jackson balling
@jax.blanktapes.co
• founder of blanktapes.co, NC’s local music webzine
• writer, bassist, Buffalo native, Durham resident
• yes, that’s my real last name
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/blanktapes | Merch: https://blank-tapes.printify.me/
• writer, bassist, Buffalo native, Durham resident
• yes, that’s my real last name
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/blanktapes | Merch: https://blank-tapes.printify.me/
Pinned
jackson balling
@jax.blanktapes.co
· Sep 3
Mountains to Sea Vol. 1, by Various Arists
20 track album
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com
Mountains to Sea Vol. 1: a benefit compilation for Western NC is available for pre-order!
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com/album/mounta...
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com/album/mounta...
IT'S HERE! Our 2025 Rewind is live and STUFFED with so much good music that you won't know what to do with it
🔗 blanktapes.co/2025-rewind/
🔗 blanktapes.co/2025-rewind/
2025 Rewind: Our Favorite Albums, EPs, and Artists from North Carolina
Highlighting the abundance of music released from our artist community in 2025
blanktapes.co
December 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
IT'S HERE! Our 2025 Rewind is live and STUFFED with so much good music that you won't know what to do with it
🔗 blanktapes.co/2025-rewind/
🔗 blanktapes.co/2025-rewind/
we're barreling towards 2026 but don't let that distract you from the amazing new records of November! I've got write-ups on Abigail Dowd, Burlap Circus, MAVI, and scrape + 32 other releases to check out (so do it!)
blanktapes.co/new-music-nc...
blanktapes.co/new-music-nc...
New Music NC: November 2025
Featuring Abigail Dowd, Burlap Circus, MAVI, scrape, and 32 new releases from North Carolina artists
blanktapes.co
December 2, 2025 at 3:49 PM
we're barreling towards 2026 but don't let that distract you from the amazing new records of November! I've got write-ups on Abigail Dowd, Burlap Circus, MAVI, and scrape + 32 other releases to check out (so do it!)
blanktapes.co/new-music-nc...
blanktapes.co/new-music-nc...
blanktapes.co just hit 100 published articles! 🥳
a few months have passed since I've done one of these "letter to the editor" columns. it felt like the best way to touch on the milestone and offer some life updates. can't wait to share what we've got in store for 2026!
a few months have passed since I've done one of these "letter to the editor" columns. it felt like the best way to touch on the milestone and offer some life updates. can't wait to share what we've got in store for 2026!
Bonus Track: November 2025
Giving thanks, a Mountains to Sea Vol. 1 update, and getting tripped up by Geese
blanktapes.co
November 30, 2025 at 1:42 PM
blanktapes.co just hit 100 published articles! 🥳
a few months have passed since I've done one of these "letter to the editor" columns. it felt like the best way to touch on the milestone and offer some life updates. can't wait to share what we've got in store for 2026!
a few months have passed since I've done one of these "letter to the editor" columns. it felt like the best way to touch on the milestone and offer some life updates. can't wait to share what we've got in store for 2026!
algorithms seem hell-bent on flooding every social media feed with articles about ICE in NC, but only to show off all the awful racists/bots who congregate in the comment sections 🤮
November 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
algorithms seem hell-bent on flooding every social media feed with articles about ICE in NC, but only to show off all the awful racists/bots who congregate in the comment sections 🤮
this man is single-handedly getting me back into chevelle
if cheVelle wrote "SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW" by Gotye
YouTube video by mac glocky
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
this man is single-handedly getting me back into chevelle
Reposted by jackson balling
Posted for no reason
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Posted for no reason
finally trying to get back into the social media groove after a chaotic few months of work/life 🫠 so here's my first interview in a hot minute with one of my favorite writers/zine creators in the Triangle
check it 👉 blanktapes.co/interview-ma...
check it 👉 blanktapes.co/interview-ma...
Interview: Matia Guardabascio (Writer, Secret Astronomer / Durham Beat)
Creating the local media you want to see, rejecting objectivity in music journalism, and finding community through curiosity
blanktapes.co
November 7, 2025 at 2:38 PM
finally trying to get back into the social media groove after a chaotic few months of work/life 🫠 so here's my first interview in a hot minute with one of my favorite writers/zine creators in the Triangle
check it 👉 blanktapes.co/interview-ma...
check it 👉 blanktapes.co/interview-ma...
Reposted by jackson balling
whos in the social media bubble now you gooncel freaks
November 5, 2025 at 1:07 PM
whos in the social media bubble now you gooncel freaks
looking for some new music? check out this smorgasbord of releases from local North Carolina artists over the past month! blanktapes.co/new-music-nc...
New Music NC: October 2025
Featuring Certain Seas, susong, Tab One, and 49 new releases from North Carolina artists
blanktapes.co
November 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
looking for some new music? check out this smorgasbord of releases from local North Carolina artists over the past month! blanktapes.co/new-music-nc...
my favorite Joyce Manor song? probably “perfect sound whatever” by Jeff Rosenstock
My favorite blink-182 song? Probably “heart tattoo” by Joyce Manor
October 26, 2025 at 10:21 PM
my favorite Joyce Manor song? probably “perfect sound whatever” by Jeff Rosenstock
“you ever hear of that old movie, the emperor’s new groove?”
I am a thousand
I am a thousand
October 21, 2025 at 2:19 PM
“you ever hear of that old movie, the emperor’s new groove?”
I am a thousand
I am a thousand
Reposted by jackson balling
WHEN THERE’S TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Oh wow. Yes, very clever! Waterfall treasure! No one’s ever done that before. Lazy jackass
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
October 15, 2025 at 1:04 AM
WHEN THERE’S TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Oh wow. Yes, very clever! Waterfall treasure! No one’s ever done that before. Lazy jackass
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
national coming out day is tomorrow and foxing is going on hiatus, so I guess now's a great time to formally say I'm not straight
Foxing’s “Beacons” is My Queer Anthem
How singer Conor Murphy gave me the words to better define my sense of self
blanktapes.co
October 10, 2025 at 1:17 PM
national coming out day is tomorrow and foxing is going on hiatus, so I guess now's a great time to formally say I'm not straight
[emerges from the void to throw some good albums into your feed]
[retreats]
[retreats]
October 3, 2025 at 1:10 PM
[emerges from the void to throw some good albums into your feed]
[retreats]
[retreats]
Reposted by jackson balling
Me at a The Wonder Years concert
I hope he comes out swinging
September 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Me at a The Wonder Years concert
such a banger of a track from another amazing @stayinsidebk.bsky.social album
Stay Inside - Old Faithful
YouTube video by Tiny Engines
youtu.be
September 23, 2025 at 5:07 PM
such a banger of a track from another amazing @stayinsidebk.bsky.social album
between putting out a benefit compilation and getting my landlord to terminate our lease without penalty, today has already been an all-timer
September 23, 2025 at 3:56 PM
between putting out a benefit compilation and getting my landlord to terminate our lease without penalty, today has already been an all-timer
RELEASE DAY BAYBEE!
I can't believe this beautiful thing exists. So much love for all the artists who contributed and everyone who picks it up. All funds are going straight to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina!
I can't believe this beautiful thing exists. So much love for all the artists who contributed and everyone who picks it up. All funds are going straight to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina!
Mountains to Sea Vol. 1 — Available Now!
Celebrating 1 year of Blank Tapes with a benefit compilation to support our neighbors in western North Carolina
blanktapes.co
September 23, 2025 at 1:14 PM
RELEASE DAY BAYBEE!
I can't believe this beautiful thing exists. So much love for all the artists who contributed and everyone who picks it up. All funds are going straight to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina!
I can't believe this beautiful thing exists. So much love for all the artists who contributed and everyone who picks it up. All funds are going straight to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina!
looking ahead at next weekend like
September 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM
looking ahead at next weekend like
perennially disgusted
September 18, 2025 at 12:47 AM
perennially disgusted
Reposted by jackson balling
Yay Lonnie Rott! Yay anti-capitalism! Yay blanktapes.co.
Another banger interview by @jax.blanktapes.co
blanktapes.co/interview-lo...
Another banger interview by @jax.blanktapes.co
blanktapes.co/interview-lo...
Interview: Lonnie Rott
Durham singer-songwriter Lonnie Rott on finding his artistic voice through creative community and collaborative trust
blanktapes.co
September 17, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Yay Lonnie Rott! Yay anti-capitalism! Yay blanktapes.co.
Another banger interview by @jax.blanktapes.co
blanktapes.co/interview-lo...
Another banger interview by @jax.blanktapes.co
blanktapes.co/interview-lo...
I’ve been slacking on the social media game lately, but this is a great piece!
Check out this profile of Badcat's Warhol Factory-like scene at ArtPost in Durham. It's by Stephen Mullaney of The Wigg Report in @jax.blanktapes.co's music zine Blank Tapes.
I get to play the next 9th Street Underground show there Sept. 27. All ages! Come on out! 1/2
blanktapes.co/getting-caug...
I get to play the next 9th Street Underground show there Sept. 27. All ages! Come on out! 1/2
blanktapes.co/getting-caug...
Getting Caught in Badcat’s Orbit
Sean Graham is quietly building much-needed community space for Durham’s underground
blanktapes.co
September 9, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I’ve been slacking on the social media game lately, but this is a great piece!
Mountains to Sea Vol. 1: a benefit compilation for Western NC is available for pre-order!
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com/album/mounta...
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com/album/mounta...
Mountains to Sea Vol. 1, by Various Arists
20 track album
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com
September 3, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Mountains to Sea Vol. 1: a benefit compilation for Western NC is available for pre-order!
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com/album/mounta...
blanktapes-co.bandcamp.com/album/mounta...
Reposted by jackson balling
