The solution to preserving cassette tapes has been found. Except the actual releasing of these restorations may be prohibited, at least for R.E.M. fans. Read on to find out why.

Blogger and archivist by the name of Analog Loyalist conjured up this unique idea to restore a free cassette tape he received from the band years ago. Everything was good to go until the label that owns R.E.M. stepped in and halted production that began in October 2011.

Songs from the original cassette demo had already been posted including “Radio Free Europe,” “Sitting Still,” and “White Tornado.” Then on June 6, the International Federation of the Pornographic Industry (IFPI) went through Universal to issue a takedown notice mentioning the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

The details are that there is no contract for the song with the label, seeing as the tracks were on a demo tape handed out personally by band members. At this point, after all the bickering and quarreling, Analog Loyalist is now contemplating whether or not it would be worth it to continue on with his original plan. “I don’t want to see my efforts as a writer/archivist/engineer wasted,” he said.

The original blog with the other R.E.M. restorations can be accessed here. This artist has already completed similar projects, restoring singles by The Smiths and Joy Division and New Order.