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What tapes do you buy?


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This sounds like a dumb question, but what guidelines exist in your head that will determine when you will/won't purchase a tape? Is it genre based (like how a lot of lo-fi punk sounds really great on cassette)? Is it when the release is available on tape only? Is it to complete collections for bands/labels you collect? Or is it just whatever takes your fancy at the time?

 

It felt like when tapes initially started making a comeback they were used for those more lo-fi, primitive, demo-ish type recordings that wouldn't really sell more than 100 copies, yet the band/label still wanted a physical product. And I guess they never really went away in regards to punk/hardcore demos.

 

I was into tapes when it came to all of this kinda stuff; it was cheap, it was a fun and the stuff being released made perfect logical sense on the format.

 

However, the idea of buying "proper" albums that are also getting LP/compact disc/digital releases just feels really silly to me, and I couldn't ever see myself heading down this path of collecting.

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Great idea for a thread! I'm curious to this as well. I'm not opposed to buying a proper 'bigger' release on cassette if it's significantly cheaper than a vinyl option. I'm not into paying $14ppd for a tape when I can get the album on vinyl for a few bucks more.

On a similar note, do people tend to want jewel cases, j-cards, printed tapes etc.?

I personally don't find any of that very important. I understand wanting the name printed on the spine for the sake of organization, however I won't be taking tapes on-the-go in a vehicle or Walkman so none of that is really important to me when buying a tape.

The only thing I wish smaller bands/labels would do is pop the damn tabs out of their tapes! Trying to operate a deck in a dimly lit room after a few drinks is like auditory Russian Roulette.

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The vast majority of my cassettes are noise/abmbient/experimental artists, or punk/hardcore/metal demos. Cassette only releases are nothing new in those genres.

 

Yeah, punk/hardcore demo tapes never went away, and you could always find dubbed cassettes being sold by noise artists, lo-fi bands, etc at shows all throughout the 90's into the 00's, but there was definitely a period around six-ten years ago where it started becoming way more commonplace and more tape/short run CD-R labels started popping up.

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I have very few 'guidelines' when buying tapes, in terms of things that might restrict my purchase. Much less than considering whether to buy a record or not. Simply because they tend to be very cheap. I have to take a second, harder look at a tape if it's 10 bucks or up.

I have plenty of tapes that I also have on vinyl. (Ty Segall - Slaughterhouse for example. That tape was a must-find for me)

I have plenty of tapes that never saw another format and those I do consider a little more precious. (like Evenings - Lately)

J-cards and jewel cases definitely do matter, as much as the special printed jackets or gatefolds or full colored dust sleeves might. Actually, since the vast majority of tapes have zero bells and whistles, something that stands out or looks more like a labour of love definitely stands out. (This Katie Dey - asdfasdf tape from Orchid Tapes I just got has a hot pink jewel case that POPS out of my collection, such a tiny thing can make a release really unique) On the other hand, I have gotten tapes with do-it-yourself J-cards, tapes with no jewel case - instead they're tied in a little stamped cloth bag, or stuffed in a Barbie doll box, or sealed shut in an empty can of soda. While these are definitely 'unique', it's kind of a pain to keep since they don't fit in conventional tape shelves and if you're like me, you need to keep all the parts, however dumb they might be.

I am VERY suspicious about used tapes. A lot of stores tend to be like 'Guaranteed to work!' and then you put in in the deck and it technically does 'work' but it sounds like utter tinny garbage. It's expected on the format, just don't advertise it as 'working'. I'm also very suspicious of tapes with super-crazy swirly haze color patterns that have been popping up lately - every single one that I've gotten sounds significantly worse than other tapes i get that are just a solid color. I think those guys run it through like a paint-magic mixture and I'm worried it adversely affects the sound somehow. Or if I leave a tape in my car deck on a hot day then the paint might melt off inside my car.

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I typically will not buy a tape if it can easily be found on vinyl or CD instead. I prefer vinyl or CDs over tapes.

 

The vast majority of my cassettes are noise/abmbient/experimental artists, or punk/hardcore/metal demos. Cassette only releases are nothing new in those genres.

 

Pretty much this if you remove the CD part.  I occasionally double dip and pick up a CS with the vinyl, but that's pretty rare.  I'm guessing 95% of my tapes are digital/CS only.

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When I'm purchasing cassettes, I usually view it as my "B-List" favorites.

 

9 out of 10 of the records I go nuts over, are usually out on vinyl.  I will purchase the vinyl for the archive.

All other records that I really enjoy / want to have a physical format of / want to support the artist, but it's not going to be something I listen to all the time - I purchase the tape for the archive.

All the nostalgia stuff, and early 2000's things I still really love but I know have no chance of going to vinyl - I purchase the cd for the archive.

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I feel like I'm saying nothing new in my post but whatever!

 

Like many have said it depends on availability in other formats, I'd get the LP over cassette any day, expet if I really like the artist and or release I'll get both formats. It  kinda depends on the sound of the artist's too, like I own Karen O's crush songs on cassette which is this very lofi demo sounding album so it works on cassette. I don't see the point in big budget cassette releases as everything's very polished and it doesn't work well with that sound.

 

Cassettes at their core are a very DIY movement and I feel if an artist doesn't really fit into the mold than I'd be less inclined to buy the cassette (especially if it's available on other formats) the only exceptions being the ones I mentioned earlier, and older cassettes found for cheap (Like New Order - PCL at a garage sale for 50 cents)

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I'm also very suspicious of tapes with super-crazy swirly haze color patterns that have been popping up lately - every single one that I've gotten sounds significantly worse than other tapes i get that are just a solid color. I think those guys run it through like a paint-magic mixture and I'm worried it adversely affects the sound somehow. Or if I leave a tape in my car deck on a hot day then the paint might melt off inside my car.

 

Like the cassettes themselves?  Or the actual tape?

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I think this is a fair question considering my guidelines are very specific. The only times i truly buy cassettes are if they are from hardcore band's. And its pretty much only gonna happen if i see them and they are selling them. I cant imagine ordering a cassette. Ill never listen to em ever. I just wanna support bands i like and have a physical copy of their material if its not available on vinyl.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I typically buy tapes when completing a discography, or if the label itself is one I particularly enjoy and want to support them regardless of format. A couple that come to mind are:

 

Hot Vodka Records - what up, the shittiest of Ramboes?!

Near Mint - Corey, another board member

Eccentric Pop Records - though they are mostly vinyl, I will always buy what they release, regardless of format

Infinity Cat - mostly for their Diarrhea Planet, and related acts, releases

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My rules with tapes are:

if it's all a band has at their merch table and I want to support them

if my friend made it 

if a band I'm crazy about released it and I'm completionisting their discography/ it's a tape only release

if I find it at a record store/ goodwill and I really like the album and it's cheap

 

then I'll buy it. Other than that I'm more partial to vinyl or CDs. It seems like lots of folks on here are pretty much the same way?

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If an artist I like releases an album on cassette, I'll usually buy it. Always been a big fan of the aesthetic of the format. Plus, they're way cheaper than vinyl (which, unfortunately, doesn't help with impulse purchases).

 

There are also a couple solid tape labels I like to support, so I pick up their stuff when I can.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I buy most new things on tape unless it's a record from a band I love. I started buying records because they were always $8-$10 cheaper than CDs. The sound and aesthetic appeal was a bonus, but to me price was paramount. My system is fine enough that tapes sound good and will hopefully last until the next cycle and vinyl becomes affordable again. Prefer to not buy tapes over $7 and wish some labels would realise tapes are light enough to ship first class instead of media if just 1 or 2 are ordered, first class mail is treated much better and arrives a bit quicker.  

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