Gillian Welch sings “White Rabbit” on NPR

The great country revival duo, Gillian Welch (with Dave Rawlings), released their first album in almost a decade, The Harrow & the Harvest. (It’s really good.) They went on Fresh Air with Terry Gross to schlep it, and at the end of the show, Gross asked them to play a cover, “to surprise us with a song that we might not think that they like.” They chose Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” and it’s a pretty damned beautiful cover of that song. Starting at 41 minutes into the show, Welch explains why they chose that song, and then their version of it gets cut off for the credits. HOWEVER, naturally, they’re hawking it as a special single on iTunes, for $1.29. Remember what the dormouse said… “That I can’t remember,” said the Hatter.

Alice in a Gas Mask Toy created by Linkin Park’s rapper

Disney and MINDstyle are collaborating on a toy collection this Spring called the Mad Hatter Project, in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of their 1951 Alice in Wonderland movie. There will be toys designed by artists Gary Baseman, Ron English and Mike Shinoda. The latter, who is the rapper and songwriter for the rock band Linkin Park, has designed the below toy, Alice connected to the White Rabbit wearing gas masks. It was sculpted by Dave Cortes from Inu Art Studio.

And here’s the Mad Hatter by Ron English. I assume these will be released as toys this year some time (I think we all know some kids and adults who would play with them,) but no word yet on the release date of the Mad Hatter Project.

Happy Year of the (White) Rabbit

Happy New Year! February 3rd 2011 thru January 22nd 2012 is the Year of the Rabbit.