Cassette Culture cover art

Cassette Culture

Cassette Culture

By: East Coast Studio
Listen for free

About this listen

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there…

For two decades during the '80's and '90's, the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork – all under the radar of mainstream media. Taking the DIY message of Punk as a jumping off point, we travel through the network to find the creators of the fanzines, the music, the labels and events.

2025 Martin Franklin | East Coast Studio Music
Episodes
  • Underground Goes Overground: Freakbeat, & Planet Dog

    Underground Goes Overground: Freakbeat, & Planet Dog
    Jun 13 2025

    3D glasses at the ready, we speak with Richard Allen, editor of psychedelic magazine Freakbeat, founder of Delerium Records, and Michael Dog of Club Dog, Megadog and Planet Dog Records.

    Together, they helped define an era of fanzines, home-recorded cassettes, underground parties, and independent music distribution.

    This episode, we’re hearing the inside story of a telephone call to Timothy Leary, the artists behind Freakbeat’s unique 3d page design, Club Dog’s rare live cassette releases and the birth of Planet Dog Record’s legendary electronic compilations like Feed Your Head.

    This episode closes Season One of Cassette Culture—but don’t worry, Season Two is already in production. We’re working on a Bandcamp subscription offer that will give you some exclusive custom cassettes and provide a means to donate to help us keep the reels turning with the podcast.

    Hosted by Martin Franklin.
    Theme music: “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz.

    VIDEO
    You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

    FEATURING:

    Richard Allen
    Michael Dog

    MUSIC

    “Operation Apricot” Ring, O De Dun Dun (Self released cassette)
    “What Do You Turn On When You Turn On” Timothy Leary, You Can Be Anyone This Time Around

    From Psychedelic Psauna (Delerium Records):
    “Black Ferris Wheel” The Coloured Plank,
    “Mind Train Jam” Sun Dial,
    “Erp Riff ’83” Ozric Tentacles

    “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” Webcore, The Great Unfolding (A Real Kavoom)“
    Nodens Ictus, Live At Club Dog (Woof Distribution)
    “Medicine Wheel” Eat Static, Prepare Your Spirit (self released cassette)
    “Nightmare” Treatment, Psychedelic Psauna (Delerium Records)

    LINKS

    Planet Dog Records http://www.planetdogrecords.com/
    Club Dog Memories https://www.pooterland.com/looking_glass_dead_dog.html

    Delerium: https://www.discogs.com/label/3338-Delerium-Records

    AVAILABLE NOW
    "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989 - 90" SoundImage Tapes cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024
    https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com

    *Cassette Culture* is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio. (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au)

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Third Mind, Fourth Dimension

    Third Mind, Fourth Dimension
    May 29 2025
    Armed with fanzines, cassette tapes, and a fierce DIY spirit - two teenagers from Herne Bay helped shape the UK’s underground music scene. In this episode, host Martin Franklin traces the journey of Gary Levermore, founder of Third Mind Records, and Richard “Richo” Johnson, the force behind Grim Humour fanzine and Fourth Dimension Records. From their early days frequenting a local record shop to trading zines and music through the post, their story captures the energy of a grassroots movement that gave voice to some of the most experimental and influential acts of the 1980s. We explore how fanzines like Tone Death and Grim Humour connected a sprawling network of artists and fans, and how this evolved into Third Mind’s legendary cassette compilation “Rising from the Red Sand”—a defining moment for underground electronic and post-industrial music. The episode offers inside perspectives on artists such as Nurse With Wound, Test Dept, Attrition, and Legendary Pink Dots, while also shedding light on the support they received from key tastemakers like Rough Trade, John Peel, and Dave Henderson of Sounds. Along the way, Gary reveals the moment he turned down the newly formed Skinny Puppy, and how that decision—and others—shaped the future of Third Mind and its eventual partnership with Roadrunner Records. Richo discusses the evolving mission of Fourth Dimension and his enduring dedication to artists with a distinct sensibility, both sonically and personally. Passion, persistence, and a love of experimental sound helped two independent labels make their mark on music history—one photocopied zine and dubbed cassette at a time. Hosted by Martin Franklin.Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz VIDEOYou can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast VOICESRichard “Richo” JohnsonGary LevermoreDave HendersonMartin Bowes MUSIC“Mansonik No 1” Konstruktivists, Psyko-Genetika, Third Mind Records 1983“Song Of The Flame” Tone Death, Rising From the Red Sand Third Mind Tapes 1983“Love Is….” Legendary Pink Dots, Basilisk, Third Mind Tapes 1984“Page After Page” I’m Dead, Grim Humour#3 7” Flexi, Fourth Dimension Records“Gdansk” Test Dept, Rising From The Red Sand, Third Mind Tapes 1983“Onslaught” Attrition, Onslaught, Third Mind Tapes 1983“At Set Points” Ian Boddy, Visions, Third Mind Tapes 1983“Strange Play Of The Mouth” Nurse With Wound, Rising From The Red Sand, Third Mind Tapes 1983“Grow Dark In The Sun” Mummies & Madmen, Winter Hill Recordings 2024“Not Me” Thurston Moore w/Tom Surgal, 10” EP, Fourth Dimension“Film-o-sonik” Konstruktivists, Psyko-Genetika, Third Mind records 1983“Bite My Head” Portion Control, Rising From The Red Sand, Third Mind Tapes 1983 Herne Bay ambient recordings by Damon Hart-Davis used by permission.https://www.earth.org.uk/Herne-Bay-ambient.html LINKS Third Mind Recordshttps://www.discogs.com/label/2746-Third-Mind-Records Fourth Dimension Recordshttps://www.youtube.com/@FDRecords2023fourthdimensionrecords.bigcartel.com Dave Hendersonhttps://23ears.co.uk/ Attritionhttps://attritionuk.bandcamp.com/ THANKS TO:Damon Hart-Davis for capturing the ancestral ambience, Dave Henderson & Martin Bowes for going the extra mile, Alan Rider for this months package. AVAILABLE NOW: The project that started it all."Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989 - 90" SoundImage Tapes cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com *Cassette Culture* is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio. (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Post-Punk Publishing, with Attrition and Adventures In Reality

    Post-Punk Publishing, with Attrition and Adventures In Reality
    Apr 20 2025

    Tales of handmade 'zines and the cassette underground with two key figures: Martin Bowes of the electronic-industrial band Attrition, and Alan Rider of the Adventures In Reality label and fanzine.

    We trace their trajectory from the early days, as local Coventry fanzines "Alternative Sounds" and “Adventures In Reality” evolve into bands and cassette labels and build grassroots distribution networks that span the World.

    Bowes and Rider reflect on how out-of-hours Art College facilities, post-punk energy, and the rise of affordable recording technology like the Tascam 4-track empowered musicians to bypass the mainstream and do it themselves.

    Connecting with our previous episode (EP09 Wild Planet 1983: The World Gets Weirder) with Dave Henderson, writer of the Wild Planet column in Sounds, there’s more about how *The Elephant Table" LP came together. Plus, the usual tales of copying tapes in real-time, mailing music around the globe, and even embedding ZX Spectrum programs onto music cassettes.

    Hosted by Martin Franklin.
    Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen.

    VIDEO
    You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

    FEATURING

    - Martin Bowes (Attrition)
    - Alan Rider (Adventures in Reality)
    - Dave Henderson (Sounds/Wild Planet )

    MUSIC

    Attrition “Dead Of Night” Death House - Adventures In Reality Recordings (1981)
    Hawkwind “Jam 2” UK Electronica 1983
    Attrition “Mariannes Dream” In The Realm Of The Hungry Ghost - Third Mind Recordings (1986)
    Attrition/Audio Leter “Talkback” Action And Reaction - CNLF (1983)
    Nurse With Wound “Someone Others Garden” Rising From The Red Sand Vol #1- Third Mind (1983)
    Muslimgauze “Trans Time” The Last Supper - Adventures In Reality Recordings
    Attrition “Monkey In A Bin” John Peel Show - BBC Radio 1 (24 April 1984)
    Legendary Pink Dots “Surprise Surprise” The Elephant Table - X Tract (1984)
    Attrition “The Black Maria” The Black Maria - Two Gods (2025)

    LINKS

    Attrition (https://attritionuk.bandcamp.com/music) | (https://attrition.co.uk)
    Adventures In Reality (https://adventuresinreality.bigcartel.com/)

    "Adventures In Reality, The Complete Collection" book reprints all issues of the fanzine in a 500 page softbound book. Order directly from Alan Rider via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/alan.rider.161)

    See the ARR ZX Spectrum program from "The Last Supper" on YouTube:
    https://www.journaldulapin.com/2023/01/12/last-supper-spectrum/

    THANKS TO:
    Steve Cammack for the “The Elephant Table” vinyl.
    https://remuhmuration.blogspot.com/

    Our old chums at SoundArt Radio 102.5FM for digitising services.
    https://soundartradio.org.uk/

    AVAILABLE NOW
    "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989 - 90" SoundImage Tapes cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024
    https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com

    *Cassette Culture* is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio. (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au)

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins

What listeners say about Cassette Culture

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.