Forge to correct the speed but it's a bit too on the technical or mathematical side for me to suss out unfortunately.

I am really intrigued by this cassette store day thing, I really can't see VHS store day happening though. I still have some VHS I just can't part with, even if I never watch them or get round to transferring them, so another oh dear from me.

Sartori

Cassettes , they were freedom for me , didnt have to use my parents hifi for LPs or anything . They were the usual medium of choice at record fairs where I picked up a squillion bootlegs . Not allowed to say what , as I`d probably be told to go up into the loft and get them ..immediately . Cassettes are also used as a cheap method of putting warmth into a recording - using good quality ones , not your `£1 for 20 ` shit .

tweety

VHS store day?

have we got a video?

cw37frapp

Tell you what i should get a Video recorder(vhs), A turntable and a old cassette player. I would have a field day in the charity shops.

thathurt

I dont get time no more to dig them out. Which is lucky as im sure my neighbours dont want to hear Kim Wildes greatest hits. I found Moloko's Domanoid on casette the other day. Casettes hide in between the cds I find.

Oh bootlegs at vip record faires :D you know Ive paid to get in so im gonna buy some really awful No Doubt live thing.

Whickwithy

thathurt said:
I grew up with cassettes, well they did a better job than my parents did.

Hahahaha! Brilliant!

Whickwithy · Post edited by Whickwithy at 2013-08-31 17:51:05

Border_Mind said:
I think the mp3 format feels soulless

??!?!?!

Border_Mind said:
if all an artist can offer is individual songs....If I like an artist it usually goes without saying I am going to appreciate more than three songs

You are clearly not as picky as I am. I have only found two artists in sixty years that were consistently worth more than two or three per album.

Border_Mind said:
I still maintain MP3's are rather insipid as anything other than a secondary source of music

Speaking of insipid, what the hell, it's music. I am not going to rub myself all over it or anything. I'm just going to play the damn thing. Easier to play = better for listening. Like when I'm walking, I don't want to carry a turntable, cassette or CD player with me. My MP3 player fits on my collar and I have two thousand songs on it (and, yes, that means about 500 artists)! If I'm going to get all hung up on quality of sound (which I guarantee you I won't - ever. Quality of music is over the top, quality of sound is bullshit), I can outdo any other media with digital.

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