what to do about cassettes?

nomos

Administrator
I'm moving again so once more I'm faced with the question of whether to keep or dispose of my large (and heavy) collection of cassettes. It's mostly hip hop, spanning the mid-80s to early-90s. I'm still attached to the music but it's been years since I've had the tape deck plugged in and listened to any of them. I've since found full-album mp3 replacements for the best of them (I don't have the time or money to search out vinyl or CD copies of all the stuff I've already bought).

So do I get rid of them or is there some overly compelling argument to be made for sparing them? I've thought of disposing of the tapes themselves but keeping the inserts. Seems unholy but pragmatic, given that I've got the copies.

And anyway, wouldn't most of us like to forget that the cassette ever existed?** As a technology, it was so inanely linear, prone to internal screw ups, and murder on Walkman batteries. There was nothing endearing about the way they aged either - no warm crackle, etc., just slurs, dropouts, screwdrivers and swearing.

So have you all gone ahead and trashed yours?



** I don't mean mix tapes, 4trackers, DATs, etc. That's a whole other set of issues.
 
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mistersloane

heavy heavy monster sound
Yeah I just walked away from all mine, not missed em a bit, I still record to cassette tape though, for warmth and hiss. If you haven't used in in two years, chuck it, that's my motto, but I'm not an archivist!
 

zhao

there are no accidents
digitize the best, unavailable ones, and share them online (with us).

put the rest in a big box, make a sign that says FREE HIPHOP TAPES, and put it outside door of local record shop. the thought of some random kid discovering Criminally Minded for the fist time should atleast bring a smile to your face :)
 

nomos

Administrator
see i thought about putting out a box like that, but i want to keep the liner notes. and i'm not even sure if the yutes even know how to use a cassette anymore. maybe there's a group that sends tapes to cuba like they do with old computers.
 

don_quixote

Trent End
no reason not to keep the liner notes, the cassettes have tracklistings on them anyway dont they? i have so many tapes and no way to listen to them at all, keeping them for keeping thems sake
 
I've disposed of the vast majority of my cassettes. Like you, i found p2p digital replacements where possible. i still keep a small amount that have high sentimental value, but rarely play them. i do like the warmth of cassette, but really its a bit impractical for modern living, isn't it? mind you so's vinyl, but that doesn't stop me!
 

mms

sometimes
i've got about 50 or so with rare and valuable moments on them and some official stuff too, mainly for nostalga, often cos they're magic moments recorded from radio, or really rare comps of detroit stuff, reggae tracks or pirate radio tapes etc, i've still got a walkman
 
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luka

Well-known member
benjybars so who's got the best collection of grime cassettes then??

me.
nah, i dunno. logan sama. i got some good ones though. about a hundred nasty crew ones from about 2001 on. i got kano aged about 14 somewhere from before he was on radio. demon from before he was in east co. early dizzee stuff. the first time wiley played ice rink on radio. he plays 12 in a row. i got some nice stuff still. i wouldn't chuck it.
 

john eden

male pale and stale
I'm now down to one box of tapes, I think, mainly of friends' projects or stuff that would be hard to replace. I keep meaning to go through it and throw more out.

People should definitely keep or digitise decent pirate radio tapes tho.
 

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
me.
nah, i dunno. logan sama. i got some good ones though. about a hundred nasty crew ones from about 2001 on. i got kano aged about 14 somewhere from before he was on radio. demon from before he was in east co. early dizzee stuff. the first time wiley played ice rink on radio. he plays 12 in a row. i got some nice stuff still. i wouldn't chuck it.

I think these need to be shared somehow for the overall good of humanity!
 

luka

Well-known member
it would be difficult. i'm living in sydney now and i got some tapes here and some in london still. i got no interet at my house either. if you know someone in sydney that can do it tell them to get in touch. i'd be gald to have them on the interet.
 
So do I get rid of them or is there some overly compelling argument to be made for sparing them? I've thought of disposing of the tapes themselves but keeping the inserts. Seems unholy but pragmatic, given that I've got the copies.

And anyway, wouldn't most of us like to forget that the cassette ever existed?** As a technology, it was so inanely linear, prone to internal screw ups, and murder on Walkman batteries. There was nothing endearing about the way they aged either - no warm crackle, etc., just slurs, dropouts, screwdrivers and swearing.

So have you all gone ahead and trashed yours?

You could, of course, recycle them into ... clothes ... complete with random-access head-sonics. Found-object naffness ... [though not as patronisingly naff as shipping them to Cuba]:

fabric_01_02.gif
 

petergunn

plywood violin
it would be difficult. i'm living in sydney now and i got some tapes here and some in london still. i got no interet at my house either. if you know someone in sydney that can do it tell them to get in touch. i'd be gald to have them on the interet.

someone needs to make this happen!
 

nomos

Administrator
^ the heronbone/silverdollar online grime tape collection. i've been dreaming of that for a long time.
 

gullyskengman

Active member
me.
nah, i dunno. logan sama. i got some good ones though. about a hundred nasty crew ones from about 2001 on. i got kano aged about 14 somewhere from before he was on radio. demon from before he was in east co. early dizzee stuff. the first time wiley played ice rink on radio. he plays 12 in a row. i got some nice stuff still. i wouldn't chuck it.

Please digitize and up these by any means possible !!!!!!!!
 
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