what do/did you like about cassette?

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10756 City: Jefferton

I'm working on something cassette related and I'm wondering about this one thing from all of you: what do or did you like about cassette? Maybe my perspective is skewed, but it seems like everyone still holds a lot of respect for cassette (as they should), and I just want to know what drew you in as a fan or follower? Even for people that heard about cassette after that company went out of business and had very little industry presence: what do you like about it, why do you care, etc. Why did/do you want to ride a cassette?

to get the ball rolling, I can say that cassette, as one of the first wakeskate companies, just made me believe in wakeskating. Further, I really just like the way thomas did things. I remember reading his interview in that butter book and being beyond hooked and wanting to do whatever I could to not only help, but to be a part of what cassette was about. Ultimately that brand and team had such a presence that I wanted to ride whatever they ride. Hero worship at its best, I suppose. But one thing I wrote down when thinking about this was "image backed by substance."

miller · Backside 180 Joined: 08 Aug 2004 Posts: 2394 City: Regina

For me the first wakeskating that I ever witnessed was Drew Mckuckin in Monkey on a String and then Thomas in Wide Awake. Those two sections showed me how awesome wakeskating was and I was instantly hooked. Cassette as a company was the first completely wakeskate company I knew about and I am proud to say first skate I owned. From there it was all about the performance of the decks which was apparrelled at the time and still is in regards to a wooden wakeskate.

The team that Thomas assembled will always be timeless in my mind. Drew, Cole, Timmy, Aaron, Danny, Jim, Reed and Thomas have been some of the the biggest influences on the sport and have progressed the sport like no others.

Then toss in the decks and the inovation with those. Wooden decks, concaves, 4trac, bis. No other company has inovated like that.

For those reseasons, Cassette will always hold a spot in my heart.

poopiepantz · Pop Shuvit Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 122 City: of Roses

I've been riding wakeskates since before you could buy one (we made 'em out of cut down wakeboards). The first production deck I ever owned was a Cassette, because that was the only WAKESKATE brand in existence at the time. In other words, Cassette was THE first, period. That in itself really says it all. Without Thomas and Cassette, this website might not even be here. Cassette really broke the ice and created a "scene" that began to separate itself from wakeboarding and evolve into it's own thing. Thomas brought elements of art and style that related more to skateboarding, in my opinion. That is probably what I liked best. It was finally something I could relate to on the water...

flixmaster · Site Admin Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 828 City: Austin

Being able to see cassette from the retail side helped me to really understand why I do what I do. The crew at cassette never had anything easy. Everything they did to just get products to market was hard work for them. They did everything on a shoe string budget. They took on the biggest companies in our industry with just a passion for the sport that they built. Thomas was willing to risk everything just to make wakeskates. He did not have a day job and the guy went all in with cassette! He just wanted to make cassette products under cassette rules. At the legend awards I felt happy for Thomas and at the same time sad for our industry because he is not around anymore.

RUSSIAN · Posted: Feb 03, 2012 6:45 pm Post subject:

Cassette was something to get excited about. They were doing things ahead of their time(not the only ones for sure, but the most visible). I remember being at the boat show the year the first concaves came out, The LF booth had one on display and it was just so cool to see that board in person, on display at a very large boat show. I think people that came from a skateboarding background could appreciate what Cassette was doing more so then the majority of the wake scene at the time. Linear Perspective was mind blowing, it had a flow that just worked so well. I wish I could get the stoke back from 10 years ago when wakeskating was fresh Crying or Very sad

fastgreens · Kickflip Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 3563 City: baytown

Sfumato!

flixmaster · Site Admin Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 828 City: Austin

I wish I had more copies of sfumato.. Even tried to get Thomas to let me reproduce that title. One of the best titles ever!

coricluster · Backside 180 Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 1826 City: berlin

There is a few things that get me stoked about Cassette...

Mainly its how stoked all the riders looked when they rode for cassette....back then i feel like it was something that they did because they loved it and loved being around freinds who loved it...these days i feel like its gotten so much more competitive and when i see sports get like that i feel like sometimes it takes the love and the real fun out of it...

Second is my boy Raven...hes just like all them boys who rode with cassette....so stoked on everything...that was enough for me to get sold on it and im still riding the bi levels

Third is the artwork, i feel like the art is one of a kind and i like how when im not riding a board i can hang it on my wall and its like a rare painting when people see it.

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10756 City: Jefferton

excellent feedback everyone! thanks for taking the time to answer this for me.

Ed, I don't think all hope is lost! It's like what that kid bieber says, "never say NEVARRRRR!" hahahaha...

it is weird though. I have a story about sfumato that I will post once I re-write it so it doesn't sound like a dweeb wrote it...but anyway, some references will drop upon dead ears because they'll have no clue why someone mentioned the faint, or just little details like that. it pains me.

and for the record, the faint was featured in danny hampson's opening section. So THAT'S why someone would mention the faint! Laughing

poopiepantz · Pop Shuvit Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 122 City: of Roses

coricluster,

It's funny you say it seems more competitive now, because back then it seemed WAY more competitive (between companies). Now it seems like everyone gets along and there isn't so much pressure. Although, not much has changed. It's still tough for the trues to put together a wakeskate company and survive.

Raven · Posted: Feb 04, 2012 11:43 pm Post subject:

10 reasons //// after nearly ten years riding a cassette

1. thomas horrell.......just as bell and edison shocked people with inventions such as the telephone and electricity........thomas brought me wakeskating in a modern era when most ideas had already been played out.....a boy genius if u will, an independent businessman, a role model, a shredder, a man with a plan.

thanku thomas u have given me more joy than i ever dreamed with your aquatic instrument. man i can't wait to strum her again. love and respect....wakeskating misses and needs you...... come home.................................

2. aaron reed...the best there has ever been. riding with style and grace, make this man move mountains on a wakeskate or as it appeared to me in his closure of sfumato and don't forget the stache. still killing it and making things look good....so good is what i like about freedom. keep at it my man.

3. danny.......is he switch or goofy, i may never know but seeing him fs flip and varial flip was just so obscure to me.........all i knew is that i wanted to be able to do some of the things he did.......and this cat just makes me smile...his poetry, his bigspins, his demeanor all seem to be headed in a direction that i want to head.....hands on the handle, hearts in the sky. Sooo good bro....

4. chris mack.....caught my eye.....as the first time, all i saw was the base of an 02 projector....no grip, no wood grain.........just a drawing of an extinct media device. i wondered..........the rough draft sketch, simplicity with attention to detail, the thin and bold faced lines we're so straight and the circles perfectly round almost too perfect ...yet hand drawn and authentic, made that graphic pop out like a 3d t-rex in a dinosaur book. cori, thanks for bringin this one up.......miss u buddy!

5. grip tape on a wood deck.....as any skateboarder can remember from however far back......this was your magic carpet......now you take away the trucks, wheels, and concrete and give me water........we might as well be hoverboarding now. the resilient flex of the wood with dull edges and hard corners have me groping her every second i am near her, and the shiftiness of my feet on the grip tape are so familiar its like being a kid all over again.

6. simplicity.....how can i have so much fun with a rectangle shaped board or piece of wood with some grip tape.......well alot more goes into it than i can percieve...like rocker, width, weight, and shape.........but at the time i felt like i could just saw a piece of plywood down like scotty b did in volume and throw down flips like georgio........wood and grip......so simple.....as a foodie i'd like to quote escoffier right now, "the very best dishes are simple dishes."

7. fulcrum.......although this one contradicts the last and seemingly led to the downfall........being a creator i cannot see where one could be satisfied with creation and not want to create again..........kinda like in genesis. at the time the bi-level pre-bookies we're waiting, visions of sugar plums we're dancing in our heads trying to conceive just what this thing would look like, seeing that box, and putting her together for the first time we're almost as magical as the ride.....which was the coolest board i had ever ridden. the responsiveness and sensitivity of the bi-level we're that of a woman whose heart you wished for...it was everything and more.

8. the 4trac and a-symmetrical design........just like the plane i took off on and lannded in today.....i like my wakeskate to have a bigger blunt nose, and a thinner, lighter tail. it has given me more joy than any other thing ever. the way she flies through the air is confident, cocky, and smooth...i love the feeling when she leaves my feet and to return well................thats sunday dinner right there.

9. the winch...........thomas introduced it in sfumato and with its versatility would change wakeskating and wakeboarding forever. the idea of riding behind a fixed object that you could put in your hitch was mindblowing. the idea of building your own.......very appealing, and the look on a gearheads face when he sees one for the first time.............priceless.

10. sfumato........i can still watch it and take myself back in time and feel as good as i did the day i first watched it.......the vibes have been unrivaled and have forever made an impact in time, on me, and what i like to do with my spare time.

waterdance Birthday

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10756 City: Jefferton

totally on point raven. honestly, that was a joy to read. thanks for the input!

coricluster · Backside 180 Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 1826 City: berlin

man raven.....it couldnt have been said any better

wakeskate77 · Frontside 180 Joined: 20 Sep 2003 Posts: 335 City: HELL

3 words..... Abercrombie and fitch

mojo · Posted: Feb 05, 2012 1:47 pm Post subject:

I'm sure my thoughts are similar to a lot of others, but here they are for what it's worth. My first thought of cassette is Thomas in class in session with a wakeboard explaining Indy grabs. It still makes me laugh. Then i see lip trick lines from Thomas in a nonchalant style and flashes of audio equipment of old. I realized wake skating was less of a wake oriented sport(you know what I mean) and more of a skatey, creative thing of its own.

Jake S · Backside 180 Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 683 City: SLC

Thomas' part in "Wide Awake"
Linear Perspective
Sfumato

my first wood wakeskate Concave Projector 41 was a whole new feeling

The whole direction of Cassette was fresh, artistic and pushing the sport
in the right way. Their videos had this raw feeling to them that was very
different than any other wake films out, it really made it feel very separate
from wakeboarding, which I think was/is a very important direction wakeskating
should always be moving

Thanks Cassette.

SEAMAN · Frontside 180 Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 388 City: Atlanta

Did someone say fulcrum? Not that again!

But in all seriousness, Cassette for me was a beautiful blend of water, simplicity, and skateboarding.

I miss 2001!

wakemitch · Posted: Feb 06, 2012 2:42 pm Post subject:

someone needs to upload thomas' part from wide awake. I never got a copy of that

wakeskate77 · Frontside 180 Joined: 20 Sep 2003 Posts: 335 City: HELL

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ABERCROMBIE-FITCH-CATALOG-SUMMER-ISSUE-2000-/260640384973

Buy it E-Snow, Buy it!

wakemitch · Posted: Feb 06, 2012 5:36 pm Post subject: