cassettetapes - Gizmodo

posts about #cassettetapes more →
The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
Cabinet Built From 918 Tapes That Never Thought Things Would End Like This

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

notsofresh
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
What was that thing that used to happen-- when you'd just let a cassette run on auto-reverse over and over and the tape would get so tightly wound on the spools that it wouldn't play anymore? You'd have to "unwind" it once with a pencil, all the way through, to get it to work? Right?

Did this really happen, or am I manufacturing 80s memories again?
Reply

notsofresh was starred notsofresh was unstarred

reddingofish
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
I rarely bought music on a cassette. I always bought the record and put it on cassette while I was playing it for the first time. Then I would listen to the cassette most often because records would degrade every time you played it and the cassette was expendable.

I also had an 8 track player in my 69 Volvo. I had a Blondie's Greatest Hits and Squeeze's East Side story. I wanted one of those 8 Track adapters that you could stick a cassette inside and play it on your 8 track but they were expensive and I was poor.
Reply

reddingofish was starred reddingofish was unstarred

Bigbadbikernerd
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
My first vehicle had a Pioneer-Craig 8 track in it. I even got the cassette adapter for it so I could listen to the new fangled cassettes. Talk about a tape eater...
Reply

Bigbadbikernerd was starred Bigbadbikernerd was unstarred

OMG! Ponies!
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler

I still use (micro) cassette tapes on a daily basis. When you need to do dictation, it's a proven technology.
Reply

OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred

32ndnote
07/15/09

@OMG! Ponies!: Micro works great for personal use, but why not use the trusty ol' phone to record things?
More importantly, I love the mouse in this picture. The world needs more trackballs.
Reply

32ndnote was starred 32ndnote was unstarred

OMG! Ponies!
07/15/09

@32ndnote: That is my dictaphone (though not a Dictaphone brand recorder). This is actually easier to use than a full Dictaphone machine which is bulky and clacky.

And the trackball is my Microsoft optical trackball that I've had for over a decade. I brought it from home and keep the company-issue mouse in a drawer.
Reply

OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred

Ehrich Blackhound
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
Who remembers Cassingles?! Or the maxi-single with like three or four barely-different remixes/version of the same song... Like the dreaded "acapella" version...
Reply

Ehrich Blackhound was starred

92BuickLeSabre
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
The headboard of my childhood bedroom is still essentially stacks and stacks of recorded cassettes.

The two great challenges:

1) Deciding which two albums best belonged on opposite sides of a cassette. Prince, Under the Cherry Moon didn't really belong with The Black Album. Maybe with Sinead's Nothing Compares to U? Poison doesn't work with G'N'R after all. Maybe with that crappy David Lee Roth solo album? And hey, War works well with CSNY after all.

2) Trying to use my multi-colored sharpies to best re-create the album cover on the spine. I believe I spent all of my artistic capital (in life) on those little thin white glossy paper, bent back, spines.
Reply

92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred

SinisterBill prints in color on both sides
07/15/09

@92BuickLeSabre: You cannot possibly mean Eat em' and Smile as that crappy DLR solo album! That tour was my first concert!

You remember everyone saying Van Halen was going to die without Roth, then 5150 comes out and everyone was like, Dave who?

Reply

strider_mt2k
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
Don't forget splicing them back together!

Radio Shack doesn't sell them anymore, bit i still have a splicing block...somehwere.

-probably next to the re-winder and the tape head demagnetizer!
Reply

strider_mt2k was starred strider_mt2k was unstarred

FriarNurgle
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
Anyone remember requesting songs on the radio just to sit on the edge of your seat waiting with anticipation to slam down the play and record buttons. Those were the days
Reply

FriarNurgle was starred FriarNurgle was unstarred

twitzgall
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
I don't think that link shows every blank tape ever...
Reply

twitzgall was starred twitzgall was unstarred

Wilson Rothman
07/15/09

@twitzgall: Did you play with the controls up top? It's a sortable database of tape images. The home screen doesn't show every tape—you have to mess with it.
Reply

Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred

NurseDave
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
I'm guessing someone at Giz got laid for the first time in 1979?
Reply

Edited by NurseDave at 07/15/09 11:07 AM NurseDave was starred NurseDave was unstarred

rDub
07/15/09

@NurseDave: I was under the impression that most of the Giz dudes were in there 30s or younger ... that makes getting laid in 79 impressive or scary depending on how you want to look at it.
Reply

rDub was starred rDub was unstarred

92BuickLeSabre
07/15/09

@rDub: This piece was written by Steven Levy of Wired.

He was 28 in 1979. Which would also be impressive or scary, depending on how you want to look at it.
Reply

92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred

rDub
07/15/09

@92BuickLeSabre: Thanks for the heads up ...
Reply

rDub was starred rDub was unstarred

Skeetz
07/15/09

In reply to The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler
This reminds me of my first cassette purchase: Queen Greatest Hits.

It was a kind of magic.
Reply

Edited by Skeetz at 07/15/09 11:05 AM Skeetz was starred Skeetz was unstarred

Ehrich Blackhound
07/15/09

@Skeetz: My first cassette: Huey Lewis and the News "Sports".

-1 for myself.
Reply

Ehrich Blackhound was starred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

#cassettetapes

Gizmodo

Gizmodo Team

SUBSCRIBE TO Gizmodo

The Blank Generation: 1979 as Audio Cassette Enabler

Cabinet Built From 918 Tapes That Never Thought Things Would End Like This

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment