Saki70, there is still analog tape in production and there are still studios with analog tape. All three of our LPs that my band has made were recorded analog and the master tapes were used to make the LP.
Whart, I think it would be risky to assume that the current LP status is a bubble. The year of least LP production was 1993 and its been on the rise ever since! One recont contribution to LP sales has been that the CD is dying and the labels want something to sell. So far they've not come up with a good internet model, which is why Apple and others have jumped into the fray. But the LP is still around for a simple reason: they sound better ('better' = more detail, smoother sound). Additionally they allow for better presentation of the artwork so if you want to present an album concept, you are far better off as an artist to do it on LP.
Whart, I think it would be risky to assume that the current LP status is a bubble. The year of least LP production was 1993 and its been on the rise ever since! One recont contribution to LP sales has been that the CD is dying and the labels want something to sell. So far they've not come up with a good internet model, which is why Apple and others have jumped into the fray. But the LP is still around for a simple reason: they sound better ('better' = more detail, smoother sound). Additionally they allow for better presentation of the artwork so if you want to present an album concept, you are far better off as an artist to do it on LP.