Comments for Bandcamp Blog

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by James

James — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:49:23 +0000

I like the article but one thing bothers me.

You seem to imply that tape players are somehow rare or valuable. A walkman going for $200 on eBay? Maybe if it’s some crazy prototype model. Tapes were a dominant format for many, many years. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a thrift store that didn’t have a dual deck for under $10. Spent $0 on 2 decks (most people are happy to be rid of them) that have lasted me years of heavy use. And most decks that are messed up just need a $5 belt replacement.

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Vikram Babu

Vikram Babu — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:47:48 +0000

Again, this isn’t some fad, this isn’t some hip new thing folks are doing to resist change. Tapes just never went away.

I’m not suggesting that tapes will overtake digital sales, but they will continue to be produced and grow worldwide. Recall that other countries larger and older than the US still use the tape format regularly.

If it isn’t broken…

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Ed Buckley

Ed Buckley — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:43:40 +0000

Nice article. I’ve got over 200 mixtapes I made for cross country trips. I used to put mixes together on C90 cassettes for friends, and they all said the quality was as good as most CD’s. I still have 2 JVC decks; one is a dual deck and the other a very nice 3 head deck, which allows me to listen to what was just recorded. I also just got a new Pioneer radio/cassette deck for the car. They do still make them, you just have to hunt around.

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Mindful Naked

Mindful Naked — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:15:55 +0000

I think we are just becoming bored and looking for something new to rave about… well, at least until the next big technological advancement comes along… like microchips installed in your head and streaming music directly to our auditory sensory pathways.

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Ransom

Ransom — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:16:50 +0000

On the durability of cassette tapes: I just accidentally wiped about 25 of them because I let them get within a metre or two of a neodymium magnet.

So if you use rare earth magnets in your line of work…this might just not be the formet for you.

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by chadrock

chadrock — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:33:50 +0000

This is an awesome, insightful & informative article!! I definitely grew up living & breathing cassette tapes; they were basically the soundtrack to my adolescent years up to my early twenties. As someone who always loves his music showcased in a physical medium, I want to say thank you for shedding lots of light on an almost-forgotten musical format (as well as shattering the misconceptions which plenty of folks have about cassette tapes).

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Travis Mord

Travis Mord — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:48:01 +0000

This is great. I’m actually sitting in front of my dual cassette deck stereo that works totally fine right now. I think it has the Havok Records compilation sitting in it. I still have a totally fine walkman and an old Tascam Portastudio 4-track recorder in my little studio. I always loved the way your tape would wear out in it’s own specific way, sort of adding character to the music, making it a one of a kind sound. I grew up with tapes, and still have a great many of them. It’s cool to think they may actually make a comeback.

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Ray Robles

Ray Robles — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:22:14 +0000

Great comments, one and all. Have been doing cassette mix-tapes since ’70′s (after a few years of 8 track mix-taping). Went through a few decks, both 8 track and cassette, the last if which has some mechanical issues, so it and the tapes have been vacationing for a few years. Now after having read this article, I am motivated to revive and not digitize these tapes, nor their vinyl brothers. Sadly however, I have parted company with all reel to reel formated material and accompanying decks.

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Simon

Simon — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:26:24 +0000

Excellent and much-needed article!

I’ve been curating vintage electronica produced by 80′s bedroom artists from around the world (who had no choice but to record on cassette) for an on-going project here on bandcamp: http://bedroomcassettemasters.bandcamp.com/

The clarity and dynamic range of these so-called “lo-fi” recordings often out-performs the brittle, plasticky quality of their contemporary digital counterparts!

I’m taking submissions for volume Three now! PDF form here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/07rivdqir4vydyd/BCM%203%20Submission%20formRE.pdf

Thanks again for the brilliant article!

Comment on Rewind! The Cassette is Back. by Kurt

Kurt — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:19:41 +0000

Wow, great article! I would have never thought cassette tapes had any future before just yesterday when I bought a limited cassette of ‘Sword & Sworcery LP – The Ballad of the Space Babies’. The presentation sold me immediately! In addition, the price is very reasonable for a physical medium of an album. What were the chances that right after my buying a cassette I would see this article featured?? HAHA, well that’s life I guess, fun world. Keep enjoying your music in whatever format you like! I, personally, will be buying some Sony 90minute cassettes and making FLAC -> cassette versions of my current digital library! (Maybe I’ll print some adhesive covers from Photoshop too)

Cheers to physical music,
Kurt