You Won’t Steal My Tape Recorder
As we are making the final preparations for Phish Thought’s “No Spoiler Hampton Downloads,” the steep evolutionary curve of audio technology and distribution has really struck me. Within ten years or so, we have moved from analog B & P trades where you waited weeks to hear a show to Hampton, where you should be downloading the show within an hour of its ending. If Phish was cool with it, some tapers even have the technology to stream the show live- gimme a break, right? If you’re on the west coast, you should be listening to the show from Phish Thoughts around 9pm- the night it happened! But it wasn’t always this easy and there was a long road traveled to arrive at this destination of Hampton 2009.
First there were tapes. Analog tapes; veritable dinosaurs of a bygone era. Ninety minutes- no longer. Any longer and the tape got too thin and possible quality and/or longevity issues could arise. Quality was everything, and certainly never a given! In this vein, if you 
were a heady collector, you had two single decks (preferably Nakamichis) instead of the common dual-deck setup. It was all about deck-to-deck taping. High speed dubbing? Psshaw- that was the devil’s technology!
You really needed to stay within the first three generations to have a truly listenable tape- but I sure had plenty of “unknown” generation with that snake-like hiss- that dreaded hiss! Some of the tapes we all listened to at some point were laughable by today’s standards- like having you ear pressed toa foam wall trying to hear something in the next room. But those were the first bricks in this yellow brick road. And without the ability to skip from track to track, most people listened to sets straight through, getting better acquainted with songs and growing relationships with them- one beauty of the bygone era of analog.
And then there were DATs. The hiss was gone! But DAT players were expensive. Yet anyone who invested in a DAT player had a leg up in the game. There was no more generational loss, simply digital clones- it’s amazing what a bunch of 1s and 0s could do. If you had a portable DAT, it was on- as long as you had some friends in the taper’s section. By the time late ’98 rolled around I had this dialed in. Sneak the D8 in, hand it off to my buddy (big-ups Dreyfus!), go rage wherever seemed fit, and grab it after the show. Sometimes I had to switch tapes at setbreak, which always added a twisted mission to the already *interesting* interludes. We’d hop in the car to the next show, and booyah- we rocked the set while the energy still bubbled inside.
DATs provided an exact portrait of the show in pristine form, but they were still tapes; they could break or the tape could get stuck in the machine, and thus CD-Rs were born. Christening the audio-on-computer based stage of Phish collecting, you could now burn CDs from each other and rack up Case Logic books like they were going out of style- and in fact they were- very quickly. But during the few years of the CD-R’s reign, all of a sudden we had to deal with splitting shows in three!? That was the worst part of it all- raging a set, and then having it stop only to have to physically switch CDs to continue- even analogs had auto-reverse!
Then came the 80-minute CD-R, upping the ante by a whopping six minutes! Though seemingly insignificant, this advance allowed some sets to fit on on disc, and potentially allowed a show to fit onto two if you risked overburning and juggled some tracks around. Once that started to happen, the technology outworked itself, producing disjointed discs with “Set 1 + end of set II and E.” That was crap- talk about killing the flow of things. I’d waste a disc just to keep the already broken flow instead of crashing into the encore after the first set ended- there was just no continuity. It also gave you the opportunity add some filer to the end of a disc – a popular practice of the analog age that made the jump to digital. If you had a six-disc changer in your car, you had the capability of rolling with two shows loaded- a far cry from your whole collection in the palm of your hand these days.
But before long, CDs were all but annihilated by the IPod. All of a sudden, instead of lugging two hundred-CD books around, you could fit two times that in your back pocket. This is when the future finally caught up with itself. People began to fill external hard drives with music, stocking amounts unfathomable five years before onto a device as big as a book.
Yet with this huge advancement, there was also a cultural compromise- the onset of the MP3. With a far more convenient file size than .wavs, before long, the norm became listening to “lossy” music, or compressed files, that didn’t provide you with the *true* sound of the show. Though with encoded bit rates of 320 kbps, the convenience began to outweigh the audiophile in me, and my countless CD binders became home fixtures.
Then, all the effort was taken out of things when with the onset of Phish 2.0 and the creation of LivePhish. Now, anyone could download Mp3 or SHN (and later FLAC) files within a day or two of the show. With profits eventually going all to charity, it was hard to find a flaw with their service- though many cite poor mixes and a general flat quality to these SBD releases that could be ameliorated by the use of matrix recordings (mix of SBD snd AUD recordings)- though they would obviously take more time to release. With every give there is a take, though noticeably, there have been no pre-order offers by LivePhish for Hampton, nor any mention of the shows being released at all.
For those looking to spend no money and stick with audience recordings there is BitTorrent and the world of FTP (and the largely hidden world that is DC++)- getting music directly from people’s computers all over the world. With many sources posted within a day of any current show, the availability of these dwindling audience recordings are usually quicker than the official SBDs. And now, with the ability to record directly to hard drives or solid state media, Phish Thoughts is bringing you the show almost immediately after it is over.
It is only a matter of time before Phish gets on their game and offers live streams of their shows. It would be an absurd business move not to, let alone not offer webcasts. There are plentiful options for listening to the show as it happens, and it will be interesting if the stripped down organization will offer any. Before long, you’ll see pirate streamers at the shows, posting live streams. I’d give at year at most before people start figuring out how to do it well if Phish doesn’t do it first.
It’s been a crazy trip as we’ve progressed through each stage of these rapidly developing technologies. From padded mailers with blanks and postage to the massive (yet low bit rate) Google Spreadsheet, the distribution of Phish has evolved as far as the technology side has. No longer must we seek out a human being and actually- or virtually- interact with them to score music; not necessarily a good thing, as many a friendship blossomed from tape trading. Only a search bar and a mouse is necessary- it’s completely crazy when you put it in perspective and you have lived through each technological shift over Phish’s career. As the band enters step three and technological innovation continues to peak, one would think that these two forces will come together and emerge with something we have yet to experience, it may just be a matter of what.
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COMMENT PAGINATION- FINALLY!
All Phish Thoughts comments threads will now be split into 30 comment “pages.” There will be options to navigate to “older comments” or “newer comments,” 30 at a time. This will greatly decrease the amount of scrolling necessary for discussion, a feature that is long overdue. The most recent 30 comments will appear when clicking on initially clicking on “Comments.” Enjoy the lack of scrolling! I know I will.
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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
11.12.94 MAC Center, Kent State Univ. Kent, OH < LINK
11.12.94 MAC Center, Kent State Univ. Kent, OH < TORRENT LINK
Here we have a classic relic from the standout month of November ’94. The first set was vintage ’94 selection of songs, while the second set boasts the show’s gem in the exploratory “Disease > Have Mercy > Disease” landing in “Lifeboy.” A wonderfully collaborative “Harry Hood” punctuated a top-notch show.
I: Runaway Jim, Foam, If I Could, Guyute, Maze, Stash, Esther, Chalk Dust Torture
II: Julius, Fluffhead, Down With Disease > Have Mercy > Down With Disease > Lifeboy, Rift, The Old Home Place*, Nellie Cane*, Foreplay* > Long Time*, Harry Hood, Golgi Apparatus
E: Sample in a Jar
*Acoustic
Tags: Culture
I STILL REMEMBER HOGGING MY HOME COMP. FOR HOURS TO DOWN LOAD SHN FILES FROM ETREE TO THE COMPLAINTS OF MY WIFE. BUT I SURE DO HAVE ALOT FULL CD CASES. LOVE HOW THE TECH HAS CHANGED THINGS. I CAN DOWNLOAD AND SHE DO WHATEVER SHE WANTS NOW. JUST LUV IT.CANT WAIT FOR THE NO SPOILERS.THX MR.M
Ah yes, I remember putting flyers up all over UNH to start Grateful Dead tape trades back in ’85. I still have boxes of old tapes out in the garage, everything is so easy to download as a soundboard now-a-days, there’s no need to keep those tapes I suppose. Kind of like that box of 8-tracks I was keeping (next to the record albums of course!) And with Phishthoughts posting the shows up, there’s really no need to record things yourself now, is there? Gotta luv da internet.
It’s going to be a different world that’s for sure. I wonder what the taper section is going to look like. No longer the forest of huge mic trees I imagine. So stoked for the No-Spoiler downloads. Listening party in my surround sound equipped living room!! It’s not the mothership but it’s probably as close as someone not actually at the show could or has ever gotten. Gotta love that crazy technology.
I remember a guy in my McGregor dorm at Colorado College (95-96) who was next door to my room. He had hundreds of Phish tapes underneath his table. On the table was a hooker in form of a scull. Hey, if you read this – maybe you are also on this Blog, I’m the crazy German guy who played Pink Floyd on his E-Guitar all day long…;-)
I was completely bummed about losing my favorite tape (12/9/95). I couldn’t find it anywhere and eventually quit looking. Months later, while vacuuming out my 1986 Buick Skylark, I found the tape under the seat. It was better than Christmas and I shreiked with joy. But within seconds that joy turned into complete horror as the vacuum in my hand got a little too close to the tape. The best YEM ever was instantly sucked out and turned into an unrepairable pile of plastic spaghetti.
Hampton is THIS week.
@ Asher –
Based on my limited experience in the taping section, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were just as many tapers as before. I taped both the 96 and 97 New Years Runs, and a lot of those guys seemed to be there more for the experience of ‘taping’ than for the concert itself, if that makes sense. They talked a lot – and I mean A LOT – of ubernerdy shop and it seemed to me at times that some of them got off more on using and showing off their gear than on the music. Not all of them of course, but definitely some of them.
By that point, most of them were using DAT decks of course, so they weren’t too impressed with our Marantz analog deck and much less our Sennheiser mics (don’t ask me what model, I’ve long since forgotten). The mics were, I think, not what they would have recommended for an arena, but I’ll be damned if I’ve ever heard tapes as crisp as the ones we got from those mics! (maybe a bit low on the bass, but so, so crisp).
….here, here. They’ll always be called “Tapers” thought. Great post Miner.
…that should say though, not thought. Sorry
I imagine there will be just as many or more mic stands at Hampton. You might be able to store the music digitally, but you still need to actually capture the sound. (With good mic’s of course) Are there any tapers on here? I’ve always wondered if people run the signal through compressors or expanders, EQ , etc… BEFORE going to tape. I guess that would be hard to do without being in a quiet environment to really listen to the mix. Headphones would work I suppose….
I still have my nakamichi with the High Geere Antelope sticker on the front downstairs in the closet, alongside a few stacks of tape cases and cd cases 🙂 It’s amazing how I’ve surpassed my old phish collection, which was sizeable and took years to amass, in just a few months of downloads thanks to Miner and the spreadsheet and etree. Remember tape trees? Wonderfully organized chains of distribution to ensure the highest quality down the chain. It’s been hard to match my old dead collection though, now that the gd took away the sbds over at the archive. The ability to stream anything has truly taken us to the next generation of music – we should eventually be able to access anything and everything from wherever we may need to, from streaming services – once hand held bandwidth becomes steady enough.
Oh and that kent state show was always a favorite – the dw/d>have mercy>dw/d is sublime and the hood is a gem.
It Happens This Weekend .. can you believe it?
Live streams of every show would be incredible. I’d listen to every one and never have the “fear of missing out” again! Although it would always be sweeter in person. But you could still get some of the live vibe through the stream, imo. Friends, bowls, and beers.
11-12-94, my first show! HAVE MERCY!
Oh those were the days. I do agree that while the convience (and certainly the quality) have greatly improved, I do miss scouring rec.music.phish for someone that had that one show I needed (for a long time I could never find 11-16-94 Ann Arbor, MI which was my first show) but finally find a kind soul to trade me for it.
Unfortunately me and the Mrs will be missing our first Hampton shows since like oh 95 or something like that but are really looking forward to the “No Spoilers” to ease the pain. At least we have Camden tix!!
As for the streaming Mr Minor is right on, as the pirate bay (and napster before that) have proven fans will figure out how to get the music how and when they want, so it would be cool if the band senses that and starts streaming themselves. I know Andy Gadiel has been playing with it for smaller bands on Jambase.
Oh those were the days. I do agree that while the convience (and certainly the quality) have greatly improved, I do miss scouring rec.music.phish for someone that had that one show I needed (for a long time I could never find 11-16-94 Ann Arbor, MI which was my first show) but finally find a kind soul to trade me for it.
Unfortunately me and the Mrs will be missing our first Hampton shows since like oh 95 or something like that but are really looking forward to the “No Spoilers” to ease the pain. At least we have Camden tix!!
As for the streaming Mr Minor is right on, as the pirate bay (and napster before that) have proven fans will figure out how to get the music how and when they want, so it would be cool if the band senses that and starts streaming themselves. I know Andy Gadiel has been playing with it for smaller bands on Jambase.
Oh those were the days. I do agree that while the convience (and certainly the quality) have greatly improved, I do miss scouring rec.music.phish for someone that had that one show I needed (for a long time I could never find 11-16-94 Ann Arbor, MI which was my first show) but finally find a kind soul to trade me for it.
Unfortunately me and the Mrs will be missing our first Hampton shows since like oh 95 or something like that but are really looking forward to the “No Spoilers” to ease the pain. At least we have Camden tix!!
As for the streaming Mr Minor is right on, as the pirate bay (and napster before that) have proven fans will figure out how to get the music how and when they want, so it would be cool if the band senses that and starts streaming themselves. I know Andy Gadiel has been playing with it for smaller bands on Jambase.
Oh those were the days. I do agree that while the convience (and certainly the quality) have greatly improved, I do miss scouring rec.music.phish for someone that had that one show I needed (for a long time I could never find 11-16-94 Ann Arbor, MI which was my first show) but finally find a kind soul to trade me for it.
Unfortunately me and the Mrs will be missing our first Hampton shows since like oh 95 or something like that but are really looking forward to the “No Spoilers” to ease the pain. At least we have Camden tix!!
As for the streaming Mr Minor is right on, as the pirate bay (and napster before that) have proven fans will figure out how to get the music how and when they want, so it would be cool if the band senses that and starts streaming themselves. I know Andy Gadiel has been playing with it for smaller bands on Jambase.
Oh those were the days. I do agree that while the convience (and certainly the quality) have greatly improved, I do miss scouring rec.music.phish for someone that had that one show I needed (for a long time I could never find 11-16-94 Ann Arbor, MI which was my first show) but finally find a kind soul to trade me for it.
Unfortunately me and the Mrs will be missing our first Hampton shows since like oh 95 or something like that but are really looking forward to the “No Spoilers” to ease the pain. At least we have Camden tix!!
As for the streaming Mr Minor is right on, as the pirate bay (and napster before that) have proven fans will figure out how to get the music how and when they want, so it would be cool if the band senses that and starts streaming themselves. I know Andy Gadiel has been playing with it for smaller bands on Jambase.
Oh those were the days. I do agree that while the convience (and certainly the quality) have greatly improved, I do miss scouring rec.music.phish for someone that had that one show I needed (for a long time I could never find 11-16-94 Ann Arbor, MI which was my first show) but finally find a kind soul to trade me for it.
Unfortunately me and the Mrs will be missing our first Hampton shows since like oh 95 or something like that but are really looking forward to the “No Spoilers” to ease the pain. At least we have Camden tix!!
As for the streaming Mr Minor is right on, as the pirate bay (and napster before that) have proven fans will figure out how to get the music how and when they want, so it would be cool if the band senses that and starts streaming themselves. I know Andy Gadiel has been playing with it for smaller bands on Jambase.
This weekend’s moe shows in Chicago sold USB sticks of that night’s show at the merch table on your way out (or they were planning on it — I wasn’t there).
I remember the feeling of watching my first webcast in summer 97 — it was st. louis or something like that? Some bluesman came out during the encore. Even the 4 frames per minute rate we were getting made us feel pretty close to the vibe. My friend cobbled a feed into his stereo, got a tape of it, and we had a little house party – it was pretty fun.
a little note on the lossless thing: mp3 to me has always been “good enough”, considering the quality of the phish i listened to 10 years ago. The ability to have a million shows at a fraction of the size of lossless files is a fine trade off for me. My Ipod only holds 30 gigs after all, and I already have to juggle shows on and off..
FYI you can download GD SBDs off of the archive, easily.
replace details with download in the URL.
you know I had heard a rumor about this, but never dug to find out how .. thanks for the tip!
Holy Hampton week, Batman. I know that if I can make it until the house lights go down on Friday night, all will be well in the world. But that task will not be an easy one. Life was a little easier when I could say, “Screw anything else this week, I’m going to see Phish.”
But the anticipation alone will carry me through.
Good post, Minor. As I said before, the geek in me still is curious how the No Spoilers works, tech-wise.
First analog tape: Amy’s Farm
First CD-R: Trey’s First Acoustic-Electric Solo tour, Murat Theater 5/4/99, single CD-R set one only, purchased on the lot for $10. And I couldn’t believe how awesome it sounded.
hmm it’s giving me errors when I try to download from that page “The item is not available due to issues with the item’s content. ” any other tips?
Excellent post today Miner!!! Safe travels to Hampton everyone.