Cassette Archives - Alan Cross' A Journal of Musical Things

Lou Ottens, the inventor of the cassette, has died at age 94.

Unless you’re a serious tech geek, chances are you’ve probably never seen the name Lou Ottens before you read the

When someone in the mailroom of The Duke Energy Building looked at the package, it seemed…suspicious. A rectangular shape could

My hatred for cassettes as a music storage technology is well known. However, I don’t have an issue with using

There were a couple of attempts to bring cassette technology into the digital era. The first, Digitial Audio Tape (DAT)

Although I believe that cassettes are a horribly outdated technology that deserves to die, I kinda like the kitchiness of

In case you’ve ever wanted driving directions from KFC HQ in Louisville, Kentucky, to its Big Chicken store (the one

The back-to-school ads are now all over TV. I’m not ready for this. Seriously. After all, it’s only July 26,

One day in the spring of 1993 as I was preparing for my afternoon shift at 102.1 the Edge, I

Please. Why do we want to bring back an obsolete bad-sounding music storage format? Those who are nostalgic for cassettes

What is it about cassettes–a hateful, obsolete technology, in my opinion–that engenders so much love in certain quarters? The Vinyl

I’m currently working on a children’s book for Kids Can Press which traces the evolution of the gadgets we’ve used

Delivering Reach for the Biggest Brands – Alan Dark in conversation with TBP Podcast EP 027 April 12, 2021
In a world obsessed with digital and mobile engagement, as well as the rise of subscription streaming entertainment services, like Netflix and now Disney+, it’s easy to overlook the going’s on in the broadcast media business. The reality is, the 75-year-old business is having a moment. Perhaps it is due, in part, to a global […]
Mark Silver
Making “The End of The Storm” – James Erskine in conversation with TBP Podcast EP 026 March 24, 2021
This week’s guest — director James Erskine — joins us from England where he has just released his latest feature-length documentary, The End of The Storm. The documentary follows Liverpool Football Club and their fans as they navigate the covid-interrupted 2019-2020 Premier League winning season. James expertly weaves together the voice of Jürgen Klopp, the […]
Andrew Dick
Inside the Toronto Sports Media Scene – Jonah Sigel in conversation with TBP Podcast EP 025 March 17, 2021
Being a Toronto sports fan hasn’t been easy for many generations of Torontonians. Of course, the Raptors NBA title was kind of a reset for the city, and there were a couple of crazy Blue Jays runs a few years back, but those were more so the Toronto sports awakening for Millenials. For Gen X, […]
Mark Silver