DATs what we like to hear: Processing the digital audio tapes of Flying Nun Records
Mark Hector, Research Librarian for Music in the Alexander Turnbull Library, shares the work we are doing to preserve the audio contained on a series of Digital Audio Tapes (DATs) which are part of the archive of renowned music label Flying Nun Records.
DATs and the Flying Nun musicians who used them
To celebrate New Zealand Music Month we are doing a deep dive into the arcane world of Digital Audio Tapes (DATs) and the Flying Nun musicians who used them. DATs became a mainstay of the recording industry in the 1990s after failing to become a consumer product, largely due to cost.
By providing a comparatively inexpensive, high-quality alternative to traditional analogue tape recording they formed part of a new ‘all-digital production chain’ as the music industry moved from vinyl to CD.
The Turnbull Library’s Imaging Team photograph the DATs and associated covers as part of the preservation process. The black guide visible alongside the components of this DAT helps the photographer to carefully position the items consistently, across the large number of DATs being photographed. Photo by Mark Beatty.
At roughly half the size of an analogue cassette tape, DATs were able to offer an exact copy of the master tape (and sometimes they were the master tape) which could be easily sent by the record company to a pressing plant or the artist, replacing the traditional acetate or dubplate method of transferring the finished production tracks.
Sound quality, performance and arrangements could all be reviewed before the record was manufactured. This was one of the first steps in democratising the recording process for many artists who were not signed to major record labels, and it led the way for many of today’s so-called bedroom musicians to record albums on their laptops.
An example of the variety of DATs contained in the Flying Nun archive.
Flying Nun Records donation
Since the Library received the Flying Nun Records archive back in 2018, we’ve been working our way through digitising a variety of recording formats in the collection. These include 1/4" open reel master tapes, cassettes, videotapes and yes, DATs. You can read more of this work in the various blog posts we have written.
Of the Flying Nun Records donation, there were 241 DATs that needed to be transferred for preservation. Alexander Turnbull Library Audio Conservator, Zach Webber was tasked with finding the most efficient process to facilitate this. After some research, it became apparent that transferring the digital audio as data via a DDS (Digital Data Storage) data drive and associated software was a viable alternative to copying the tapes via playback on a traditional DAT player in real time.
Coincidentally the Turnbull Library audio conservators had a Sony SDT-9000, a data drive DAT machine that could do both. The Sony treated the music on the tape as data that could be transferred to an older PC running Windows XP.
Using the Sony DDS DAT machine and two different specialist software packages DAT2WAV and WAVDAT, Zach was able to successfully copy the content off all of the Flying Nun DATs.
A Denon DAT from the early 90s that is a 'safety copy' for the 3D's EP2 — "Vivid sound only by DAT". Ref: FLYDT-002. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Processing DATs as data
Zach points out that he was helped by an article written by Tim Bathgate in vol. 34 of the IASA journal (The International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives), which “provided an invaluable roadmap to processing DATs as digital data transfer”.
The article is interesting not just for its technical information but also because its author, Tim Bathgate, is the son of long-time Flying Nun musician Alec Bathgate, as part of The Enemy, Toy Love, the Tall Dwarfs and his solo albums.
Music by the Tall Dwarfs originally mastered to DAT and digitised by the Library, ended up on the recent “Unravelled 1981-2002” compilation. You can read more about that release on our blog in a post by Alec Bathgate, Tall Dwarfs unearthed and unravelled.
The reverse side of the insert for Superette's Rough indicates 'Professional use' intended by 3M. Ref: FLYDT-202. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Exclusive audio from the Flying Nun Records DATs
With the kind permission of Roger Shepherd, label owner and founder, and Flying Nun bands Garageland and Superette, we present two unreleased tracks from among the many DATs donated to the Library.
First up we have the John Cale More Drums Mix of Garageland’s Feel Alright. With its melancholic loud-quiet-loud vibe and piano played by Welsh musician, composer, and record producer John Cale.
The subtle differences between this and the official release give you an idea of the decision-making that goes into creating music using modern digital technology.
The same performance is used but with an infinite number of options available to tweak the sound (more drums?). When do the musician and the producer decide the music is finally finished and ready to release?
Listen to Garageland — Feel Alright (John Cale Mix) (4 mins)
Garageland — Feel Alright (John Cale Mix - More drums), 1997. Ref: FLYDT-069. Alexander Turnbull Library. Used by permission.
Listen to and watch the music video for the official release of ‘Feel alright’ on NZ On Screen.
The DAT containing Garageland's 'Feel alright' (John Cale mix) with mastering by Tape to Tape in London, UK, 1997. Ref: FLYDT-069. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Listen to Superette — Touch me (3 mins)
Superette’s Touch Me from the aptly titled Roughs is at the other end of the scale, it is a ‘demo’. The song is captured before it has been buffed and polished for its commercial release. It is recognisably the same song but lacks the effects and gloss that professional mastering often provides.
Superette — Touch me, 1995. Ref: FLYDT-202. Alexander Turnbull Library. Used by permission.
Watch the music video for Superette’s ‘Touch Me’.
The DAT for Superette / Roughs 7/12/95, cover reads: "Session tape with tracks: Felo, Funny weather, Touch me". Ref: FLYDT-202. Alexander Turnbull Library.
What does it all mean?
DAT became a proof of concept for a new way of recording music. It allowed musicians more time to craft their music due to the relatively low cost of achieving professional-quality recordings.
It also gave musicians greater control over the sound of their music by allowing easier integration with new technology, for example, samplers, sequencers and the various outboard digital effects that started to appear on the market in the 90s. This in turn led us to the modern DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) using software like Cubase, Ableton and GarageBand, available on laptops.
DAT recording technology also created the potential for musicians to move away from the old economic model of relying on large record labels to pay for and distribute their music, by allowing the recording process to become cheaper and quicker for bands to manage themselves.
Double Happy's 'Nerves compilation', Safety Copy, ca. 1992. Ref: FLYDT-064. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Accessing the Flying Nun DATs
Due to a range of copyright and other rights applied to these recordings, aside from the two tracks that we shared above, you will need to come into the Library to listen to the audio contained on the Flying Nun DATs and view the images of the tapes. While you can’t yet listen online at home, there are descriptive records for each of the 241 tapes allowing you to browse them in our catalogue.
Flying Nun Records DATs (Series-6398)
Flying Nun Records collection of master tapes and other recordings (ATL-Group-00353)
If you would like to make an appointment to consult the Flying Nun Records collection please contact us using Ask a librarian to arrange a visit to the Library in Wellington.
Thank you
Many thanks to Audio Conservator Zach Webber and Roger Shepherd of Flying Nun Records and the musicians in Garageland and Superette, for allowing us to share this music.
great to have this transferred into audio transcripts