Craig McConnon is branching out with more than just new venues. He recently invested in a Tascam PortaStudio 424 Multitrack Cassette Tape Recorder. Significance? Well, cassettes have been undergoing something of a rebirth over the past five or so years and they're becoming one of the most awesome ways DJs can expand their repertoire with esoteric and experimental pieces that would otherwise fly completely under the radar.
Craig McConnon is not one to let a trend pass him by without some major investigative work, and this one proved a gem. “Initially I wasn't impressed by the cassette thing,” says Craig McConnon. “I remember them from my dad's days working the decks at events and local venues, and there's always been that scratchy sound that can get like nails on a chalkboard, but I wanted to see what these new release cassette albums were all about, so I went digging on eBay and pulled up some old cassette decks and hey, I was kind hooked.”
The Craig McConnon Group is accustomed to having the latest and greatest high-end tech in their studios, so the arrival of a somewhat dusty cassette deck did not immediately impress. “We were like, what?” says a company spokesman. “We thought it was either insanity or genius. Knowing Craig, it could've been either way.” It wasn't only eBay Craig McConnon was scratching through. He had some deep dives into his dad's collection of cassettes and came up with some pretty amazing stuff.
Craig McConnon is always keen to hear the experimental and esoteric music of fringe artists and DJs and finds quite some inspiration in the early works of the more famous. “Going through my dad's old cassettes was like actually being in a thriller. Of course, Thriller was there too, but I mean, it was going down to the wire where electronic and techno and all that began,” says Craig McConnon. “I also invested in some new limited edition cassette releases from great artists like Guardians of the Galaxy, Stranger Things, The Mighty Lord Deathman and Helena Hauff. It's been some great scratching.”
The Craig McConnon Group considers the rebirth the cassette – particularly in their own studio – a great sign for the music industry as a whole. “Cassette is relatively inexpensive to reproduce, so it enables emerging artists to showcase their work without a whole lot of capital expenditure,” says Craig McConnon. “It also opens up the space for experimentation and that's what's most exciting. Music dies when voices are silenced and you know, it's become so incredibly expensive to produce over the past decades, some really good stuff has just never got out there. Now it can.”
Craig McConnon has hinted at collaboration with some emerging labels to bring out more experimental albums that showcase the best of the DJ scene as well as the young blood entering the music industry. One of the areas Craig McConnon is particularly interested in is how the global flow of people through migration is changing the club and radio scene for both musicians and DJs. “There's great stuff coming out of Africa, from Libya to Mali to DRC and South Africa, as well as some fresh and illuminating sounds out of the Middle East. It's awesome. It gives us stuff to work with that's never been heard before.”
The Craig McConnon Group has been inspired to offer some great support to emerging labels that showcase the work of otherwise marginalised artists. “We're speaking to young labels about how we can support their work, scratching new albums and helping with repro costs as well as mixing,” says a company spokesman. Putting out cassettes is not only a cost effective way of distributing music, it also enables DJs and musicians to push their styles to places they wouldn't be able to go while still granting them an official physical release. “Digital really took over and we thought vinyl and cassette were dead, but people still want something they can actually buy and hold onto. A physical, tangible object still appeals and cassette could be where emerging artists make their mark,” says Craig McConnon. “We definitely want to be a part of that and we're putting skin in the cassette game.”
About us:
Craig McConnon is a very well known DJ and music artist now based in London after many years of travelling and DJing across the world. He set up the Craig McConnon Group five years ago. Craig performs at multiple venues, including parties, weddings, corporate events, and much more. Craig has over 15 years’ experience in being a DJ and uses the very latest equipment to ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible. To get more information and make a booking with the Craig McConnon Group, you can contact him or his team via their website.