Mix-tape spine-art
As an 80´s teen, mix-tapes take me back. Hard. We had no idea we were little piracy criminals, by taping some nice tunes from our friends. Although it was just for ourselves, and not for sale. The covers had to be also diy´d. This became an art form, as you imagined they were the real thing. When the collection grew, the real tapes actually messed the tape collection up visually. I sometimes did those covers myself as well. Although I listened to girly pop stuff like Madonna, The Pet Shop Boys, NKOTB, Michael Jackson… Cover images were cut from teen and music magazines and spine texts imitated with your finest handwriting. Plus you had to put your own design input on it. Although my music selection was more pop, than on these images, my diy cassette covers kicked ass. Too bad most of these have probably been destroyed at the thrift shops, as the sorters saw no value for the diy´s. Just the real thing.
Why am I writing about cassette spines? The aesthetics pleases my eye in a very nostalgic way. I´d love to do these as a print or patches. Not to t-shirts, but to my leather jacket, denims or winter coat. Even if people would then figure out exactly how old I am.
Pictures: The Lost Art of Cassette Design by Steve Vistaunet.
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