I used to hate dollar bin tapes until a guy at a record show changed my mind

Was at the Columbus record swap back in March and this older dude had a box of random 50 cent tapes. I walked right past, he called me back and said 'you're missing the weird stuff that nobody else heard.' He handed me a beat up copy of some local church choir from 1983. Sounded terrible but there was this raw energy to it that I couldn't shake. Ever had a cheap tape surprise you with some hidden gem you never would have tried?

2 comments

2 Comments

stone.thomas2d ago

Rolled my eyes at a $1 bin once and pulled out a punk demo from 1987 that sounded like it was recorded in a dumpster, absolutely loved every second of it. Now I grab anything with a handwritten label, my ears have paid the price but my soul is richer.

wade7672d ago

Found a cassette tape at a thrift store once, no label at all, just a strip of masking tape with "SIDE A" written in ballpoint pen. Popped it in the truck deck on the way home and it was some local folk punk band recorded in what sounded like a garage during a windstorm. Could barely make out the vocals but the guitar sounded like it was being strangled, perfect driving music. Kept it in the tape deck for months, never did find out who they were.