It is always nice to have a visit from my mate Pod. As i mentioned in the introduction for this blog that he and I had this project in mind a few years ago, to write an account of punk bands in Cumbria, but the project was too big for both of us at that time. I have started a more personal account with the hope of others to contribute.

Pod came up with a few demo cassettes and photos for me to copy and add to the blog (which I will be doing in the next week). The frist cassette was of “The Beguiled”, he also had some photos which I will include along with the mp3s. The other cassette was of the Carlisle band “Cold Angles”. Both bands had as their drummer Duncan Todhunter (R.I.P.).

Recording these demo cassettes was not easy as I had to rummage around in the attic until I found various old cassette players from bygone years! Most of them did not work, but I managed to find 2 that did, but 1 only played in mono, the other decided to distort on one channel when it felt like it! But this was resolved when I used a certain type of lead, fed into my 4 track cassette desk, and then another lead fed into the computer! Wires everywhere, “tiptoe-ing though the carnage” on the floor of cassettes, boxes, bags etc. it was a reminder of life in the 80s when this sort of thing was a normal (frustrating) occurrence.

But, there is something about cassettes and since now I have a machine (of sorts) to play them, I have bags (and bags) full of various musical genres to re-listen. I think most people will think cassettes are a thing of the past? But if you step outside of europe they never went out of fashion, they are as popular as they once were here. Sadly, it is we who have been ‘forced’ to discard the LP and the Cassette for the CD, and now even this will soon be a thing of the past due to online streaming. My take on all this is that none of it should have been taken away. The music format and the equipment to play it should be available for everyone in all their technical varieties, why restrict it? It was an economic exercise where we were ‘used’!

Pod and I talked music of course, of past and present, and his experiences with playing with his own bands “Distortion” & “The City Kids” (hopefully I will get around to including them at a later date). Always a pleasure to chat with him, Cheers for your help Pod.