FATE Tape

In 1955 Bill Danner started the Fantasy Amateur Tape Exchange (the FATE tape) for FAPA members including Lee Hoffman, Larry Shaw, Harry Warner, Dean A. Grennell, Boyd Raeburn, Charles Burbee, Lee Jacobs, Wrai Ballard, J&dYoung, and Bill Rotsler, though it wasn't an official FAPA activity. The FATE Tape was a chain tape divided into six or eight sections. A member recorded in one section and sent it on to the next person on the chain.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

FATE In the fannish sense is not the quasi-mystical prozine put out by Ray Palmer, but refers to the Fantasy Amateur Tape Exchange; an organization started by William McCory Danner in 1955. He donated the 1200-foot roll of tape which constituted FATE's stamping ground, recording about 15 minutes and sending it on thru a suggested chain of members which included, eventually, Lee&Larry Shaw, Harry Warner jr., Boyd Raeburn, DAG, Wrai Ballard, Leej, WR, Burbee, and of course Danner himself. Later, when Leej dropped out, J&dYoung were added, on the ground that they had descendants to carry on the next cycle of the tape. As this motive suggests, the reel moves but turgidly around the circuit, and may visit any member rarely oftener than twice a year if that. The same idea is used in various other chains such as KISMET and, before tape recorders became common, was used by wirecorder fans.

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Publication

1955—

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