Last Friday, State College released its greatest hits.

In what is now becoming an annual event, the State College Musicians Collective recently put out State College Music Tour '93, an exhaustive two-cassette set featuring the sounds of over 150 area artists.

As a sampling of the local talent pool, it rivals only its predecessor in providing a broad taste of the music scene in and out of the bars. Aside from the tapes' name change from Bar Tour to the more encompassing Music Tour, this collection features 20 new bands and enhanced sound quality, said Curtis Bayer, the tapes' executive producer.

Some of the new bands featured on the tape include The City (formerly Emerald City), Out of the Blue, the Catch, the Dirges and the Hot Mamas. Of course, local favorites such as John Cunningham, Queen Bee and the Blue Hornet Band, The Earthtones, Code Blue and Neo Pseudo are included.

There were some minor no-shows from Soul Gypsies and Safe Sax. Bayer said he would have liked to have gotten both for the tapes, but they did not submit songs. The Collective started working on getting submissions for the tapes six months ago and had set a deadline for all submissions in January which "steamrolled" up until March.

Ironically, Bayer said they got the bulk of tunes after the January deadline. But, he said he's very pleased with the outcome.

"It really shows off the musical diversity of the community," Bayer said. "There's a dozen different musical styles. I feel there's probably 10 bands in this good enough to make it nationally."

State College Music Tour '93 features everything from the guitar pop of the Boxing Oscars to the fresh experimentation of WPSU's Avant Garde music director Ray Cromie's Interrobang.

"I think they've done a pretty good job on them," said Greg Gabbard, owner of Modern Times Compact Discs, 318 E. College Ave., and City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave. "I think they've put in a lot of bands that people like and a lot of bands that people should like."

Just as the liner notes say: "SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!," many of the bands who participated thought the tapes were a good idea to help the local music scene prosper. All proceeds of the sales of the tapes go directly to the Collective, which Bayer said will use the money for next year's tape as well as benefit concerts.

"It gives a chance for people who aren't 21 to hear it," said Justin Chung of The Catch. "I love it, it's a very good idea to do it locally."

The two tapes are available for $9.99 at area record stores. Bayer also said last year's tape has been remixed and will be reissued for a "super sale" price.