Larry Crane looks back on the humble beginnings of Tape Op Magazine:
The first issue of Tape Op came out in April of 1996. I already had a PO Box that didn’t see much use, and an HP computer that seemed pretty useless. I went downtown and signed up for a dialup email account, set up a desk in an unused bedroom, and was in business. For issue #1 I called Greg Freeman, who had produced the first two Vomit Launch records at his studio in San Francisco, and picked his brain. I also called Fred Cornog, of Merge Records’ East River Pipe, and talked about home recording. Throw in a few chats with other musician pals, and some sloppy paper layout, and I was ready. I snuck into my wife’s workplace on the weekend, bringing my own paper and knocking out photocopies. I had to buy a giant stapler, and I would rope in friends to help collate and “bind” the mags. For this inaugural issue I even spray painted the covers, using a 1/2-inch reel flange as a stencil.
Download the first issue here.