I dropped in on my friend Tom Sachs today at his studio. It was the eminent artist's birthday, and he was celebrating it by making a cassette tape of Syd Barrett songs for his friend Joe "Hova," the eminent selector, and complaining about how he has to buy blank TDK cassettes on eBay now. Tom played me the new Louis Armstrong ringtone on his fancy little phone that fits in his wallet. The ring really sounds great, and for good reason. As Tom points, out there was no technology for recording bass back then—they didn't even have bass players, maybe a tuba now and then—so it's the right frequency spectrum for playback on woofer-less phones.

I also saw lots of great new work, including the spectacular observation tower/home Tom built for his cat, which includes automated feeding and pooping stations and a meditation chamber with a Taoist fountain; also a mobile waffle-vending bicycle complete with a chicken for extra-fresh eggs, a state-of-the-art Swedish waffle iron that runs on 220v, and stereo loudspeakers. I also saw parts of his epic new 6-plywood-panel, woodburned Hooters menu. Tom was saddened when I told him that Robert Brooks, the founder of Hooters, was found dead in his home nine days ago—he died of natural causes—but Tom cheered up as the gifts began to arrive. I'm sending one over right now! Write down that date: July 26th is Tom Sachs's birthday (Mick Jagger's and George Bernard Shaw's, too.) Happy birthday, Tom!