Oh well, it's been fun...

It would appear that the good folk at MediaFire have taken objection to some of the files on my account, and have suspended the entire account without warning, despite previously sending me an email stating that half a dozen files "violate the MediaFire Terms of Service. Due to it being distributed from your account, it has been removed. Also, a Strike has been placed against your account and can lead to a termination of service."

They didn't give me the opportunity to address the files in question (Sex Pistols shows, in case you were wondering - how very punk rock to get them taken down...), nor any further warning that the account was in danger of suspension.

As there are far too many files to upload to another hosting service, it would appear that this is the end of Big Box of Tapes.

None of the music here was commercially-available, so no one was losing out financially, nor was anyone profiting from the files. Where's the real copyright issue in that? I could understand if this blog contained the latest release by Coldplay/Madonna/whoever, but it didn't. These files are for those people who have everything an artist has released, yet still want more. If bands don't like files like these being distributed, then why not release them commercially.

Thanks to everyone who's downloaded these shows, and posted their appreciation. I hope you've enjoyed the music. Take care.

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Paul Weller,
BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, 13th March 2012

Excellent digital broadcast of Paul Weller playing a live session on Lauren Laverne's BBC 6Music programme as part of the station's tenth birthday celebrations. This set includes three songs from Weller's latest solo album "Sonik Kicks."

01 Around the Lake
02 That Dangerous Age
03 The Attic
04 Interview
05 The Changingman
06 Wake Up the Nation
07 When Your Garden's Overgrown
08 Andromeda

Source: Digital broadcast
Quality: Excellent
Encoding: 192kbps mp3
File size: 33Mb

Download here

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Foo Fighters,
Reading Festival, Reading, UK, 26th August 1995

Excellent digital broadcast of the Foo Fighters' second-stage headline appearance on the Saturday night at the 1995 Reading Festival. This was one of, if not the, biggest show the band had played so far. Their self-titled debut album had been released the previous month and the circus-tent which housed the second stage was packed to bursting - the band hadn't been on stage long before the crowd trying to see them occupied the whole of the market stall area at the back of the Reading Festival arena, with those furthest away from the tent struggling to hear over main stage headliner Bjork. This set includes much of their debut album and an early airing (the first?) for "My Hero" which would appear in 1997 on second album "The Color and the Shape."


01 Winnebago

02 I'll Stick Around

03 Dave addresses crowd

04 Butterflies

05 Wattershed

06 Big Me

07 Dave addresses crowd

08 This is a Call

09 Weenie Beenie

10 For all the Cows

11 Oh, George

12 Podunk

13 Good Grief

14 Alone + Easy target

15 X-Static

16 My Hero

17 Exhausted


Source: Soundboard/webcast

Quality: Excellent

Encoding: 192kbps mp3

File size: 101Mb


Download here

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The Fall,
Keystone, Berkeley, California, USA, 10th July 1981

Very good recording of The Fall playing in California a few months after the release of their acclaimed mini-album "Slates," from which come three songs here, as well as earlier tracks from debut "Live at the Witch Trials" and third album "Grotesque." Also included is the single-only release "Totally Wired" and then-forthcoming single "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul" and "Hip Priest" which would appear on 1982's classic "Hex Enduction Hour" album.


01 Lie Dream of a Casino Soul

02 An Older Lover

03 Totally Wired

04 The NWRA

05 Fit and Working Again

06 Hip Priest

07 New Face in Hell

08 Prole Art Threat

09 Container Drivers

10 No Xmas for John Quays


Source: Soundboard

Quality: Very good

Encoding: 192kbps mp3

File size: 83Mb


Download here

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The Rezillos,
100 Club, London, UK, 30th March 2006

Excellent digital radio broadcast. The Rezillos were part of BBC 6Music's 25th anniversary of punk celebration at London's legendary 100 Club. This set includes four then-new songs which, apart from the digital-download release "No 1 Boy," have yet to see the light of day. With original guitarist Jo Callis having left the band, who knows if the mooted album will ever appear.


01 (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures

02 Flying Saucer Attack

03 Top Of The Pops

04 Cold Wars

05 Love No More

06 25 Miles

07 No 1 Boy

08 Mystery Action

09 Yesterday's Tormentor


Source: Digital radio broadcast

Quality: Excellent

Encoding: 192kbps mp3

File size: 42Mb


Download here

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The Charlatans,
BBC Philharmonic Studio, Salford, UK, 31st October 2011

Excellent digital radio broadcast. The band were playing at a BBC 6Music showcase on the day of the inaugural John Peel lecture (given by Pete Townshend), hence the dedication of "Sproston Green" to Peelie.


01 Forever

02 Just When You're Thinking Things Over

03 Tellin' Stories

04 North Country Boy

05 Impossible

06 Smash the System

07 The Only One I Know

08 Oh! Vanity

09 Sproston Green


Source: Digital radio broadcast

Quality: Excellent

Encoding: 192kbps mp3

File size: 65Mb


Download here

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New Model Army,
Finsbury Park, London, UK, 27th July 1986

Good quality recording of New Model Army supporting The Damned at second of two nights celebrating the latter's 10th anniversary. This is a transfer from a cassette bought in 1986 - probably the same recording that is available elsewhere, but perhaps one tape generation or so earlier… it sounds very slightly clearer than the other version. Possibly…


01 Intro

02 Christian Militia

03 Ambition

04 Ten Commandments

05 Waiting

06 Heroes

07 A Liberal Education

08 No Rest

09 Young, Gifted and Skint

10 51st State

11 Smalltown England

12 The Hunt

13 My Country

14 Gimme All Your Lovin'

15 Betcha


Source: Audience

Quality: Good

Encoding: 192kbps mp3

File size: 81Mb


Download here

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