Metallica Will Release Cassette Tape Version of No Life ’til Leather for Record Store Day
Cassette tapes are all the rage right now, which doesn’t really make sense to me. I get the kitsch and nostalgia of it, but as a functional item a cassette tape has basically no use unless you’ve got a very old car with a tape deck in it. If you’re trying to support a band by buying some merch at a show, how about a t-shirt, vinyl or even CD? At least the latter two have a chance of being used!
But here’s something that makes a whole lot more sense to me: a cassette tape reissue of a demo that came out on tape when it was first released in 1982, which is exactly what Metallica are doing with their No Life ’til Leather demo tape. Sure, most of the people who buy this item on Record Store Day (April 18th) probably won’t be able to play it either, but at least it’s a souvenir that has meaning — it’s being printed on tape for a reason! And, for what it’s worth, expanded versions will be coming on CD, vinyl and a collector’s set sometime this summer.
No Life ’til Leather, of course, was recorded with Dave Mustaine on guitar and Ron McGovney on bass, became a big factor towards getting the band noticed and signed, and all the songs would later appear on the band’s debut album Kill ‘Em All. To say this is a demo with historical significance would be the understatement of the year, so a cassette reissue seems all too fitting.
