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Born on this day: January 21, 1938 - Legendary DJ Wolfman Jack (born Robert Weston Smith in Brooklyn, NY). Happy Birthday to this radio and television icon on what would have been his 75th Birthday.

Born on this day: January 21, 1965 - Hip Hop icon DJ Jam Master Jay (born Jason William Mizell in Brooklyn, NY). Happy Birthday to this pioneering DJ and producer on what would have been his 48th Birthday.

On this day in music history: January 21, 1978 - Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Soundtrack hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 24 weeks. The 17-track double album to the film starring John Travolta features six tracks by The Bee Gees as well as ones by Yvonne Elliman, Tavares, Kool & The Gang, KC & The Sunshine Band, David Shire, MFSB, Walter Murphy, Ralph MacDonald, and The Trammps. Like the film itself, the album’s success is unprecedented with demand for the record being so great that RSO Records distributor Polygram cannot keep up with the demand on its own and must contract pressing facilities from rival record labels in order to keep adequate stock in stores. It will spin off six hit singles (including four number one singles, in addition to three others that topped the chart prior to the albums' release), spending over 2 1/2 years on the charts, and winning three Grammy Awards including Album Of The Year.Saturday Night Fever will be certified 15x Platinum in the US by the RIAA and over 40 million worldwide.
 

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On this day in music history: November 26, 1962 - The Beatles record "Please Please Me" and "Ask Me Why" in Studio Two at Abbey Road in London. It will be the band's second attempt at recording "Please," having previously recorded it on September 11th (during the session for the second version of "Love Me Do") in a different and slower arrangement, influenced by Roy Orbison's "Only The Lonely." Producer George Martin is initially not fond of the song and suggests that the band's next single be the Mitch Murray-penned "How Do You Do It?" That song had been passed over in favor of "Love Me Do" and is once again up for consideration. In the interim, Lennon and McCartney will  dramatically re-arrange "Please Please Me" and play it again for Martin. Duly impressed, "Please" is issued along with "Ask Me Why" as The Beatles second single on January 11, 1963 (and February 25th in the US). "Please" will reach #2 on the UK single chart. While the song goes on to be a big hit in the UK, it will flop on its original US release. After The Beatles break in the US with "I Want To Hold Your Hand," Vee Jay Records will re-release "Please Please Me" (b/w "From Me To You" on the second issue) in January 1964, peaking at #3 on the Hot 100 on March 14, 1964.
 

Last night's Amoebapalooza Hollywood, which was accurately billed as "one night only annual celebration of musical mayhem" with acts including Byrdsol Taylor II, Prince Kajutu, The Hounds of Hell, Idol Eyez, Tease, Ghouls Night Out, Destination Unknown, Myklehar, and Vum, was first and foremost just a really good fun gathering of co-workers & friends for conversation, laughs, and of course music. Held at the well chosen venue, The Dragonfly on Santa Monica (about six blocks from Amoeba at 6400 Sunset), Amoebapalooza Hollywood Version 2011 showcased an impressive array of bands, all assembled just for the night and each comprised of Amoeba staffers exclusively, displaying such a caliber of talent that several should seriously consider expanding the lifespan of bands beyond last night's Amoebapalooza one-off performance.

Note that over the next few days you can expect many more detailed postings on this Amoebapalooza event (with lots of photos and video clips) on Amoeba.com including here on the Amoeblog since there were lots of photographers and videographers capturing the event all night long. With an emphasis on fun and music a total of a dozen acts, each allocated 15 minutes to perform - and all sharing the same drum kit, systematically made their way on and off stage throughout the music packed night.  The live music kicked off following an introduction from Jason Boggs who, with his equally entertaining co-host "Jesus Cat Superstar," provided witty between set banter all night. Jason also became a last minute addition to the musical lineup during the evening when, in one of his numerous drag costume changes of the night, he busted out a hilarious rendition of the theme song from Bye Bye Birdie.  Opening band Bikini Whale (pictured above just as they broke out the glitter) did a truly inspired set, that got everyone charged up and dancing, in which they effortlessly channeled the B52's and simultaneously set the tone for a non-stop night of really tight musicianship that included T.Rextasy's head-nodding, rockin' set of Marc Bolan & company's music, and Topographic Lotion's channeling of Yes, Fragile era that sounded exactly like the original prog rock band's recordings. Adding to their authenticity they even had, as the perfect ontage backdrop, a huge banner of Roger Dean like Yes cover art.  Impressive! For more news and photos on the Amoebapalooza Hollywood check back here over the coming days for more reports.

Japan's reigning purveyors of thunderous heavy rock, Boris, hit the shelves of Amoeba San Francisco's Underground Japanese Rock section with a one-two punch this winter with their latest studio recording, Cloud Chamber (featuring, once again, guest Ghost guitarist Michio Kurihara), and Smile -Live in Prague-- a very limited (only 425 copies issued) double-live LP "official bootleg" recorded (with permission) in the Czech Republic on the trio's latest tour in support of their album Smile. Though both are pricey, as doubless many a Boris fan has already guessed, both are worth shelling out the exra dough for, as many a Boris fan surely already knows. Here's why: Cloud Chamber is a first class return to the strom and drang style doom that fans of (lowercase 'b') boris have found in previous releases like flood and at last -feedbacker. It is just the sort of storm surge of sound that lays defenseless listeners down as if prone on the slab, hypnotized for sacrifice; beware of drowning. Smile - Live in Prague, on the other hand, has garnered more pointed attention for its sleeve art than for the bounty of copies we've recieved, given its inherent rareness. Some call the artwork, an obvious homage to San Francisco black metal band Von, a flagrant rip off. I find it delightful and, really, par for the course considering the lengths Fangs Anal Satan (Boris' art-working name) goes to produce, or reproduce if you will, some of the most coveted, kick ass packaging that drives both sticker prices and collectors' expectations upwards of the norm. Here are some of my favorite of Boris' artful tributes as, the old adage says, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. (And check out images and reviews from Boris' amazing three Amoeba instores-- they've played each and every Amoeba -- here, here and here.)

Here's a batch of labels that ape their cover. Most are of the front cover, but a choice few are of the back cover image.