I remember sitting on the floor of my bedroom in Buena Park listening to my little Fisher Price record player. I would drag out all my parents old albums and listen to them, making up dance routines to go along with the songs. Of course, you couldn't jump around too much so the record wouldn't skip!
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| Oh How I loved this record player |
I think my favorite album to listen to was the Grease Soundtrack
I would spend hours and hour listening to records until I figured out the radio and cassette tapes came on the scene. Personally, I think my parents were glad I wouldn't destroy anymore records. I remember when they thought 8 track players were cool. We had one in our car, there is a funny story about that. Needless to say, Cassette tapes quickly became a favorite of mine.
It was especially cool when you could record straight from a record on to a tape and then from tape to tape. I like other 90's kids spent hours making my own mixtapes. Recording from the radio was especially a favorite of mine, it was like music sharing before computers. Having a tape paused at all times to hit record the second the song came on the radio. It was like free Itunes with really bad quality and commercial interuption.
You could make one for your friend, boyfriend or for yourself. What 90's girl didn't make a sappy, love song filled Mixtape for her latest crush? I know that I am not alone......right? When the Walkman came out, you could take Mixtapes to your friends at school and let them listen. I love making customized mixes for myself and friends.
I know with iTunes, there are still mixes and music sharing. It's just not the same as carrying around a bulky tape with sharpie writing all over it. Nothing can replace the countless hours of sitting with one finger on the play button and one finger on the record button, trying to get the timing just right. One time my friend Ruben wrote me a entire note on the tape part of a Mixtape.
This also went hand in hand with the invention of VHS ( even though we had a BetaMax first) and watching MTV for hours trying to record my favorite videos or shows
I wish that I had held on to my Mixtapes to listen to them today. Well...I don't even have a tape player to listen to them anyways.
Just fun to reminisce and re-live one of my favorite tween memories. There wasn't much I like about being a tween but making Mixtapes was one thing I loved.
