Did I just say fifty? I can't believe it, but we've made it to fifty issues of Tape Op, and in April 2006 it will be the ten-year anniversary of this magazine. Have there been changes along the way? Uh, yeah. I remember sneaking into a friend's workspace to make 400 or so copies of issue #1, then taking everything home where I spray painted (!) and stapled magazines with my pals (who were plied with free beer). There were no real (paid) ads then, and I had to drive around town to put them on consignment. There were no gear reviews either! The thought of having full-page ads or attending AES conferences was farthest from my mind. Doing interviews with people like Les Paul and Phil Ramone seemed fantastical at the time. And here we are, with some of the folks who helped create some of the best albums past and present. Many thanks to the people that believe in this magazine — you the readers. And thanks to the people who work so hard: John, Andy, Hillary, Laura, Garrett, AJ, and the many wonderful writers that have contributed for over nine years now. And last (but certainly not least), a special thanks to our advertisers that make it possible to send 40,000 copies to people for free — something I never could have imagined all those years ago.
Enjoy this issue. Fifty? I still can't believe it!