The Foo Fighters released their new album ‘wasting light’ today, and i headed down to JB Hi-Fi in Canberra center to pick it up. Inside, was something really cool.
A piece of the original master tape! It’s actually orientated the wrong way in this picture, it needs a rotation to the left. It measures up to be 2″ wide. From the brief research i’ve done, it is AMPEX or Quantegy Grand Master 456 Studio Audio Tape – PDF Datasheet.
At a guess, it’s probably used in a 16 track 2 inch analog multi-track recorder. On my bit it’s got some tape head wear marks so it looks to be used.
Pretty cool touch from the Foo’s! Makes it feel much more ‘personal’
Follows is a video from NME with Dave Growl showing us around his ‘garage studio’. Butch Vig (nirvana’s nevermind album) produced the record and from a few listens i’m impressed. In the first bit of the video he pulls some tape out of a bin, perhaps that’s where my piece of tape came from!
The first track is killer – Bridge Burning – is a mash up of about 6 different songs all squashed into one. Some of the tracks arn’t so exciting, but perhaps they’ll grow on me.
You can listen to their entire record on soundcloud – direct or below – uploaded by the Foo Fighters themselves.
Thanks Dave!
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Where did you find the piece of tape? I recieved mine via post today from mightyape.co.nz and can’t seem to find it
Hey Andrew,
It took me a while to find, it was stuffed up in the corner of the CD Jacket. At first i thought they’d left it out, but i eventually managed to locate it!
Perfect thanks, so it was with mine.
Rock on
Wow! thanks dude! I was having trouble finding it. ROCK ON!
Jeremy
Corporate Massage
Will the piece of the mastertape come with all wasting light cd’s? i’ve preordered my copy from tesco (annoyingly it hasn’t arrived yet) and it would be cool if i had a piece of it. if it matters i’m in the UK. thanks
Hey JG – Dont’ think so. There’s only so much ‘tape’. Have no idea about the UK’s release, but there are a number of people searching on it from the UK and europe, which suggests they are getting the CD’s with the tape inside…
It’s got a yellow sticker on the front which says as much, try to look for that.. i think this is a first release run promo. SO you’re chances are good…
Ahh ok, hopefully i’ll find out tomorrow!
I pre-ordered from Amazon uk but it hasn’t turned up today, so I went and bought it no tape though meh
That’s a bit sucky Amy. It does have a yellow sticker on the front mentioning the tape. Hopefully you’ll get a piece in your Amazon order.
Loved it! When it fell out of my booklet I was utterly shocked. Could this be? Brilliant
Pretty cool huh. We could all band together and try to put the ‘master tape’ back in one piece… LOL
My copy was delivered today, when i opened the booklet a piece of tape came out just like a few of you ! but i dont have a yellow sticker on the front of the cover which is weird i suppose ! im hoping they could be used as tickets to get into intimate gigs when they tour in the near future… i think that would be pretty cool
The tape is sooooo awesome!!
Also the CD is amazing, received mine from amazon on saturday so been rocking out to it for a few days in the car! Dear Rosemary is an absolute tune!!
Hope everyone else is enjoying the album as much as me!
I’m in the UK and picked up my copy today. No yellow sticker or anything on the front indicating that there would be tape in it, but mine was in the middle of the booklet.
Very, very cool!
I bought mine from Asda yesterday. There wasn’t a yellow sticker on the front, but two bits of tape fell out and my jaw hit the floor! I knew what they were straight away and quickly put them back inside so I don’t lose them. What an awesome surprise from the Foo’s! Thanks guys!!
why is it an awesome surprise? i dont get it, what worth does it have for you. not being jerk just dont get it
Hey guys!
About the piece of tape. I just got my cd from amazon today. AWESOOOOME! I opened the booklet and a small piece of plastic fell out. I didn’t know what it was – now I’m happy that i didn’t throw it out. I live in Denmark and ordered the cd from the british amazon. So I think us europeans have the chance to get a piece of the master tape too.
I love it! It’s a fucking sweet album!
Have fun!
hey,
i bought the album from tesco in the uk and got two pieces of tape but there was no yellow sticker on the front of the album. weird.
Bought my copy at a Target in Olathe, KS. Had the yellow sticker and a piece of recording tape in the booklet.
I found mine stuffed in the bottom left hand corner although it came at the expense of my rather large hands slightly tearing the cover….doh!!!
Don’t worry Ian, i had the same problem!
I’ve got a piece!! Is there any way of reading it ?
yes, you have to hold a flame about one inch below it for about three minutes and you will be able to read all of the awesome cool original track info it beholds…or, you could just file it in the trash bin as it is worthless
I throw it out… Didn’t know what it was… I’m so sad to did this !!!
I bought the CD today from ASDA (Robroyston, Glasgow) and I got one with tape…but no sticker on the front!!!!!!!! So maybe in UK and europe they aren’t bothering with the sticker…which I think would’ve been cool! But then again it would’nt have been a surprise!!!!!!! It’s awesome to have a piece of the master tape I can’t beleive I managed to get one….from ASDA!!!!!!!!!!
Brazil sucks, there’s no piece of tape on my copy
And, this album rocks, it’s on my CD player since i got it
I knew what it was the second it hit the floor. I don’t know why it’s in the CD jacket or what the purpose is. I was hoping to search and find that it was access to something cool that only a select few of us would get, but, sounds like most CD’s have it. If you didn’t get one don’t be to bothered, it’s just a small piece of worthless tape. Not exciting at all. You can have mine…kind of stupid really
Hi i was wondering if you were still looking to give your section away. I was out of the country around the release and didnt ever manage to get a hold of one and i am literally dying to find one. I can’t find them anywhere :O
Mine is from Canada and had no sticker either. Of course it came with the piece of tape! It took me a couple examinations to figure it out, but I’m glad I have it!!
i’m a lucky man, i have one piece of the original Master tape
How can they possibly put it in every single CD? It’s just a piece of tape…can’t be anything more than that.