Maybe you remember.

The hours of compiling and copying. Ransom notation on a field of found imagery and paint pen scrawl. Bubble padded envelopes disseminated across distributed networks of friends and comrades.

The mix-tape-thing was similar to zine-thing in many ways. It was about re-purposing common equipment and media toward individually empowering ends.

The medium itself could be manipulated too. Fly Ashtray, Kreamy ‘Lectric Santa, and early Pavement are the first that come to mind as frequently delving into tape manipulation to create signature sounds that no VST filter does or even could come close to recreating —though I would love to be proven wrong.

F7: Extreme tape manipulation (mp3, 1.3mb)
Kreamy ‘Lectric Santa: Tape Manipulation (mp3, 24mb)
Fly Ashtray: Angel Dust Party (mp3, 3.7mb)
Pavement: Recorder grot (mp3, 464k)

lost format preservation society / tapes / mix tapes / manipulation..

↪S