A recently discovered reel-to-reel tape of The Beatles “chatting and laughing” during a recording session has sold for $23,446 in an online auction. Okay, it’s also got pieces of songs, including “I’ll Follow the Sun,” and “I Feel Fine,” but still. The man who found the tape wished to remain anonymous, revealing only that he had found the tape in his father’s attic in northern England. Two lessons here: 1) Record everything you do, whether it’s just chatting with your friends or having a snack, then distribute the tapes to friends and relatives with storage, and 2) Go up to your parents’ attic right now and look for treasure.
Here in Riffland, we’ve already discussed the ridiculous sums people will pay for Beatles stuff, but isn’t this getting a little silly? I can’t help but think of all the sushi I could buy with $23,000. That’s actual nourishment! On the other hand, perhaps this is proof that even in this era of rampant musical theft, there’s still some things people are willing to pay for. Hey, White Stripes, how about you release your next album only on individually-recorded reel-to-reel tapes? A little labor-intensive, I know, but it might slow down those internet leaks.
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