In following with both the fact that Amoeba hires only the most insatiable and voracious music enthusiasts, and the fact that we of course all learn from one another, periodically I will be posting interviews with staff members. In this edition, I discuss with San Fran's own Zack his musical past and present, among other things.
The Employee Interview:
Zack
4+ years employed at Amoeba
Floor dude
Q: What was the first music you remember hearing as a kid, before you had a say?
Z: "Back in the USSR," "Good Vibrations," and the "Monster Mash." My dad would play these while he got me dressed on the couch in the living room before preschool.
Q: How have these songs influenced your musical likes and dislikes?
Z: With the Beatles, it gave me a great pop foundation for discerning melodies I like and dislike, but as I got older I really couldn't take the Beatles anymore and had a long stretch of being completely over them while I explored other musical avenues. Since the birth of MY son I have embraced the Beatles once again, having had enough time off and being able to hear them again for the first time along with him.
Q: What was your first concert? Last?
Z: First concert was the Kinks at the Palladium in LA, '87 and my last was the Melvins at Great American.
Q: What was the first band you heard that really inspired you to get into music?
Z: Nirvana; Dave Grohl played the drums exactly how i was trying to play them at the time.
Q: But then you must have already been into music, if you were already playing drums...
Z: I would like to revise my answer: Animal on the Muppet Show.
Q: Favorite local band?
Z: The Finches.
Q: Favorite local venue?
Z: Great American Music Hall.
Q: Favorite musician right this very minute? First person that comes to mind.
Z: Rob Dickinson of Catherine Wheel, brother of Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden. I just saw him solo and acoustic at Cafe Du Nord and it was by far my favorite one-man acoustical jam I have ever heard.
Q: Favorite celeb?
Z: Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She's terrific, everything out of her mouth is like gold. [Editor's note: yes, that's sarcasm you hear, dear readers.]
Q: Best show of the past year?
Z: Boris at Slim's. Mindbogglingly heavy. It was my first time seeing them and I couldn't believe there were only 3 people onstage. It sounded more like 20 and I could feel it in my tummy.
Q: Favorite San Francisco Hangout? (aside from Amoeba.)
Z: Free Locals Only Night at Cafe Du Nord. $5 22oz. Newcastles-- it's a beautiful spot, and all my friends are there.
Q: Best record you ever heard, as of right now this very minute?
Z: Serena Maneesh, s/t - shoegazer psych out, better than Dungen. Or Harvey Milk, Special Wishes -- perfect blend of Skynyrd and the Melvins, for some heavy melodic doom sludge.
Q: Favorite section of the store?
Z: New Arrivals Vinyl.
Q: Vinyl or CD?
Z: Vinyl.
Q: Anything else you would like to add about your musical development and what music and working at Amoeba means to you?
Z: The thing I like best about my job is actually putting the thing they [the customers] are looking for in their hand and seeing their smile and relief that they could actually find it in this heavenly mecca of music. I like to soothe people's intimidation factor when they walk into this store and make them feel at home because after all, it is my home.
Q: Thank you for your time.
The Employee Interview:
Zack4+ years employed at Amoeba
Floor dude
Q: What was the first music you remember hearing as a kid, before you had a say?
Z: "Back in the USSR," "Good Vibrations," and the "Monster Mash." My dad would play these while he got me dressed on the couch in the living room before preschool.
Q: How have these songs influenced your musical likes and dislikes?
Z: With the Beatles, it gave me a great pop foundation for discerning melodies I like and dislike, but as I got older I really couldn't take the Beatles anymore and had a long stretch of being completely over them while I explored other musical avenues. Since the birth of MY son I have embraced the Beatles once again, having had enough time off and being able to hear them again for the first time along with him.
Q: What was your first concert? Last?
Z: First concert was the Kinks at the Palladium in LA, '87 and my last was the Melvins at Great American.
Q: What was the first band you heard that really inspired you to get into music?
Z: Nirvana; Dave Grohl played the drums exactly how i was trying to play them at the time.
Q: But then you must have already been into music, if you were already playing drums...
Z: I would like to revise my answer: Animal on the Muppet Show.
Q: Favorite local band?
Z: The Finches.
Q: Favorite local venue?
Z: Great American Music Hall.
Q: Favorite musician right this very minute? First person that comes to mind.
Z: Rob Dickinson of Catherine Wheel, brother of Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden. I just saw him solo and acoustic at Cafe Du Nord and it was by far my favorite one-man acoustical jam I have ever heard.
Q: Favorite celeb?
Z: Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She's terrific, everything out of her mouth is like gold. [Editor's note: yes, that's sarcasm you hear, dear readers.]
Q: Best show of the past year?
Z: Boris at Slim's. Mindbogglingly heavy. It was my first time seeing them and I couldn't believe there were only 3 people onstage. It sounded more like 20 and I could feel it in my tummy.
Q: Favorite San Francisco Hangout? (aside from Amoeba.)
Z: Free Locals Only Night at Cafe Du Nord. $5 22oz. Newcastles-- it's a beautiful spot, and all my friends are there.
Q: Best record you ever heard, as of right now this very minute?
Z: Serena Maneesh, s/t - shoegazer psych out, better than Dungen. Or Harvey Milk, Special Wishes -- perfect blend of Skynyrd and the Melvins, for some heavy melodic doom sludge.
Q: Favorite section of the store?
Z: New Arrivals Vinyl.
Q: Vinyl or CD?
Z: Vinyl.
Q: Anything else you would like to add about your musical development and what music and working at Amoeba means to you?
Z: The thing I like best about my job is actually putting the thing they [the customers] are looking for in their hand and seeing their smile and relief that they could actually find it in this heavenly mecca of music. I like to soothe people's intimidation factor when they walk into this store and make them feel at home because after all, it is my home.
Q: Thank you for your time.
