Launched just last year by a group of UK cassette label owners including Steven Rose of Sexbeat Records, Matt Flag of Suplex Cassettes, and Jen Long of Kissability, Cassette Store Day is raising its game this year, September 27, with a ton more releases and a US branch run by American cassette aficionados Burger Records.
In the run up to the big day, this Saturday, we’re asking some of the diverse Cassette Store Day artists to tell us about their favourite cassettes and explain what the humble tape means to them. Second up is David Gedge of legendary Leeds-based indie rock band The Wedding Present.
Cassette Store Day Pop Quiz #1
What’s the first cassette you owned?
Slade Alive, by Slade. It was from 1972, just before they had all their glam-rock hits.
What was the last cassette you bought?
I’ve never bought pre-recorded cassettes, just blank ones to tape stuff.
What’s your favourite cassette ever?
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield is my most ever played cassette. But it only had Side 1 of the LP on it. So I know that side very well but Side 2 hardly at all.
What’s the best cassette artwork you’ve ever seen?
It was a mixtape by Sexbeat called 009:Radfest – which contained a Wedding Present cover of Wreckless Eric’s ‘Whole Wide World’.
What’s the best mix cassette you ever gave/received?
I once made a cassette of my friends’ 7” punk singles from 1977, which I played to death. He had loads, so it was a full C90. But it was for myself so maybe that doesn’t count?
Why are cassettes awesome?
Because they’re playable anywhere – home, car, walkman – and you just begin listening where you last pressed ‘stop’.
What cassette release are you most looking forward to this store cassette day?
I see that there are plenty of ‘various artists’ cassettes, I’d probably go for one of them.
See more from our Cassette Store Day takeover.
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