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Thanks, I Needed That

The Beatnix were an Ozzie Beatles tribute band. Some clever lad (or lass) has mashed them up with a "beat-y" version of "Stairway to Heaven." It's astoundingly fun.

Hat tip to Whatever.

Correction: Jeff Wong doesn't think it's a mash up. "Not per se, it's their cover of 'STH' made to look old."

I'm a huge fan of Martin Puryear's sculpture, having discovered it at a 1987 Hirschhorn retrospective. So I've been meaning to catch up with his current exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Arthur C. Danto's appreciation in The Nation serves not only as a stimulus to hie me hence forthwith, but also as a meditation on MOMA's second-floor atrium.

Good stuff.

Covers From Beyond the Id

Back when I worked at the lower Broadway Tower Records, those crazy cut-ups in the Classical Annex culled the stupidest, most cheesecakey covers from the used bins and covered a wall-of-shame in the count-out room with them.

A lot of them appear in this Dial "M" for Musicology posting.

For what it's worth, I think that "Jagger in intention, Nigel Tuffnell in execution" may be the most succinct and accurate summation possible.

Record Mart Reopens!

I've been telling you—I've been telling everyone, actually—that old-style New York City salsa is making a major comeback. Major.

Don't call it a comeback!

Now the New York Times is reporting it. So, you KNOW it must be true.

I had some time on my hands, so I picked up the Times and, with all of lower Manhattan winking at me from just across the cold and narrow river, I turned to the Metro Section. To my surprise, the word "SALSA"—large white letters against a bright red record mat&#151jumped off the page and asked me to dance.

The caption read:…

Waiting for FedEx to Open

I spent a part of this morning sitting in the warm lobby of 10 Exchange Place in downtown Jersey City, waiting for FedEx to open. I had some gear to return. While I waited, I decided to listen to music. I undid the two front latches on my black canvas bag. From one pocket, I pulled out the Red Wine Audio iMod, from the other I removed the Shure SE310 earphones.

And that was it.

With in-ear headphones, so much depends on getting a good fit. A bad fit can leave you with external sounds&#151conversations, sirens, ringtones, whatever&#151creeping in and marring your…

101 No-Fuss Appetizers

This is Mark Bittman's third collection of 101 no-hassle dishes. These aren't gimmicks—they're good food designed to be made in under 20 minutes (frequently much under), using foods you might have around the house. (Over the years, I've discovered that a little prep at the shopping stage guarantees that you'll have the ingredients to make good food fast.)

Bittman's point—and it's a crucial one—is that good food doesn't have to be fussy or complicated. You can make a good meal (or appetizer or whatever) just as quickly as you can make a bad one. Some of these can substitute for a quick,…

Elvis' Jewish Roots?

John Marks sends along this "respectful and perhaps link-worthy page on Elvis' Jewishness".

Over the years I've heard quite a few accounts of Elvis' connections to the Jewish community of Memphis, including tales of his having served as his neighbors' Shabbos goy.

Happy Holidays

I enjoy receiving holiday cards from friends and family. I hang them on my wall and smile at them. Each year, we receive many holiday cards here at Stereophile, too.

Our friends at National Refund & Marketing Services take care of our customers' orders for Stereophile Recordings, back issues, and other merchandise, and are always incredibly helpful and courteous. It's wonderful to work with them. They have made a donation in our name to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The card reads: This gift will help us bring hope, strength, and joy to the life of a courageous…

Basically Bread Loaf

Bagheera assumes the bread loaf position—one of the mandatories in the Kitty Olympiad.

Snug!

Huckleberry tries to pull the rug over me ... er, him.