Episode 1: Union of Tapes

hiss from home recorded cassette tape from the 1960s

(host)

GOOD EVENING

AND WELCOME TO deathkit.

A SHOW ABOUT THE THINGS WE LEAVE BEHIND

(hiss from cassette fades out)

MY NAME IS TODD WEMMER.

AND FOR THIS LITTLE SHOW I AM A PURVEYOR NOSTALGIA.

a layer of sound: high pitch squeal of a camera flash / cassette being ejected / inserted / vinyl static)

AFTER MY DAD DIED MY AUNT SENT ME A CASSETTE TAPE HE RECORDED IN 1968.

HE MADE THE RECORDING JUST AFTER HE GOT OUT OF THE ARMY.

IT WAS A RECORDING FOR HIS PARENTS. MY GRANDPARENTS.

HE WAS LIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA.

THEY WERE IN FLORIDA.

MY DAD TALKS ABOUT HIS JOB. THE ARMY. TAXES.

FOREIGN POLICY.

THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE CRAMMED TOGETHER IN PHILADELPHIA.

HOLIDAYS. BIRTHDAYS. WHAT KIND OF CAR HE MIGHT BUY.

HE EVEN TALKS ABOUT THE NEED FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

HIS TONE IS SOMETIMES FUNNY. SOMETIMES REFLECTIVE.

SOMETIMES HE IS APOLOGETIC BECAUSE HE MISSED SENDING

A BIRTHDAY CARD ON TIME.

I REMEMBER PUSHING PLAY AND HEARING THE HISS

OF THE 1960S RECORDING

AND MY FATHER’S YOUNG VOICE.

IF YOU’VE EVER HEARD RECORDINGS LIKE THIS YOU KNOW,

THEY ARE MAGICAL.

AUDIO TIME MACHINES THAT TAKE YOU BACK.

IN MUCH DIFFERENT WAYS THAN PHOTOGRAPHS.

AUDIO CREATES A SPACE

IT CAN FEEL LIKE THE PERSON

IS RIGHT THERE IN THE ROOM.

THE PHOTO IS STATIC. AUDIO MOVES.

I DIDN’T LISTEN TO THE TAPE ALL AT ONCE.

I DIDN’T WANT IT TO END.

SO I WOULD PLAY A FEW MINUTES.

WAIT A DAY AND LISTEN TO A FEW MORE MINUTES.

IT WAS LIKE MY OWN LITTLE PODCAST SERIES.

AFTER I HAD HEARD THE ENTIRE TAPE,

I STARTED PICKING OUT MY FAVORITE PARTS.

I EDITED 35 MINUTES OR SO DOWN TO ABOUT 5 MINUTES.

I’VE LISTENED TO THE NEW VERSION OF THE TAPE OVER AND OVER.

I CAN PRACTICALLY RECITE IT.

AND NOW I’VE MADE ANOTHER VERSION OF THE TAPE

ESPECIALLY FOR YOU.

HEAR MY DAD, A MECHANIC, FIND HIS VOICE,

EXPERIMENT WITH SOUND EFFECTS,

EXPLAIN HOW TO GET AN AUTHENTIC RECORDING OF YOUR FAMILY,

LISTEN CLOSELY AND YOU MIGHT HEAR HIM PREDICT PODCASTING.

(chuckle)

IT IS A RECORDING MADE A LONG TIME AGO.

BUT IT’S LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

A FUTURE WHERE I AM NOW.

OBSESSED WITH THE THINGS WE LEAVE BEHIND.

FOUND IN SHOEBOXES. ATTICS.

BASEMENTS. HARD DRIVES. PHONES.

YOU, DEAR LISTENER, ARE OBSESSED TOO.

ON PURPOSE OR BY ACCIDENT.

CONSCIOUS. UNCONSCIOUS.

YOUR PHOTOS. YOUR RECORDINGS.

YOUR LETTERS. YOUR MEMORIES.

WHERE WILL IT ALL GO WHEN YOU DIE?

a layer of sound: high pitch squeal of a camera flash / cassette being ejected / record player needed scratching across the record / end with static loop)

OK. LET’S LISTEN TO THE TAPE.

CLOSE YOUR EYES. TAKE A MOMENT.

THINK OF YOUR FAMILY’S VOICES.

NOW OPEN YOUR EYES AND HIT PLAY.