The return of the audio cassette in Christchurch

Roger Shepherd with Flying Nun, Rob Mayes with Failsafe Records and now Brian Feary with Melted Ice Cream - small independent music labels have long been a mainstay of the Christchurch indie music scene. And the humble audio cassette tape is now - thanks to Melted Ice Cream - playing a big part. Over the last eight years the label has released some 30 albums and EPs on cassette. It's a musical format that's clearly having a niche revival. The cassette's heyday was the Seventies and early Eighties, as a cheap, portable alternative to vinyl. Then it ushered in the selfmade mixtapes, the format of choice for independent musicians wanting to get their work direct to the street.