To read more Behind The Grooves, go to http://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com.

Born on this day: June 3, 1950 - Singer and songwriter Deniece Williams (born June Deniece Chandler in Gary, IN). Happy 63rd Birthday, Niecy!
 

Born on this day: June 3, 1942 - Singer, songwriter, and musician Curtis Mayfield (born Curtis Lee Mayfield in Chicago, IL). Happy Birthday to this R&B icon on what would have been his 71st Birthday. We love and miss you, Curtis!!

 

On this day in music history: June 3, 1972 - Obscured By Clouds, the seventh studio album by Pink Floyd is released. Produced by Pink Floyd, it is recorded at the Chateau d'Herouville, Herouville in Ile-de-France in February and March of 1972. The album features music (six tracks with vocals and four instrumentals) from the soundtrack of director Barbet Schroeder's film La Vallee (The Valley). It is the band's second collaboration with the French film director, having composed the music for his 1969 film More. Pink Floyd will record Clouds just prior to the sessions for their next studio album, The Dark Side Of The Moon, at Abbey Road Studios in London beginning in June. Working under a tight schedule, the band will complete recording of their film score in just two weeks of studio time, following Schroeder's rough cut of the film to create specific music cues and interludes. The albums' enigmatic cover art (designed by regular graphic collaborators Hipgnosis) features a deeply out of focus photo of a man sitting in a tree. Obscured By Clouds will peak at #6 on the UK album chart, #46 on the Billboard Top 200, and will be certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
 

Ever since Amoeba fan/Simpsons creator Matt Groening recently paid tribute to Amoeba Music by including an Amoeba Music Hollywood fashioned building (renamed Protozoa Records) in the Season 24, Episode 7 Simpsons show titled "The Day The Earth Stood Cool" that aired in early December I have been scratching my head and wondering what if Homer Simpson were to stop into Amoeba for some music shopping? What would he buy? What would be included in a Homer Simpson's WIMB (What's In My Bag?) episode if he were to go crate digging at Amoeba Music? Based on the numerous songs Homer has cited (most well worn Top 40 pop/rock hits that the cartoon character supposedly grew up listening to) and have been featured in episodes in the long running animated series, now in its 24th year, this is my stab at what Homer's WIMB might look like.

Bear in mind that this list only scratches the surface since over the years Groening and company have incorporated such a long list of hit songs into The Simpsons. In fact the show must have racked up quite a bill in copyright fees to license all this popular music for the show. But it is worth it since music often plays such an important role in so many episodes of The Simpsons - especially the Homer related songs. For example, when Homer and Marge pop into the open house next door to them and he imagines buying the house and what it would be like living next door to himself, just how horrible that would be, as he visualizes himself always playing Journey's "Separate Ways" and at way too loud volumes.

      

Rock music has way too many incredibly memorable guitar riffs to limit a best of list to just one hundred, but the 100 riffs that guitarist Alex Chadwick of The Chicago Music Exchange came up with for the above video performance ain't half bad, and it is a nice informal overview of the history of rock n' roll. Sure it's a subjective selection that includes a lot of mega hits of the genre, and no doubt every rock fan could come up with their own unique list of a hundred best guitar riffs. But I like what Alex has done: from his playing to his choices of riffs, and from how he segues from song to song, to how he plays it on his 1958 Fender Strat all in chronological order. Below is that list of songs and artists in order with the artist names that are blue highlighted linking back to the Amoeba Online Store. where you can find their respective music (CDs, LPs, DVDs) including (in near all cases) the song played by Alex.

2 "Folsom Prison Blues" Johnny Cash
3 "Words of Love"  Buddy Holly
4 "Johnny B Goode"  Chuck Berry
5 "Rumble"  Link Wray

One day at Amoeba Hollywood I proclaimed that Aztec Camera's 1983 release High Land, Hard Rain was one of the best records of the '80s. This single statement eventually led to over 200 Amoebites ranking their top 10 favorite albums from the ‘80s.

From the beginning we realized that it was impossible for most of us to condense our favorites from all genres into a tiny top ten list. So, we limited our lists to Rock/Pop and its sub-genres like punk, metal, goth, and new wave. Even so, it was a difficult selection process because not only are there hundreds of amazing records to consider, there is also the added dynamic of time.

The '80s were a long time ago and the music has had many years to gestate. We have a deep sense of nostalgia and sentiment with these albums as our fondest memories are associated with them. These are albums we LOVE.

- Henry Polk

P.S. We'll be posting new additions to the '80s list project from Amoeba staff members on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. See all entries in our ‘80s list series.

P.P.S. The '80s List Book is available for sale at Amoeba Hollywood.


Heather Long
Pixies – Doolittle (1989)
Husker Du – Zen Arcade (1984)
Judas Priest – British Steel (1980)
X – Los Angeles (1980)
Pretenders – Pretenders (1980)
The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
The Clash – London Calling (1980)
Duran Duran – Rio (1982)
Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast (1982)
Adam And The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier (1980)

On Tuesday, July 27, Amoeba will present a book signing, talk and 3-D presentation with Brian May and Elena Vidal for their book, A Village Lost and Found from 7-9pm at the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles! You no doubt know of Brian May for his tenure as lead guitarist in a little band called Queen. He is less known for his work as an astrophysicist (!) -- and his new book, along with co-author Vidal, a photographic historian, brings together a collection of stereoscopic photos called "Scenes in Our Village" by T.R. Williams.

Read much more about this signing event and also the contents of A Village Lost and Found right here!