Please read,
for your own good! and mine!
These aren't my rules or anything, it's just here to help anyone out who wants to read them.

Recording, Trading, and other tips:

- Always record video in SP (2 hour) mode . NEVER record in SLP (6 hour) mode, the quality is horrible!

- It's proper etiquette to trade on good quality, new tapes. For video, I use Sony or Maxell Silver/Gold. I don't use 8 hour tapes unless it's necessary, or requested. The 8 hour tapes are made with thinner tape that breaks easier. Maxell has a long history of  being the best, but I'd say they're neck and neck with Sony now. If you're recording audio, use Maxell type II tapes. It's pretty much the standard. They're the best. If at all possible record on minidiscs. They're the best by far.

- For God's sake! When you're recording audio DON'T HAVE THE TV ON!!! This mainly accounts when recording in analog. Audio tapes pick up the high pitched wine from the TV and if you're like me, you can hear it loudly and it's horribly annoying! Many people don't know this, so now you know. I've seen this little overlook ruin some of the best recordings ever done! Not only does it effect bootleg recordings, but I've got some albums where they either recorded it on a 4-track at home when a close-by TV was on, or whoever mixed it transferred it to the master tape while a TV was on. For example, the Nip Drivers. Some of their best songs, like "Tang", one of the best punk songs EVER made has a loud, high-pitched wine in it. Digital recording doesn't have this problem, and video doesn't either, but when you're making an audio tape for someone, ESPECIALLY recording a record (LP)! DON'T HAVE A TV OR MONITOR ON ANYWHERE NEAR THE DECK!!!

- I trade show for show. Most people do the same, but some people out there tape time for time. I can understand where that mentality comes from, but to me there's a big difference between trading a 15 min. Nip Drivers show ( which doesn't even exist) for 15 min. of some shitty Bruce Springstein show. I trade time for time when that's all that someone wants to do, but I'm just saying that I've got many many shows that are short and they're worth far more than a long show of something common. Of course it's common courtesy to consider if nothing's uncommon, or rare, to fill up the tape with as many shows that will fit, that happens all the time. All I'm sayin' is that if someone hooks you up, hook them up in return. Don't hang this time for time thing over your head.

- Trade shows! Don't be some panzy that loves to be the "I have it and you don't" attitude. There's lots of people like that in the Mr.Bungle realm, like many others, too. I've recorded/filmed LOTS of stuff myself and it would be totally stupid for me to not let anyone else have a copy of it. Music is meant to he heard! There's some videos I have that someone luckily filmed years ago and that's all there is of that band (like BOMB), and if whoever filmed it had that  'you can't have it' mentality, I'd never have the pleasure of seeing it on tape, just because they want to sit on it forever and be the only one who has it or something? That's not cool. And ss far as I'm concerned, that Mike Patton attitude of "Don't record me live!" is totally lame! If you're in a band, you should be honored that people want to record you! Don't be a greedy fucker.

- Another FOR GOD'S SAKE, store your VHS tapes standing up or on their back!!! NEVER STORE VHS TAPES LAYING DOWN!!! Sooooo many people are guilty of this. If you have tapes that you've had for a while and they're laying down, stop reading this right now and go stand them up, or on their backs!!!! Video tapes go bad laying down. The reel slips down with time and damages the side of the tape facing down. One side is video and the other is audio, so either the video or audio gets screwed if it sits there long enough. Most of the time the video gets screwed. This is another thing that LOTS of people just aren't aware of. That's why the movie rental places always store/have their movies standing up. Because they'll go bad if they don't. If you're like most people, and you're not aware of this, you've got videos that you haven't watched in over 10 years and they're laying on their side somewhere. Go check them out, it's most likely too late and the quality has gone to hell. TAKE CARE OF YOUR TAPES!!!! I've met many people who've filmed stuff way back in the day and it's all "in a big pile at home". Chances are it's going bad , too. That's a crime!

- As much as old fogies want to complain about it, Digital is the BEST way to store ANYTHING! If you have a Minidisc player, or a DAT player, record your rare and irreplaceable stuff digitally and it'll be good forever. Do it now! Analog slowly goes bad through the years, so WHILE YOU CAN get stuff recorded and preserved! I'm totally anal about this stuff, if you haven't noticed yet. Go get a Minidisc recorder. They're the best things on earth! I'm telling you, you won't regret it if you collect rare stuff. There's NOTHING better than minidisc. It's like DAT, but better, trust me.  NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING is better!

-As a good tip, punch out the tabs of EVERYTHING that you get. The first thing I do when I get a bootleg, or video of any kind is punch out the tabs! I've had friends that I tape stuff for accidentally tape over it. They'd be screwed if they weren't able to get it again. It's common courtesy to NOT punch out tabs on tapes when you SEND them out, but when you GET tapes, PUNCH THEM OUT! You'll be glad in the long run, believe me. Accidents happen... all the time.

- CLEAN YOUR HEADS ON YOUR VCR'S!!! Don't depend on the crappy dry head cleaners you can get at the store either. Depending on how much you use your VCR, you need to open it up and manually clean the heads with clear rubbing alcohol and a lint free cloth. It helps tremendously! Most VCR's open up easily for this reason now. I clean mine about every 25 hours of use. However, I do a lot of taping with brand new tapes, so there's not as much need to, but I do it anyway. If you do a lot of playing of different tapes, try to clean the heads as much as you can. Ideally about every 10-15 hour of use. It'll save your VCR, your tapes, and your copies.

- Most people like to label VHS tapes themselves. I usually write all the necessary info on the back of the sticker label, that way it can be labeled however they want. But this area of trading is sorta gray, so do wahtever you think is appropriate.

- This is my favorite- When you record or play a record (LP), spray it down with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle while it's playing so the needle glides over a wet alcohol surface the whole time. Get a good coat over the whole thing. The alcohol takes out 95% of all the crackles and pops. It's amazing! It won't hurt the vinyl at all. Professionals have done it for years. Use the clear alcohol and not the green stuff. That way no extra green dye is left over. Alcohol evaporates fast, so put more on every now and then. Just be careful not to spray the sticker in the middle of the LP, It'll make it bubble up like it's wet and not look as pretty. When you're through, dry it off  with a cotton cloth. It really helps keep the lint off, too. I usually tape the LP to a minidisc this way once, and that way I never have to put any more wear on the record. I love my vinyl.

- Keep track of your tapes! Label them right when you get them! If you don't keep on top of it from the beginning, you'll get completely swamped after a while of trading and lost on what tape is what and you'll never be able to find out. It happens to the best of us. It's kinda like bills, just pay it right away, and you'll never have to worry about it again. Label them immediately. I've got a couple of shows I filmed that I slacked behind on labeling once and still don't remember who the band was or the dates. That sucks.

- When you trade tapes with someone, give all the info on it! Date, club, city, everything possible. I've got tons of shows that have nothing but a year. That sucks, cause a year doesn't really help you with WHEN it was, and it's always good to know the club, cause some are better than others.

Any more advise, please ask.
Email me.