Cassettes are making a comeback...

Cassettes are making a comeback. I keep hearing this. But even though there is an official Cassette Day, I’ve found no passion for it. I grew up with cassettes and taped albums all the time. It was the only way to afford records. There was often a queue to tape the one copy. But the cassette is a strange looking thing and as inferior as they used to be in terms of sound and longevity, I can see the attractiveness to kids who haven't grown up with them.

I still have all of mine. They’re in a box in the loft and although I don’t need to tape records anymore,  I have lots of live shows taped off the radio. Ironically some have found an official release. I actually taped the whole of the Live Aid shows on both sides of the Atlantic, not that much of it was any good. 

Most of the live shows come from Sight And Sound In Concert; a brilliant TV programme which was a live show, broadcast in FM simultaneously. I have shows by Rory Gallagher, Bruford, Colosseum II with Gary Moore, Lone Star, John Martyn and Gillan. Not that I play them, but it's nice to know I have some almost 50-year old live tapes up there. I should transfer them onto CD’s really but it’s just another thing I haven't got around to doing.