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99% Invisible
Long Strange Tape
Nov 22, 2023
The podcast discusses the history and significance of cassette tapes, including their affordability and portability. It highlights the success story of Grateful Dead live tapes and explores the role of cassette tapes in enabling underground music scenes. The podcast also examines the use of cassette tapes in the United States prison system and the manufacturing process of cassette tapes.
34:14
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Quick takeaways
- Cassettes gained popularity due to their portability and affordability, offering a cheaper and easier option for recording and playback compared to other formats.
- The Grateful Dead and their crew pioneered the recording and preservation of live shows, constantly playing and adjusting tapes to improve live sound.
Deep dives
The Rise of Cassettes: From Portable Convenience to Cultural Phenomenon
Cassettes gained popularity due to their portability and affordability, offering a cheaper and easier option for recording and playback compared to other formats. Despite lower audio quality, cassettes became a popular choice for voice recordings and music. The Grateful Dead, known for their live shows, embraced cassette taping, allowing fans to freely record and trade shows. As cassettes spread, fans created vast collections, cataloging and organizing recordings. The cassette format thrived in the prison system, providing prisoners with a means of escape and connection through music. The decline of cassettes came with the advent of digital formats, but they remain valuable as sentimental artifacts.
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