The cassette tape is 50 years old. Reason for the Philips Museum to grandly celebrate this anniversary with a special exhibition and a music event in the Effenaar.
Half a century ago, Philips introduced the Compact Cassette at the international exhibition in Berlin. With the cassette tape it was suddenly possible for anyone to put together a personal music collection, to make a radio programme yourself or to record and distribute a message.
Back then, Mr Lou Ottens was the head of the Philips department that developed the cassette. His story can be heard at the Philips Museum from Saturday 21 December to Sunday 5 January during a special audio-exhibition.
In addition, Mayor Van Gijzel, famous Dutch broadcaster Frits Spits and pop-professor Tom ter Bogt can be heard. All fragments can be viewed on Studio040.nl (in Dutch) from Saturday 21 December to Friday 27 December.
The Eindhoven band ‘Mozes and the First Born’ put a number of songs on cassette especially for Compact Cassette’s anniversary. They will play at the special party in the Effenaar tonight. That is the only place where the cassette can be bought. Visitors can also enjoy the special cassette market.
