Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins credited with the eventual return of cassettes?

Options
bigjilm
bigjilm Sea Posts: 186
edited March 2019 in The Porch
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/23/cassettes-making-comeback-hipsters-rediscover-mix-tape/

According to the article...

"Mr Stepp (co-founder of the National Audio Company) credits the eventual return of cassettes to rock bands like Pearl Jam and The Smashing Pumpkins, who began seeking to manufacture anniversary tapes in the mid-2000s."

Did this actually happen? The only Pearl Jam cassettes I see on Discogs from the 2000s are the Momma Son reproduction in the Ten Deluxe Box Set in 2009, and 1 Vs. from Russia in 2001.  (I didn't check any of the Pumpkins releases.)  Whether you love or hate cassettes, they ARE coming back. Definitely not on the same scale as before, but they aren't completely dead as many previously thought. 

I'm sure this will turn into a "cassettes suck" discussion, but I thought it was an interesting read.  I still own, listen to, and buy cassettes.  
Post edited by bigjilm on
Tagged:
«1

Comments

  • on2legs
    on2legs Posts: 15,953
    I don’t know the answer to the question but I’m intrigued.  Why are cassettes going to make a comeback? 
    1996: Randall's Island 2  1998: East Rutherford | MSG 1 & 2  2000: Cincinnati | Columbus | Jones Beach 1, 2, & 3 | Boston 1 | Camden 1 & 2 2003: Philadelphia | Uniondale | MSG 1 & 2 | Holmdel  2005: Atlantic City 1  2006: Camden 1 | East Rutherford 1 & 2 2008: Camden 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 (#25) | Newark (EV)  2009: Philadelphia 1, 2 & 4  2010: Newark | MSG 1 & 2  2011: Toronto 1  2013: Wrigley Field | Brooklyn 2 | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2015: Central Park  2016: Philadelphia 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Fenway Park 2 | MSG (TOTD)  2017: Brooklyn (RnR HOF)  2020: MSG | Asbury Park  2021: Asbury Park  2022: MSG | Camden | Nashville  2024: MSG 1 & 2 (#50) | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2025: Raleigh


  • bigjilm
    bigjilm Sea Posts: 186
    on2legs said:
    I don’t know the answer to the question but I’m intrigued.  Why are cassettes going to make a comeback? 
    Your guess is as good as mine as to why they're making a comeback.  I buy them for a couple of reasons, but the main one is pricing.  I've bought old cassettes of albums where the vinyl is entirely too expensive and I want the music.  Also, if a local band has a $6 cassette and a $20-$25 vinyl at the merch booth, I'll buy the cassette if I thought they were just ok, just to support local music.
  • CopperTom
    CopperTom Posts: 3,149
    Other than the Walkman, the era of cassettes, and cassettes themselves are just terrible.  The format is returning because of hipsters.
    http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=28
  • hihobibo
    hihobibo Tampa, FL Posts: 1,140
    I will say that my Marylin Manson cassette of his first album sounded way better than the CD when I eventually had a car with that in it. That's the only one though. No way would I ever go back to listening to tapes over CDs or digital now. 
  • Natashapearljamfan
    Natashapearljamfan Australia Posts: 3,777
    We have cassette fans in the "What cassettes are you listening?" to thread....
    https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/comment/6670994#Comment_6670994
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,255
    Anything to be different.
  • bigjilm
    bigjilm Sea Posts: 186
    Natashapearljamfan said:
    We have cassette fans in the "What cassettes are you listening?" to thread....
    https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/comment/6670994#Comment_6670994
    Cool thread. I hadn't seen it before. Thanks!
  • HesCalledDyer
    HesCalledDyer Maryland Posts: 16,491
    CopperTom said:
    Other than the Walkman, the era of cassettes, and cassettes themselves are just terrible.  The format is returning because of hipsters.

    Star Lake 00 / Pittsburgh 03 / State College 03 / Bristow 03 / Cleveland 06 / Camden II 06 / DC 08 / Pittsburgh 13 / Baltimore 13 / Charlottesville 13 / Cincinnati 14 / St. Paul 14 / Hampton 16 / Wrigley I 16 / Wrigley II 16 / Baltimore 20 / Camden 22 / Baltimore 24 / Raleigh I 25 / Raleigh II 25 / Pittsburgh I 25
  • angry_skull
    angry_skull Posts: 323
    It’s Star Lord’s fault. 
  • Natashapearljamfan
    Natashapearljamfan Australia Posts: 3,777
    bigjilm said:
    Natashapearljamfan said:
    We have cassette fans in the "What cassettes are you listening?" to thread....
    https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/comment/6670994#Comment_6670994
    Cool thread. I hadn't seen it before. Thanks!
    It needs to be revived...not much going on. 
  • Zod
    Zod Posts: 10,890
    I've never forgiven cassettes and I never will. I'll never forgive them for getting chewed up in my tape decks ;(
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,527
    edited March 2019
    They came back because they are cheaper and quicker to manufacture than vinyl for many small independent acts. Its mainly nostalgia driven. For a period 4-5 years ago, it was hipster driven. But now it seems like millenials and even the next generation seeking them out as weird artifacts from a bygone era. I don't think they'll have the staying power that vinyl seems to have gotten in the past decade+, but I'm all about bands being able to make more income and having more tangible music out there.
     
    Post edited by Tim Simmons on
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,527
    That being said, I wouldn't credit SP or PJ with revivings tapes at all. They did a couple of one off runs of old demos. Labels like Burger Records have been doing tapes for years for underground and indie bands. If anything, its Urban Outfitters that seems to be going hard at them in the mainstream.

  • MedozK
    MedozK Tennessee Posts: 9,212
    Natashapearljamfan said:
    bigjilm said:
    Natashapearljamfan said:
    We have cassette fans in the "What cassettes are you listening?" to thread....
    https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/comment/6670994#Comment_6670994
    Cool thread. I hadn't seen it before. Thanks!
    It needs to be revived...not much going on. 
    Yep, and thanks. Reminds me I need to take a few tapes for a spin.
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,458
    Pearl Jam should not support this waste of plastic when the world is burning. 
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • hrd2imgn
    hrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,924
    what is that hissing noise I am hearing?  Is it the ocean?  a leaky tire?  Is a car window open?  OH no dolby noise reduction on, silly me.
  • Sarah
    Sarah Toronto Posts: 736
    hrd2imgn said:
    what is that hissing noise I am hearing?  Is it the ocean?  a leaky tire?  Is a car window open?  OH no dolby noise reduction on, silly me.
    Hahaha!

    Despite the hissing, I must say I have never stopped loving cassettes.
    Then again, I am 37 years old, and continued to have a cassette collection well into the age of CDs and eventually digital (.mp3s and so on...).
    If the medium comes back in a sustained way, that's great. I still have my Walkman.
    "Somewhere in between / There and here / I got lost / I got scared..."
  • Lost In Ohio
    Lost In Ohio Posts: 7,245
    One of the side projects released a cassette a couple years ago.

    Screw Urban Outfitters for many reasons, including, but not limited to their Kent State shirt.
    Presidential Advice from President-Elect Mike McCready: "Are you getting something out of this all encompassing trip?"
  • deadendp
    deadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    Lost In Ohio said:
    One of the side projects released a cassette a couple years ago.

    Screw Urban Outfitters for many reasons, including, but not limited to their Kent State shirt.
    A kid in my print class wore a shirt with a target printed on it. Above it said, "student." He wore it when the campus was over taken by news media for the 25th anniversary of the May 4th shootings. 

    My husband, not at all a hipster, has always and will always listen to cassettes. Vinyl is my thing. He has boxes and containers of cassette tapes from long ago. 
    2014: Cincinnati
    2016: Lexington and Wrigley 1
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,824
    Tim Simmons said:
    They came back because they are cheaper and quicker to manufacture than vinyl for many small independent acts. Its mainly nostalgia driven. For a period 4-5 years ago, it was hipster driven. But now it seems like millenials and even the next generation seeking them out as weird artifacts from a bygone era. I don't think they'll have the staying power that vinyl seems to have gotten in the past decade+, but I'm all about bands being able to make more income and having more tangible music out there.
     
    But aren't CDs even cheaper to make than cassettes? So the cheaper logic isn't there. 
    My guess is what others have said, being different or hip. It can't have anything to do with price. But anything non-digital is cool now. That's why when I search for albums on Amazon most digital downloads of an album cost around $10-13 and the CD is $2.99....and the CD comes with a free digital download code. But that isn't hip so I'm going to pay more money for just the download and save myself the trouble of throwing out the CD when it arrives.

Categories