Phil Collins
No Jacket Required
Atlantic Records
1985
In the summer of 85, Phil Collins was at the height of his super powers. He drummed on every rock star’s records, was on TV constantly, played at Live Aid (both in London and later same day in Philly!). And along the way, he sold 25 million copies of this album … mostly on cassette.
Counting Crows
August and Everything After
Geffen Records
1993
Pass me a bottle, Mr Jones…
This was an advance radio-only cassette with no album art from Geffen … probably one of the last cassettes I ever got in the old days.
The Clash
Combat Rock
Epic Records
1982
“The only band the matters” mattered the most in the summer of ’82.
The Who
Who’s Next
Track / Decca / MCA
1971
Arguably the greatest album of the 1970s. This is an MCA 1980’s cassette version I bought in high school and played approximately 1 Million times … especially “Baba”!
Dire Straits
Brothers In Arms
Warner Brothers Records
1985
Released in May of 1985, this was THE most played cassette by pretty much anyone I know in the summer of ’85. This was also the first cassette I ever saw in the clear format … they had that weird oily smell to them when new!
Meat Loaf
Bat Out Of Hell
Epic Records
1977
This album is 45+ years old and we still can’t categorize it. And I still love it.
Monty Python
Instant Record Collection (US Version)
Arista Records
1982
If you spent your youth trying to catch a bit of Monty Python on your local PBS station, this collection of the group’s best bits from their UK comedy records was a prize. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!
Not: 2 things about this cassette scream 1982 … “Qualitape” (whatever that was) and also it’s in beautiful Arista Red!
Cheap Trick
Lap of Luxury
Epic Records
1988
This was the “comeback” album for the world’s greatest LIVE band, although I don’t think they ever went away. And they still play out 100+ night per year 35 year later!
Lap of Luxury had the band’s only number one song, but also a bunch of rockers.
Men At Work
Cargo
Columbia Records
1983
This gem is turning 40 this spring and I’m still a fan of Colin Hay. Great song writing!
Meat Puppets
Radio Meat Promo
London Records
1994
Here’s a radio promotion-only cassette version of Kurt Cobain’s favorite band, The Meat Puppets. This is actually a group of tracks from the “Too High To Die” album.
Even though CDs were king by 1994, record labels were still sending advanced copies of new releases to radio program directors and music directors on cassette, correctly assuming that most of us still drove cars with cassette players!
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