Oh, how we miss the '90s. We still get misty every fall when the department stores stock their shelves with flannels. We complain that music videos nowadays aren't nearly as good as the video for Whale's 'Hobo-Humpin' Slobo Babe.' And we get really pissed every time we hear another crappy mall-metal band whose singer sounds like Layne Staley, but terrible. The point is, we love the '90s.

So when we heard about this crowdfunding project to restore the fabled Neve 8048 console used in Seattle recording studio London Bridge Studios, we immediately decided to tell everyone we know. "What the f--- is that, and why should I care?" you might ask. Good questions, though you asked them in a very rude manner. Basically, if you like any music that came out of Seattle in the '90s, it was probably recorded using the Neve 8048 console.

This console was responsible for transferring sound from microphones to the reel-to-reel for a veritable who's-who of grunge. Pearl Jam's 'Ten' went through this board, as did Soundgarden's 'Louder Than Love.' It also helped record albums by Alice in Chains, Temple of the Dog, Mother Love Bone, Death Cab for Cutie and Cat Power.

More than that, this item is a rare piece of music history. The Neve 8048 console in London Bridge Studios is more than 40 years old, and not too many more of these working consoles exist. The studio owners say that, with some repairs, it could continue to function for another 40 years. The owners hope that, by crowdsourcing the repairs, they can keep their rates low enough to keep the studio accessible to smaller bands.

Check out the above video to learn more.

More From Diffuser.fm