These problems are multiplied by the difficulty I have in front of a tape recorder

Borrowing its title from an interview with American artist Michael Asher, this film explores the tactile and even sensual qualities of analog magnetic tape recording and sound. The footage is composed of detailed close-ups of the reel-to-reel recorder as it plays back a song from Steve Bates’ latest release, All The Things That Happen (Constellation Records). The introduction plays back an old country & western song that was on one of the tape reels acquired with the recorder from the family of a deceased gentleman living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Once the video shoot was complete, the reel never worked again.