Lou Ottens, the Dutch engineer who invented the cassette tape and helped invent the CD, has passed away at 94 years old. No cause of death has been reported just yet.
It's easy to talk about how much Ottens' invention advanced the world of music, but one specific instance immediately comes to mind – tape trading. Where would metal be without the tape trading scene of the 80s? How would regional bands have been heard across the country, or even across the world? I think we all owe Ottens a debt of gratitude for his invention, because without it I'm really not sure where metal would be.
If you've never seen it, check out a trailer for the cassette documentary Documentary Mixtape below.
