Shit used to piss her off. We'd be at dinner or walking through the park, and I'd bring up some audio-related topic, and she'd hear something in the tone of my voice.
"Are you thinking about writing this in your blog?" she'd ask.…
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Part of the problem is that I'm almost always thinking about what I should, or could, be writing here on the blog. I'll be in the shower, thinking: "Man, I haven't written anything good lately. Haven't written anything that's inspired discussion. Maybe, today, I'll write about my father and how his alcoholism relates to speaker cables…."
Dear Stephen,
You probably will be cleaning records over the long holiday weekend, as your cleaning machine was shipped today.
You probably will be cleaning records over the long holiday weekend, as your cleaning machine was shipped today.
Have a great weekend.
Sheila
This isn't "perfect sound," it's perfect life.
—George Reisch, Stereophile, Vol.20 No.9
—George Reisch, Stereophile, Vol.20 No.9
Vinyl News from Mikey Fremer: Last week, Michael Fremer sent me a copy of his 21st Century Vinyl DVD. Originally released in June 2006, Mikey's "Practical Guide to Turntable Set-Up" has sold over 7000 copies. While I recommend it to anyone interested in learning how to set up a turntable, I think it provides benefits to recent converts as well as experienced analog lovers. It is highly informative and entertaining. That Mikey, he's a funny dude.
Today, Michael announced…
The Jeff Gauthier Goatette’s House of Return, on the L.A.-based Cryptogramophone label, is one of the most sinuously pleasing albums I’ve heard in a while. I confess that I haven’t followed this quirky label or its roster of musicians as closely as I should have, but I intend to make up for lost time. The Goatette (don’t ask me why it’s called that—there are five musicians, so it’s not even a Dada play on “quartet”) consists of Gauthier, violin; Nels Cline, guitar; David Witham, piano; Joel Hamilton, bass; and Alex Cline, drums. The way each of them weaves in and out of different tempos,…
The cute bartender and her unimpressive boyfriend opened Abbey's Pub at just after 1PM on Saturday afternoon. She was wearing tight blue jeans and a small black top. Who cares what he was wearing? I noticed them from where I stood, at my living room. Not that I was eager for them to open the bar or anything. It was just that my VPI 16.5 record-cleaning machine was waiting for me in there.
UPS had delivered it the day before. I do not live in the bar, but above it. Abbey is my landlord, and he's a good dude, happy to collect my large packages. In any case, I was anxious to…
I knew that the VPI 16.5 measured around 15" x 9" x 14" and weighed something close to 30 lbs, but it still struck me as large and heavy. I sliced through the packing tape to find that the machine was carefully and securely set within its carton, held in place by heavy wedges of foam. Once unpacked, it was clear that the VPI was all business and built to last, as though it could withstand great amounts of strenuous work over much time and from place to place. It's a product made to satisfy its owner. With solid, black side panels and an acrylic top, it may be nothing much to look…
This carved detail from a house in Bourbon-Lancy reminded me of the marginals Sergio Aragonés drew for Mad.
This carved detail from a house in Bourbon-Lancy sort of snuck up on me. I walked past it, got about five steps down the street and did a classic double take.
This dashing zouave graced an antiques store in Bourbon-Lancy. What did it sell? Why, military antiquities, of course. I was tempted by a Hussar's sabre, but I was pretty sure I couldn't carry it on the airplane home with me.