MARTY DOWERS
AMOEBA MUSIC, BERKELEY:

AMOEBLOG: How did you end up working at Amoeba Music, Berkeley and what is your job there?

MARTY: I was working at a record store in Hawaii and wanting to move back to the Bay. My sister inquired as to if Amoeba or Rasputin were hiring. Turned out they both were. I never heard back from Rasputin, but Marc (Weinstein) said come on out for an interview. This was just as the San Francisco store was opening -- so some of the Berkeley buyers moved over there, and there was a spot for me.

AMOEBLOG: What makes working at Amoeba different from other jobs you've had?                          

MARTY: I've been in the 'industry' since 1980, but always wholesale -- one stops, rack jobbers. The store in Hawaii was the first retail job. Going from that little store front shop to Amoeba was quite an experience. Amoeba has become an institution!

AMOEBLOG: Best place to  grab a bite nearby Amoeba Berkeley?

MARTY: Good luck. Where's the Japanese ramen?

AMOEBLOG: What's the best record of all time?

MARTY: (laughing) Obviously, that's a very difficult question. It depends on mood, genre, etc. But how about this: "Who's That Lady" (from '64) by the Isley Brothers -- a perfect single!

While it's quite obviously inspired by LCD Soundsystem, this gem of a single from Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip has wormed its way into my brain and continues to make me chuckle upon repeated listenings/viewings. "Thou Shalt Always Kill" is the best kind of rant: one that is intended ultimately to be beneficial for the listener. Sac and Pip are (presumably) both English, and there are a few references in the tune that non-Britishes might not get, like Stephen Fry, but the rest of this list of commandments applies everywhere - and definitely in San Francisco. Check out the video:


These two seem to be part of the loosely-grouped scene of message-board mashup DJ's, IDM-influenced laptop glitch producers and booty-music afficionados that's been rumbling about since the early days of the century. The single has been quite hard to find but is blowing up iPods virally via the 'net, which is a good place to keep up with these two.  Also of note is that this single is put out by the venerable Lex Records, a Warp-affiliated label that puts out lots of other great music from the likes of Boom Bip and Amoeba's Own Subtle. Lex has been around for a few years now and is worth your time and money, so check them out.