Description
Book SynopsisThe cassette tape was revolutionary. Cheap, portable, and reusable, this small plastic rectangle changed music history. This entertaining book charts the journey of the cassette from its invention in the early 1960s to its Walkman-led domination in the 1980s to decline at the birth of compact discs to resurgence among independent music makers.
Trade ReviewAn affectionate ode . . . Masters constructs a lively and detailed case for the cassette as a vital driver of cultural creation. This charming history is sure to please anyone nostalgic for the mixtapes of yesteryear."—
Publishers Weekly A thoroughly enjoyable romp . . . With energy, insight, and wit, Masters provides a welcome examination of an often overlooked cultural turning point."—
Kirkus Reviews (STARRED review)
This accessible primer unravels past and present uses and misuses of cassettes. . . . Masters builds a generous lineage, where it is clear that as much as 'sounds realign magnetic particles on a tape . . . the tape realigns your brain.'"—The Wire
Knowingly written from the perspective of an entangled enthusiast rather than a distanced observer, [High Bias] carries an awareness that an objective history of the impact of a piece of technology isn't possible, all we can do is collect the stories we tell through it. . . . High Bias is a material history, but it's also a folk history."—The Quietus
"Masters, whose work often goes far below the surface of all things sonic . . . offers a fascinating look at the shifting role of cassettes over the years—and some of the fascinating ways in which people have used them."—InsideHook
A wonderful book, whose title is derived from the term for tape quality."—The Goo
