Friday, June 05, 2015

RESURRECT MUSIC ON PLANET EARTH

In 2013 91.7 WKDU assembled a mix-tape for the first time in two decades (ostensibly.) But think of the time period. It's 2015. The audio CD debuted in 1982, the CD-R in 1990. That was 25 years ago. A college student today may have never even seen a cassette (let alone an 8-track, LP, 45, 78, cylinder etc.) For them this was retro.

The track list is composed of WKDU studio sessions with local and national bands. The circulation is a mere 100 tapes. Yes, I have one. Of the format, their GM Jamie Crymes said "We chose the cassette cause we got them for cheap. Vinyl is expensive to press and CDs aren’t as nice to feel and look at..." WKDU last put out a compilation in 1994 as a set of 4 7-inch vinyl records titled “Scrapple." [What's scrapple? It's the part of a pig not good enough for hot dogs.]

But the art. We should discuss the cover art. It's designed to evoke the mysterious Toynbee Tiles, which do originate in Philadelphia. I saw them in many cities before I discovered them in their homeland of South Philly. Yes, you should Google that.

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