If you are a fan of the 8 Track Tape, I’m sure you’ve heard all the usual comments… Those silly things? What’s the point? They sound terrible! etc etc etc.

Let’s set the way-back machine to 1966…

I’m 11 years old and owned one of the little RCA 45 players that were common in the day. The home HI FI Stereo was off limits to children and only available under the strictest supervision. At this age I am totally into Monster Models, cool toys and 45 rpm records. Then along comes this new format and by golly they look and handle like little toys! The plastic tubs and the players that had no buttons, you could just shove them into the machine, and you had the full album at your disposal in a really neat little package.

American technology was on the move to the future! This was the era of space launches and exploration, Corvettes and Mustangs… and now you could take your music on the road with you? an alternative to the Radio? These were exciting and heady times.

With a little stand-alone unit, I was ready to go. Everything about them was magic… and the mystery!  How did they work? How could such a big sound come out of these little machines? And most importantly, how cool did they look on your shelf next to your Frankenstein and car models!

They were such a unique American invention. When I finally opened one up and found out it was a continuous loop!?!! How could it pull from the middle and re-wrap itself and come around again?

How did it change tracks? And why the heck didn’t they just make it like a reel to reel, which is what cassettes would do a little later? These questions are unanswerable, it’s an “only in America” kind of thing and I’ll leave it at that.

But it was a flawed technology and problems did arise. Being the kind of kid I was, the problems fascinated me. I was a natural builder and fixer. But more on the maintenance and upkeep in the next session of…  “I Love My 8 Track Tapes”

Pt2

There’s a brand new day on the horizon

When growing up I was lucky enough to have an older brother who loved Elvis Presley and would occasionally buy his latest LP. It must have been right around 1966 with the release of “Spinout” that I first noticed the inner sleeve and an AD for the new 8 Track Tapes. This excited my 11 year old mind to no end. Again, it was like these were made just for me, and the vinyl record was old fashioned and belonged to the older kids, or dare I say it… the adults!?!!

It was so cool, you could put it in your pocket and go visit friends, share a listen and see what they were listening to. They were expensive, and it took a lot of lawn mowing to save up for the latest release, but there was always Christmas and Birthdays.

RCA was essential in the development of 8 Track Tapes working along with The Ford Motor Company and the Lear Jet folks. Of Course! This meant they could resell the old catalog and boost their profits, and It was a marriage made in heaven.

And I now believe that it was the Elvis Presley catalog that really sold this new format to the World. Elvis crossed all boundaries and sold to fans of country, soul, and gospel, as well as rock and roll. His existing catalog was deep, and you could find any mood you would like for your cruise of the day. The roll out was fast and furious.

By the time I got my driver’s license I was all set for a player to continue my joy of the Tape, but that’s another story for another day.

Pt3

In the beginning, the tapes were lavishly packaged and definitely got everyone’s attention.

First editions were elaborate vacuum formed white plastic with a hard clear sliding back so you could see the song titles (or maybe a bonus photo?) The covers were printed paper with reconfigured original album art scaled to fit the smaller area.

Second editions replace the clear with an opaque snap on back and printed song titles so you could follow along with the tape in the player.

Neither of these proved to be practical and only lasted the first couple of years. Although pretty to look at, they didn’t travel well and were prone to breakage. Opening into two separate pieces, they were hard to keep together, with many packages getting separated from the tape, and in the process getting lost to the fog of time…

By 1969 the bulky plastic was replaced with the cardboard photo box, open on one end, the tape sliding out with ease. The graphics were bold and attractive, keeping the tape clean from the elements, the song titles easier to read with the tape in the machine.

1971 brought the window box, which was more utilitarian and a huge cost saving for the manufacturers.

It did away with the more elaborate package, and quietly ended the era.

Pt4

These “Heartbreak” discussions should not be deal breakers, but the accepted challenge of 8 Track collecting. Problems can come at any time, without warning and when you least expect it. If you are faint of heart, experience the sound on our music player and just admire the packaging.

That said… let’s talk about the dreaded Rubber Wheel.

8 Tracks were a good but flawed technology. Unlike the 4 Track Tapes that had the drive wheel inside the player, it was decided to add the wheel to the inside of the individual tape. I’ve never owned 4 tracks and can’t comment on which was the better idea, but since the 4 tracks didn’t last very long, we can assume they had their own set of problems.

The 1960’s early Lear Jet and Tub Tapes used rubber on a plastic hub. Unbeknownst to the manufacturers, this rubber was highly unstable and prone to breakdown into a gooey, sticky blob of tar over time. If put into a player it would cause the tape to get pulled into the machine, usually wrapping around the drive inside. clogging and ruining your player as well as the tape. And If you don’t fully clean the player, that “Tar” can grab the next tape and destroy it as well. That’s spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

It took a few tries, but RCA soon came up with the grey plastic wheel that became their standard. These new wheels were compatible with all earlier RCA and Lear Jet carts and made repair of the Tub Tapes possible. Although this changes the “ORIGINAL” status of the tape, I think we can all agree it’s an acceptable upgrade.

I’ve developed my own techniques on how to be proactive, cleaning and repairing my tapes back into a workable condition… but that’s a longer story for another day.

Cheers!