My download started at 2.0KB/sec. It was at 1.6KB/sec. when it finished with the first song. I started the second song--it's at 0.3KB/sec, so I don't think I'm gonna get it at this time.

We have a SDSL line that's roughly T1 speed here.

Years ago I compared notes with cathy (she posts here occasionally)--we both decided that White Light / White Heat was the album that had the biggest influence on us.

Your crossword is quite the hit, Joe.

I certainly enjoyed it.

Hayden, your millions of UK readers who don't use Bittorrent might not appreciate the honking great Sopranos spoiler on the High Hat homepage...

Great Sopranos piece, though.

Is it really slow for you, too, Jon? The title track has been downloading for about 15 minutes

Yes, although the title track is the only one that has finished. I'm listening to it right now! (AIFG)

Your crossword is quite the hit, Joe.

Cool. I'm thinking of doing one in honor of the book club thread. You know, the one I won't be participating in. Anyway, if DX (or someone else) is willing to post another one then I'll do it. A much better plan, btw, than updating my resume and following up on the job leads that fell into my lap last week. What a maroon, as Bugs would say.

I downloaded about 90% of "White Light White Heat" (song) before it got stuck. Gave up when it hadn't changed in half an hour. Bummah.

Bonus left field observation: apropos of the High Hat Firesign Theatre piece, White Light White Heat and Lester Bangs' contention that the Germans, as the creators of methamphetamine, were the true creators of rock and roll, compare John Cale's bass line near the end of "White Light White Heat" to the pep pills chant (esp. the drums) on Don't Crush That Dwarf...

Crap, Jim, I didn't even think about that. But it's such a great piece that I'd feel cruddy about hiding or replacing it.

Cool. I'm thinking of doing one in honor of the book club thread. You know, the one I won't be participating in.

You are doing one for the next Hat, right?

Bonus left field observation: apropos of the High Hat Firesign Theatre piece, White Light White Heat and Lester Bangs' contention that the Germans, as the creators of methamphetamine, were the true creators of rock and roll, compare John Cale's bass line near the end of "White Light White Heat" to the pep pills chant (esp. the drums) on Don't Crush That Dwarf...

Will do, this evening.

You are doing one for the next Hat, right?

Ohhhh yeah. Maybe I'll finally work on some of the articles I proposed. I'll talk to Ed about the caricature, too.

P-E-P-E-P... MooOOOOrrrrrrree Pep pills! Pep pills! Pep pills! Peppills peppills! Peppillspeppillspeppllpepepep... Yaaaayy Pep pills!!!

Anyway, if DX (or someone else) is willing to post another one then I'll do it.

I'll be happy to post it.

the title track is the only one that has finished. I'm listening to it right now! (AIFG)

Don't know about FG, but FF(unny) and FW(eird), albeit more selfconsciously weird than I usually like. Dig the more or less unplugged approach, but the effect on the lead vocal is pretty irritating. Granted I haven't listened to much of him, and what I heard was many years ago, but this reminds me of Eugene Chadbourne. According to Lou Reed the fuzziness of WHLH came from overdriving the instruments and the recording equipment. I think he said he almost came to blows with the engineer. "The sound's all fucked up. I'm turning it down." "Don't touch those fuckin' dials! That's the sound I want." So the extreme buzziness of the Ergo Phizmiz vocal strikes my ears as an affectation, not an unavoidable by-product of the overall sound. Yes, I know he'd say that it IS part of the overall sound he wants -- but I still don't like it. That said, I'm still downloading "Sister Ray" because... well because it's "Sister Ray" and I gotta hear it. Of course at the rate it's going I won't hear it until the middle of next week.

Ken Burns is this week's contestant on Leonard Lopate's "Survival Kit". He's taking his Jazz boxed set and DVDs. Just kidding. (Although he could prove me wrong. Or would it be "right"?)