BLOG | JUN. 11, 2025

I (probably) will not listen to your CD

My pal just sent me this awesome piece written by a screenwriter about people asking him to read their scripts. And yes, I think anyone who works in whatever given field can understand this. Damned if you do, and an asshole if you don't. And of course you're doing this for free... Look, I love music. I love great CDs. Some of my friends make amazing music that I enjoy. Some don't. And some people I don't even know want me to listen to their music. Okay, sometimes I do. But not every goddamn CD that's handed to me gets listened to - I simply don't have that much time. Nobody has that much time. And not many of these CDs are really worth my time. Why am I listening to this CD? If you aren't asking me to record your next album or mix the songs I'm checking out or paying me to analyze your recording technique and critique you (yes, I've done that), there's really no absolute reason I need to listen to an album. I can assure you that a positive CD review write-up in Tape Op (and they are almost all positive) won't sell (m)any CDs, and I've never heard of anyone getting signed through Tape Op reviews. Ever. Am I gonna be bowled over by your AMAZING recording techniques? Guess what, I'm probably not listening for that. No, I'm listening to your songs. And if I'm not bowled over by the songs/music then what the hell am I getting out of this? Jesus Christ, can I get that 45 minutes back? Can I put on Here Come The Warm Jets for the millionth time? But read the link above, cuz I'm glad other people have to deal with similar wastes of their time - I'm not alone! (Sorry, maybe I'm in a cranky mood)

Tape Op is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to the art of record making.

Or Learn More

MORE ENTRIES

New Fruit Bats Album: Baby Man

BLOG

New Fruit Bats Album: Baby Man

By Geoff Stanfield

September 16, 2025

Fruit Bats, the moniker of Eric D. Johnson's musical endeavors, has just released Baby Man. The album is follows the 2023 release, A River Runs...
New video from Yeemz on recording her track “No Trace”

BLOG

New video from Yeemz on recording her track “No Trace”

By John Baccigallupi

September 14, 2025

Yi-Mei Templeman is friend of Tape Op who records under the name Yeemz. She’s a songwriter and composer who plays cello, piano, banjo, guitar, and...
Larry Crane on the Revolutions Per Movie Podcast

BLOG

Larry Crane on the Revolutions Per Movie Podcast

September 4, 2025

Larry Crane and the Revolutions Per Movie podcast host Chris Slusarenko chat about Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii!They discuss the genesis and all the...
Justin Gray: Immersed

BLOG

Justin Gray: Immersed

By Matt Anderson

August 31, 2025

Justin Gray’s new album, Immersed, was created specifically for immersive surround formats, such as Dolby Atmos, with considerations beginning from...
About The Cover Art for Issue #167

BLOG

About The Cover Art for Issue #167

By John Baccigallupi

August 31, 2025

When we published issue #167, we, of course, credited Hazel Morishige for the cover art, but I forgot to credit the individual pieces of art that...
New Deftones LP: Private Music

BLOG

New Deftones LP: Private Music

By John Baccigallupi

August 26, 2025

The first time I saw Deftones live was at the Cattle Club, a small 250 person capacity club in Sacramento, CA, in the early 1990s. The Cattle Club was...
New Jeff Tweedy song and video,  “Feel Free”

BLOG

New Jeff Tweedy song and video, “Feel Free”

By John Baccigallupi

August 25, 2025

Larry interviewed Jeff Tweedy of Wilco back in Tape Op#132 along with his son, Spencer Tweedy, and engineer Tom Schick at the band’s The Loft Studio...
Superchunk's new album, Songs in the Key of Yikes, is out now!

BLOG

Superchunk's new album, Songs in the Key of Yikes, is out now!

By Larry Crane

August 22, 2025

The new Superchunk album is here, and – no surprise – it rocks. I interviewed singer/guitarist/songwriter Mac MacCaughan way back in 2009 [Tape...
New Album from Raymond Antrobus and Evelyn Glennie: Aloud

BLOG

New Album from Raymond Antrobus and Evelyn Glennie: Aloud

By Geoff Stanfield

August 19, 2025

Raymond Antrobus and Evelyn Glennie [Tape Op#154] return with a new album, Aloud, part two of their spoken word poetry collaboration. Produced...