In several instances, we have seen binder adhesion to the back of next layer in the tape pack. When the tape is unwound, a portion of the the binder adheres to the layer it was resting on, and is pulled off the layer it was supposed to be on. It looks like this when held up to the light:

There are many possible causes for this adhesion (or pinning, as it is sometimes called). For this tape, we believe moisture intrusion and poor storage conditions contributed to the problem. It is often a problem with plastic leader tape.

Slow unwinding has reportedly helped, as has cold, dry storage for an extended period.

This tape  (Melody 169) also squealed, but we finally got an acceptable transfer. Fortunately, this was recorded on only one track, and it wasn’t the one with all the holes in this picture.