From first glance, this post title looks like it could be a Prince song, and therein lies a portion of my motivation!

Musical purity is of the utmost importance to me; but for me, "clarity" is less digital remastering, and more recreating/replicating how the tune in question sounded as it first hit my ears. The sputters. The scratches. The hollow hums. In many instances the more muddled the music traversing those 33 1/2 rotations per minute, the greater the testimony to my repeated childhood playings.

Inherited album copies of the Clash's London Calling, Queen's Night at the Opera, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Frank Sinatra's Ring A Ding Ding have a heritage that deserves to be heard.

As they've done so often, Hammacher Schlemmer pulls through in a personal passion pinch. Now with this home conversion system, old albums -- complete with all their beloved imperfections -- can be transferred to CD and listened to in locales formerly LP-unfriendly.

Shhh...don't tell Syd, but I'm recording selected tracks from my Travolta/Newton-John soundtrack of Grease for tomorrow's playgroup...and everyone will be leaving with their own copy!

I remain ----
Hopelessly Devoted to You,
-Allie

PS Did you catch Eliza's packed lunch precious finds? Forever fresh!