I was never a great fan of cassettes, unlike friends who had banks of them or immediately recorded all their records (as we called vinyl in those days) onto the plastic tapes. But I was saddened to read of the death of their inventor, Lou Ottens
This portable cassette player, my “Walkman”, was a constant companion in the nineties. Purchased from one of those giant hi-fi shops that used to line London’s Tottenham Court Road, it was the preferred choice of producer Pascal Gabriel when he reviewed a selection for some forgotten magazine.
The catch stopped working after I dropped it a few days later but no matter, to my ears it always and still sounds great. I say still because it still works, though since I got my first iPod it’s only been dusted off to allow me to rip some old tapes into iTunes. It sits in a metal tin in the loft together with my three surviving cassettes.
The first is a cassette single by the Go–Go’s, best known these days perhaps and indirectly for being fronted by soon-to-be global superstar Belinda Carlisle. Had the whole world lost its head?
The second is what I expect is an exceptionally rare serving copy of Cutting the Mustard. Compiled by the local free newspaper, this compilation showcased the best of the then burgeoning York music scene. Most of the bands that were included I’d seen in the various pubs and clubs that doubled-up as music venues, but not Bunny Lust, who, despite the name, made the outstanding contribution.
The third is possibly as equally rare, being demo for Hooverman, whose drummer was briefly my boss in the early nineties. An LP, Not So Fast, soon followed and, just as fas, the band imploded citing the usual musical differences. Ironically it was those differences that made them sound so different, no more so on this, surely one of the greatest cover versions of all time.
Heard on the Wire 