AMOEBITE PROFILE: HEIDI

AMOEBLOG: What exactly is your job at the Amoeba Music Hollywood store? How long have you worked there and how did you end up working at Amoeba?

HEIDI: I've had a lot of different jobs at Amoeba but these days I'm mostly in rock vinyl and black metal. I was hired at Amoeba three years ago through my friend Inez.
 
AMOEBLOG: What makes working at Amoeba unique compared to other jobs you've had?

HEIDI: Working at Amoeba is a truly unique environment. It is refreshing to work with so many people who are as nerdy as I am about music. It's also satisfying to work for Amoeba Music as a company because they truly take care of their employees. It feels very much like a family.
 
AMOEBLOG: What are the Top 3 Items in the past week or so that you've noticed people are seeking out at the Hollywood Amoeba Music?

HEIDI: Dethklok The Dethalbum, Ulver Shadows of the Sun, Bruce Springsteen Magic on vinyl (new studio recording from the Boss with the E Street Band and featuring 11 new Springsteen songs -- all produced by Brendan O'Brien).

AMOEBLOG: I know you that you are a real fan of good metal music. In terms of that genre, how, in your opinion, is the scene in LA these days for bands and for clubs?

HEIDI: To be honest, I don't go out much, but I love to see that there's a rise in the number of youngsters reviving the thrash scene here in Los Angeles. I need to make more of an effort to check it out. If you want to see a good heavy show, go see High On Fire. They aren't LA natives but they play here quite a bit. But a couple of local bands well worth mentioning are Strong Arm Down, who are a great heavy live band... check em' out!! And then there is another LA band I recommend called An Endless Contortionist, who are super noisy fun!!

AMOEBLOG: What are the first two records or CDs you ever bought?

HEIDI: Air Supply's Greatest Hits and Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz (which was originally released in September 1980 and featured the singles 'Crazy Train' and 'Mr. Crowley' -- the latter of which to this day remains one of Ozzy's most recognizable songs to the average ear).
            
AMOEBLOG: Best album of all time in your opinion?

HEIDI: Awww, man... that's hard. Townes Van Zandt (self titled) -- the ten track 1969 release from the late, great Texas born artist that features such songs as "Waiting Around to Die," "Colorado Girl," "Lungs," "Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel," and "None But the Rain."

AMOEBLOG: What do you consider the best album cover art of all time?

HEIDI: Iron Maiden - Killers. (Note: Iron Maiden's ten-song album classic Killers was released on EMI in 1981 and captures the UK metal group at their finest according to many diehard fans. It was before Bruce Dickenson replaced vocalist Paul Dianno, who was fired from the group. The cover art for Killers and others by Maiden was done by artist Derek Riggs and features Maiden mascot Eddie, who surfaces in many other Iron Maiden paintings done by Riggs.)

AMOEBLOG: Your top five or more artists of all time?

HEIDI: Townes Van Zandt, Kiss, Willie Nelson, Ornette Coleman, Slayer, Birthday Party. The list goes on and on....

AMOEBLOG: What's your favorite movie?

HEIDI: Trick or Treat, which not only stars Skippy from Family Ties but also
has cameos by Ozzy and Gene Simmons... not to mention an undead heavy metal murderer! And an all Fastway soundtrack! (The Charles Martin Smith directed, heavy metal cult classic from 1986 also features vinyl played backwards to reveal evil messages and lots of other scary metal music related events like monsters appearing out of the speakers of a possessed stereo system. If you have not seen it, look for it on DVD.)

AMOEBLOG: What's your favorite movie soundtrack?

HEIDI: Gummo. (The 1997 soundtrack to the Harmony Korine written and directed cult classic whose nineteen tracks include offerings by Bethlehem,  Electric Hellfire Club, Spazz, Dark Noerd, Sleep, Namamax, Nifelheim, Mortician, Mystifier, and Destroy All Monsters, amongst others.)