Abstract
The following piece is based around my interest in exploring the peculiarity of cassettes making a comeback in the present historical context. Related to this is the fact that engagement with and usage of tapes is an aspect of particular sorts of DIY2/experimental music scenes. I chose to approach this subject through a focus on scenes in Glasgow and in Edinburgh; it is based and organised around interviews and observation. Throughout 2013, I spoke with fans, musicians, promoters, record label runners, and all manner of other interrelated permutations of these categories. Underlying these conversations and observations was a sense of why (on a micro level) the use of tape as a format for releasing music was residually popular amongst independent musicians in the city where I live (Edinburgh) and where I often travel for gigs (Glasgow).
The title ‘On Tape’ references the eponymous cult indie pop hit of 1988 by The Pooh Sticks.
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© 2016 Kieran Curran
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Curran, K. (2016). ‘On Tape’: Cassette Culture in Edinburgh and Glasgow Now. In: Purcell, R., Randall, R. (eds) 21st Century Perspectives on Music, Technology, and Culture. Pop Music, Culture and Identity. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137497604_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137497604_3
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