I got my first Cassette Recorder in the 1970's. It was a block of plastic with five big white plastic buttons on the lower edge, which looked like piano keys. I think it was a Philips. It had a mock leather case around it and a shoulder strap. The whole thing looked like a Star Trek tricorder and I loved it.
One of my favourite uses for my Recorder was taping the music charts on Sunday night. I think it was the official top 40 show on Radio 1 but I just taped the top twenty. Twenty two- minute songs and some jabbering from the DJ just about filled a C60 cassette tape.
It seems amazing in these days of Ipods and Downloads that my generation actually recorded the charts with an external microphone stood in front of the radio, capturing every sound in my bedroom too. Burps, trumps, Mum shouting its teatime, the lot! It didn't matter. As long as I could listen to the pop charts over and over again for a whole week I was as happy as a fish in batter!
Did you tape the charts?
Countless Sunday nights spent finger on the REC / PAUSE button to edit the DJ out. Still got the cassettes back at home. It was a home run if ABBA or Boney M was on, and does anyone remember Baccara? Oh Maria Oh Mayte. ...
ReplyDeleteI didn't tape the charts, but I recorded TV shows, I had audios of all of original Star Trek, some episodes of Space:1999, and all of Blakes 7 from season2! I also recorded radio shows (which makes a lot more sense!) Didn't manage to get a video recorder until 1981.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky enough for my parents to own a Reel to Reel tape recorder, so not only do I have some stuff from the 1970's, but I've also got some recordings from the 1960's on tape too.
ReplyDeleteOne particular favourite of mine is a BBC light programme presented by Don Moss. I've also got some "Pick of the Pops" shows recorded off the new fangled [at the time] VHF band!
Telstar sounds pretty good, even if David Jacobs made little secret that he thought it was 'Rubbish' at the time!