Front Row of the Melt Show

Back before Napster, before YouTube, rarity and scarcity were fundamental markers of fandom. Japanese import singles, live bootlegs, leaked demos — these objects measured the depth of your devotion and length of your pursuit. I’ve got an essay called “Front Row of the Melt Show” over at The Smart Set about a cassette of Old 97’s demos and my own search for belonging I tried to find in them.