modern
walkman
Artist Statement
For my narrative assignment I wanted to capture the atmosphere of listening to a cassette in a modern format. Normally on apps like Spotify you can listen in an instant but with a cassette there is more anticipation. Through this website, I try to combine digital with analog. I also wanted to show my appreciation for cassettes by sharing how I got my favorite ones.
With this project I had trouble creating multiple modals that worked. Through help from Stack Overflow and W3 Schools I was eventually able to figure it out. I learned that all I needed to do was customize each modal with a new ID. Another issue I ran into was positioning items on my page. Through trial and error, I managed to position them where I wanted.
Credits:
Icon drawing: Jared Melgarejo
Modal code:W3 Schools
Modal Help:Stack Overflow
les brown
I was in a thrift store in St. Helens on a date when I found this cassette. We were looking through the CDs and records trying to find classics from our childhoods. After bonding over our music tastes we spotted the cassettes. As my eyes glazed over the shelf trying to see if I could recognize any names, the light blue cover caught my eye. When I picked it up, I saw the endearing smile of Les Brown.
Japanese Breakfast
This is the most current cassette I own. I bought it brand new from Jackpot Records in Portland, OR. The cashier was very friendly and told me she wanted to see them perform in concert one day. I was familiar with the band’s song “Be Sweet” and I was excited to hear the analog version. The analog version of the song made me appreciate it more and showed me how a song can take on new forms based on the medium.
Razao
My friend introduced me to Brazilian musicians like Gal Costa and Sergio Mendez. So, when I found this record in a thrift store in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, I was eager to see what kind of music hid inside this cassette. I had made a promise to myself that I would not spend any money outside of food, but I couldn’t pass up a $1 cassette.
Summer Vacation
I got this cassette in Dongmyo Flea Market in South Korea. The flea market was filled with elderly vendors who sold a variety of items like watches, vintage hats, books, old cameras, and cassettes. I remember getting out of the subway and feeling the humidity in the air and seeing a part of Seoul that I was not familiar with. This looked like a part of the city that had not been influenced by tourists. Then I quickly realized that it would be difficult to understand prices with my limited Korean. I knew how to ask “what is the price” but I could not understand numbers. After a few failed purchased attempts, I saw a stand with a variety of items and saw this cassette. I asked how much the cassette was and the vendor put up one finger. I could understand that meant 1,000 won ($0.76 USD).
Young Disciples
I got this cassette in a thrift store called Red White and Blue in Jennings Lodge, Oregon. I went into the thrift store wanting to look for possible vintage items I could sell for my Depop shop. I didn’t find much but I discovered this thrift store had a wide selection of vintage cassettes. I love hearing this cassette on rainy days.