Cassette Culture

• Deleted Records & The Instant Automatons

  Underneath the safety pins, television expletives and bondage trousers that came with Punk in 1977, there was a coded message for those ready to hear it. Resolutely independent, the Instant Automatons and their label Deleted Records tuned in from the North of England and got that message of DIY independence, creativity and confidence that followed "Here's Three Chords, Now Form A Band". We trace the birth of the UK cassette underground - from isolated bedrooms to West London squats, from hand-dubbed tapes to Rough Trade shelves. It’s the story of how a handful of young people, with almost no resources, built a national community through shared idealism, cheap technology, and an unstoppable desire to create. Finding their tribe with the Labroke Grove hippie-punks circulating around the Here & Now/Frestonia/free festival scene and building their community under the Westway. Here & Now drummer, Kif Kif Le Batteur made his sentiment about the established record industry clear when he named his cassette label F.O. Records. Recognising that the Instant Automatons and their label Deleted Records got it too, they connected to collaborate on cassette and vinyl releases, gigs and tours. And in doing, forged a template that was adopted and amplified from there on. Hosted by Martin Franklin.Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz VIDEOYou can find videos of some of the amazing fanzines and cassette releases that drop through our letterbox on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast IN THIS EPISODE VOICESMartin FranklinJerry KranitzMark LancasterColin PotterJonathan Barnett…and John Peel MUSICDuo Electronica (except), Deleted Funtime (Deleted 009)The Instant Automatons “ Routine Habit” We Couldn’t Agree On A Title (Integrated Circuit Records ICR 001)Colin Potter “The Last Train” The Scythe (ICR)The Instant Automatons “Scared To Be Alone” Peter Paints His Fence EP (Deleted)Instant Automatons “Too Big” Not So Deep As A Well (Waterden WDCD002)Danny & The Dressmakers “God Puts A Stop To The Silver Paper Monster” 39 Golden Grates (Fuck Off Records) Archive audio: “Johns Vacuum Cleaner” John Peel Show 17 June 1980, BBC Radio 1 “Pre Natal Counselling” The Midnight Circus“Chemical Solutions” Missing Persons,“Disillusion” The Instant Automatons“Journey To The West” The Mystic Umbrellas All from the Deleted Funtime compilation (Deleted 009) Many thanks to Jonny Zhivago and the invaluable resource for underground music that is Die Or DIY (https://dieordiy2.blogspot.com/) PROTAG We would like to dedicate this episode to the memory of Martin "Protag" Neish, who passed away in February 2014. We were too late to meet him, but found his footprints through some of the episodes in this season of Cassette Culture. We are proud to be able to tell at least a small part of his story.(https://louderthanwar.com/northern-punk-scene-mourns-martin-protag-neish/ ) FIND UShttps://cassetteculturepodcast.com Cassette Culture is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Season 2 - DIY Revolution: Owning The Means Of Production

  The artists who made the template - In Season 2 we’re delving into the very origins of the underground cassette music scene from the late 70s and early 80s, featuring insights from key musicians who revolutionised independent music production. "We didn't think much of the establishment and capitalism, instead of demonstrating against it, we thought we'd create another world which existed outside of it." Jonathan Barnett of Fuck Off Records encapsulates the revolutionary mindset of the post-Punk movement. Mark Lancaster, Phillip Sanderson, Jonathan Barnett, Colin Potter and others share their experiences of challenging the mainstream music industry through a low key yet radical DIY approach. Snatch Tapes, Fuck Off Records, Deleted Records, Integrated Circuit Records were all part of the wave that shaped a template for what was to come. The narrative explores how musicians rejected traditional music production methods, creating an alternative world of sound and creativity. Cassettes emerged as a powerful medium of expression, offering an affordable and accessible way for artists to record and distribute their music. The episode highlights the punk-inspired ethos of independent music creation, emphasising a spirit of rebellion against established structures and the building of a community. Listeners will discover a fascinating network of musicians who connected through fanzines, music papers, and tape exchanges. The collaborative culture transcended traditional genre boundaries, with artists supporting each other's experimental sounds and independent productions. Phillip Sanderson's innovative approach of dismantling radios to create electronic noises exemplifies the creative spirit of the cassette culture. The documentary provides a deep dive into a pivotal moment in music history, showcasing how independent artists used technology and collaboration to challenge the traditional music industry. It's a testament to creativity, DIY spirit, and the power of grassroots music production. Technical Details:Format: Audio documentaryFocus: Independent music scene, DIY music productionEra: Late 1970s to early 1980sSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Checkpoint Staalplaat: Revisiting Radical Sound, with Geert-jan Hobijn

  From vinyl to cassettes and the occasional... flexi-postcard! Geert-Jan Hobijn reflects on Staalplaat’s origins as a cassette label, and some current releases. In this special interim episode of Cassette Culture, Martin Franklin and Jerry Kranitz speak with Geert-Jan Hobijn, the legendary founder of Staalplaat - the experimental music label that began in an Amsterdam squat in 1982 and went on to define an era of radical sound and design. We focus on some current activities publishing unreleased Muslimgauze recordings, reissuing classics from the Korm Plastics label - and dreaming up outlandish packaging ideas (including a cassette release that came with a pair of custom-designed socks). The conversation also touches on the challenges and joys of running a label across decades, the crossover between Staalplaat’s releases and Geert-Jan’s own Staalplaat Sound System installation work, and the philosophy of making music and art available in ways that resist the digital mainstream. Hosted by Martin Franklin & Jerry Kranitz.Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz VIDEOYou can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast MUSIC"Headphonics (VPRO Version)" Ryoji Ikeda, Mort Aux Vaches (Staalplaat, 2020)"Zealot" Muslimgauze (flexi-postcard 2025)"A1" Muslimgauze, Tape 13 (cassette 2025)"Live At The Clocktower, New York City (27 April 89)" Arcane Device, SIX (Korm Plastics D, cassette 2025) LINKSStaalplaat Labelhttps://staalplaatlabel.bandcamp.com/ Muslimgauzehttps://muslimgauze.bandcamp.com/ Korm Plastics Dhttps://kormplasticsd.bandcamp.com/ Cassette Culture is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Copy This Mix

  Music mix by Joshua James Amberson drawing on cassette releases reviewed in issue #3 of the Copy This Cassette zine. Joshua is publisher of the Basic Paper Airplane zine, and curator of the Antiquated Future store/distro and label. He is based in Portland, Oregon, USA.Theme music "Hesatative" Jack Hertz VIDEOYou can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases in this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast LINKSJoshua James Amberson/Antiquated Future (https://www.antiquatedfuture.com/)Copy This Cassette (https://copythis.bandcamp.com/)MUSICOther Worlders "Hidden Energy Positive Light" Aural Canyonhttps://auralcanyonmusic.bandcamp.com/album/hidden-energy-positive-light Machine Go Boom "When We're Ghosts" Just Because Recordshttps://justbecauserecords.bandcamp.com/album/when-were-ghosts Zeiss Ikon "Cybernetic Anarchy" 2025 Reissue, Magrit Recordshttps://zeissikon.bandcamp.com/album/cybernetic-anarchy Big Fat Head "BoBo Rising" Clean Demon Recordshttps://cleandemonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/bobo-rising Charles Rice Goff III "Language For Unstated Thoughts" Taped Rugshttps://archive.org/details/LanguageForUnstatedThoughts/ Cody Brant - Carl Kruger "Smoke Detail" Copy This 2025https://codybrantcarlkruger.bandcamp.com/album/smoke-detail Yaara Valey "our liberation is" Antiquated Futureshttps://antiquatedfuture.bandcamp.com/album/our-liberation-is Guidon Bear "Internal Systems" Antiquated Futurehttps://antiquatedfuture.bandcamp.com/album/internal-systems THANKSImmense thanks to Joshua James Amberson for curating this mix,(https://www.antiquatedfuture.com/) and to the artists for use of their tracks. Produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Inside the Zine: Copy This Cassette with Blake Werts

  From the worlds of mini-comix to independent music, D. Blake Werts is the creative force behind the fanzine, Copy This Cassette. Martin Franklin and co-host Jerry Kranitz sit down with Blake to share the surprising story of how he discovered cassette culture only a few years ago, and how that discovery inspired him to launch a new publication devoted entirely to underground cassette releases. He explains the philosophy behind Copy This Cassette, including its tactile, analogue-first ethos and the importance of short, descriptive "snapshot reviews." We also learn about Blake's deep roots in the world of mini comics, how he taps into regional cassette scenes from the Pacific Northwest to Europe, and the editorial decisions that keep the zine focused and accessible. You can find Copy This on Bandcamp at copythis.bandcamp.com and catch our unboxing video of issue 3 on the Cassette Culture Podcast YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast Keep updated on the Second Edition of "Cassette Culture: Homemade Music and the Creative Spirit in the Pre-Internet Age" by contacting Jerry. jerrykranitzwriter.com/ Hosted by Martin Franklin & Jerry Kranitz.Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz VIDEOYou can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast MUSIC”Step On Me” Hydrone - Live at Nelsonville 2022 (Clean Demon Records) “n-0”, Kozo Inada, Kozo Inada & Frans de Waard (temporary mountain)“Post Surgical Blues” Versioning, Cloud Plateau (Ingrown Records)“Alamogordo” FUZZ UNLIMITED, Journey To The Seventh Planet (Illuminated Paths)“Hippie” Versioning, Cloud Plateau (Ingrown Records)“Under Garbage” Cody Brant - Carl Kruger, Smoke Detail (Copy This) LINKSCopy Thishttps://copythis.bandcamp.com/ Clean Demon Recordshttps://cleandemonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-nelsonville-2022 temporary mountaintemporarymountain.bandcamp.com/ Ingrown Recordsingrown.bandcamp.com/ Illuminated Pathsilluminatedpaths.bandcamp.com/ Basic Paper Airplanewww.antiquatedfuture.com/zines/basic-paper-airplane-13-the-cassette-tape-issue/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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