The Art Of Cassette Culture (Review)

Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture explores the sound mixes and art we created in our bedrooms long before iTunes and Photoshop.' ―Michael Dougherty, Blackbook Magazine. Fall 2004

Mix Tape: The Art Of Cassette Culture is a visually heavy, coffee table book that was created a couple of years back by the one and only Thurston Moore, whose infamy as an artist and musician certainly precede him. More importantly to most he’s a founding member of the seminal art-rock unit known as Sonic Youth, and father to virtually everything that is hip amongst the “indie” world at large. Don’t let his resume or reputation steal the spotlight on this one though, as this book is entirely about the love and charisma of “the mix tape.”

Contained within the pages of this fine work is a collection from various contributors ranging anywhere from Dean Wareham of Galaxie 500 fame, to Glen E. Friedman (Photographer), or even John Zorn (Composer), amongst other like-minded friends. The submissions incorporated are an assortment of fine art expression, stories, essays, or even theories associated with the splendour of said phenomenon. Many other facets of this book specifically deal with the relation between emotion in creating or receiving a work of this medium and it’s cultural importance. One section of the book in particular irreverently details this significance, specifically in how they can truly be considered a valid and modern form of the “time capsule.”

There are some other classic moments contained within these pages, one in particular being Ahmet Zappa’s donation entitled “Sensitive Pussies Should Not Listen To This Awesome Set Of Ditties,” which is a collection of eighties hard-rock jams. Coverage of Christian Marclay’s “Moebius Loop” art installation is another treat, which was crafted entirely of zip ties and old cassettes measuring a monstrous 24 x 84 x 240 inches. Moore’s introduction even drops some science with the much toted “home taping is killing music” propaganda - used quite liberally by record companies of the past, documenting how much like the MP3 and CDR of today – they were once the primary target of concern. He even goes on to talk about the effect Hip-Hop had on this art form, and the advent of the “Boom Box.”

Another interesting rhetorical question raised in later a segment presents a debate that crafting a mix-tape with someone else in mind, or exclusively for them, always subconsciously results in some form of narcissism, as it’s really more about you than the other party. On the surface this text in a later segment even begins to touch on the Digital versus Analog argument presenting a theory on “ear heart listening.” Moore illustrates a comparison between definitive (digital), and non-definitive (analog) sound waves. Meaning, “with digital your brain hears the information in numeric perfection,” where as “analog has the mystery arc where cosmos exist, which digital has not reigned in.” He goes on to describe how repeated listens of an analog source present “a new sensation” each time, where as “digital offers one cold kiss.”

With the advent of technology (specifically the ipod) aside, I’ve personally never believed that the days of cassettes, or the ‘mix tape’ to be specific - were ever gone. The convenience associated with computers may have conquered how people commonly share music in recent years (playlists), and as the ‘tape deck’ may not be as prevalent in the average home or car stereo as in it’s “golden era,” I still cannot foresee, or entirely resign myself to such defeat. That could certainly spell out a bit of my stubbornness, or disassociation from “our troubled youth” however, which is also a bitter pill considering I’m not even much of an elder.

Anyway, if you’ve ever managed to scrounge up anything in reference to this book, especially reviews, most folks are quick to drop those two cents in their state of the union address, included along with a savvy description of the contents within of course. I didn’t realize that making mix tapes has become such an elitist, throwback, or luddite activity, but I suppose it’s fair to be a bit of a cultural-sceptic these days, and so the sentiments of “what was better before” march right along with the territory. I can’t say that I entirely discount those concerns or thoughts either mind you. There is an inherent nostalgia that will always remain apparent in creating these works now, but to allow such interference defeats the purpose, or original intent behind the practise to begin with. From this rant however, I must digress…

Outside the self-righteous hype or rhetoric surrounding this opus, it serves to be an excellent documentation of the true art and appeal surrounding the mix tape. It has its guilty moments, like any vehicle of ‘the past’ - but is humble and separates from simple over indulgence or a lack of substance. The only set back I felt when I finished thumbing through it was that it seemed a little short. That minor flaw is easily reduced however, due to the fact that it is completely brilliant to browse through, and has such an impressive layout, which captures the personal authenticity of a “mix tape,” almost like you’re holding the actual source material.

For further information feel free to browse, or buy it here.

“In the future, when social scientists study the mix tape phenomenon, they will conclude – in fancy language – that the mix tape was a form of “speech” particular to the late twentieth century, soon replaced by the “play list.” - Dean Wareham (Page 28)

Remaining Submissions...

The background on this for some of the outsiders is as follows: Annually the Niagara Mix-Tape Union conduct an exchange associated with the SCENE music festival. The guidelines are simply to put together a mix in your flavour, and present it to us on the day of the event. From there, the contributions are judged based on decoration, and the top five awarded are given prize packages in gratitude of their efforts. Beyond that, every submission from there is placed into a box for a ‘blind grab,’ in which everyone who has submitted something can randomly receive the work of another. That’s basically it.

Here are the remaining submissions from this year’s swap meet:

Others...

Winners...

Unfortunately I must apologize as I didn’t get hardly anyone’s names, but am going to put up the pictures and information anyway. If you would like credit for your work please feel free to get in contact with us via this site. If anyone who may have received, or made these beauties would like to submit a track listing of what appeared on them, it would be more than welcome.

Further, we’re going to be uploading the remaining pictures of all the submissions as soon as possible. We haven’t forgotten.

1st Prize.

This is one of the most interesting and clever submissions that we’ve ever received over the years. No one up until this point had ever used Lego as a decorative theme, but it worked out very well. As the note on the ‘belly’ mentions, he had originally planned on using a cassette tape, which would have been inserted as the ‘heart.’ Somewhere in the process of compiling this opus, he noticed that he didn’t have any left, and so it morphed into a CD as a ‘jetpack’ instead. It’s pretty flawless anyway you look at it though. This was a shoe-in as the winner as soon as I saw it.

2nd Prize.

This submission is yet another in unclaimed territory for decoration. This person made the ‘packaging’ of the mix a crafty jean pocket. Aside from looking very awesome, it also served to be quite functional. I don’t have too much more to add on this one, as it’s pretty self-explanatory.

3rd Prize.

This is another skilful, simple and effective design. The case was entirely made of cardboard, which folded out with pasted pictures, and was held closed by a tiny metal clip. The theme in the artwork was also well executed. From what I recall, all of the pictures included were in the same element as the cover. A sort of propaganda like, golden age Americana idea, with an early technology or a science fiction sort of angle. Classic.

4th Prize.

A picture doesn’t do this work it’s full justice unfortunately. This was another sort of cardboard creation that had been decorated over very well. It seriously looked like a finished product of an album that you would buy in a store. I’m not positive as to what the over all theme was, but it did include some sort of ‘social equation’ on the back. Something in reference to music nerds, or emotion in relation to music. I honestly can’t recall exactly, but I do remember being really impressed, and thus why it placed.

5th Prize.

This was our final of five placements, although admittedly it was quite tough to choose, as we did receive a ton that would have also deserved to claim this very spot. I didn’t get a detailed look at this work aside from its decoration, which was a kind of fabric tape over the cover. Whenever I look at it now, it seems as if it would be a prison theme. That, or possibly Beetlejuice? Either way, this is another straightforward and successful design.

Honourable mentions:

I’ve included another couple submissions that were outstanding, and easily could have placed. This was submitted by the lovely Margaret Thompson, an ‘insider’ that helps with the Niagara Mix-Tape Union dealings. She didn’t want to claim a prize in order for someone else to have one, but this probably would have taken second place very easily. The entire theme of the mix was candy, and as you can see by the packaging it was able to transform into a gumball machine. The severity of the theme even went so far as to have pretty much every title feature the word candy somehow.

This bad-boy was submitted by a fellow named Sean Condon who’s been taking part in these swap meets since day one. Apart from being a fountain of music knowledge, he clearly knows how to knock one out of the park with layout and design as well. It’s unfortunate that you can’t see the full extent of its majesty by this picture, but it had a three-page fold out, which had been mocked up in some sort of graphic program. It looked completely like a finished product you would purchase for an album, and is one of the only submissions we’ve ever received that didn’t have some form of ‘hands on’ feel that could have easily placed. They seriously should have got this man to design the SCENE compilation CD packaging, as this is far superior. Anyway, all of the judges were severely impressed, and thus why it gets the second honourable mention.

Funniest cover of a submission we’ve ever received. This wasn’t a straight-edge theme mix either, although that would have been a flawless cover for one.

The fourth annual jamboree will take place this upcoming Sunday, July 9, 2006. Please visit http://www.scenemusicfestival.com/ for further information. Going forward this site will house all updates, coverage and relevant content. Don’t FRONT – participate.