Category: Cassette pets

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‘Dreams and Desires’ tape (Pleasantly Surprised, PS006, 1984)

‘Dreams and Desires’ was one the ‘Pleasantly Surprised’ series of various artist cassette compilations that appeared throughout the first half of the ’80s, this particular example hailing from late 1984. The sleeve design clearly has a nod and a wink to the Joy Division feel of ‘Closer’, while musically the selection is something of a feast for fans of the 4AD label, with demo/instrumental versions to be found from several of the then current 4AD stable.

Cassette - 'Dreams' side
^ Cassette – ‘Dreams’ side
Cassette - 'Desires' side
^ Cassette – ‘Desires’ side

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New Musik ‘Anywhere’ UK cassette (GTO, GTMC044, 1981)

In the years before CDs became available and the eventually dominant format, record companies would tempt buyers into shelling out for cassettes by including extra tracks not found on the vinyl albums. One such example is New Musik’s second album, ‘Anywhere’, released in 1981. It includes two extra tracks that never appeared on vinyl, neither on the vinyl album nor any of the single B sides.

New Musik 'Anywhere' cassette

However, there is a slight confusion there, since the sticker of the cassette case proudly states ‘plus 2 free extra tracks not on the album – ‘Guitars’ & ‘And”. The track ‘Guitars’ DID actually appear on vinyl, as one of the B sides to the ‘While You Wait’ single. Turns out that the sticker is incorrect – ‘Guitars’ is not to be found on the cassette – the track ‘Under Attack’ is there instead, along with the other extra track, ‘And’. Continue reading “New Musik ‘Anywhere’ UK cassette (GTO, GTMC044, 1981)”

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British Electric Foundation ‘Music for Stowaways’ UK cassette (Virgin, TCV2888, Released: 1981)

Originally a cassette-only album release, the first following the departure of Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware from the original Human League line-up. 1980/81 saw the cassette as a format very much in-vogue, with other acts such as Bow Wow Wow making much publicity from cassette-only releases such as ‘Your Cassette Pet’.

BEF ‘Music for Stowaways’ UK cassette

This was all no doubt fuelled by the revolution that was the Sony Walkman, first introduced in 1979. The title of ‘Music for Stowaways’ came from Sony’s originally planned UK name for the device, the Stowaway, but what would eventually be the Walkman. Continue reading “British Electric Foundation ‘Music for Stowaways’ UK cassette (Virgin, TCV2888, Released: 1981)”