Cassette decks and performance art

Ferric-oxide Archaeology
www.rainerlinz.net/NMA/articles/Ferric-oxide.html
“A survey of audio cassette player manipulation techniques in live performance, 1977- 91″

An excellent run-down of some cassette player manipulation by Melbourne performers of experimental music.
Apparently the decade 1975-85, were the golden years

There’s some great examples of “hardware-hacking”, as we’d call it these days. But this one’s my favourite:

“”Our Electronic Heritage” (Althoff, 1980) was an improvisation on a ’self-playing’ cassette-less machine, where a father had repaired the loose plastic case of his daughter’s cassette player by drilling a hole through its corner and inserting a long threaded bolt and nut to hold things firm. Yes – right through the circuit board! Unwittingly, he’d made an electronic instrument that could be played by pressing various buttons, turning knobs and by shaking it. The cassette p/b function still worked, so a mix was possible too.”

Nice.