Although my recent 4 night stint in San Francisco did not yield any live music, my pilgrimage to Amoeba Music provided the fix I needed.


At the end of Haight Street just before the mouth of Golden Gate Park, lies the last great music store in America.  Through the years I have had the pleasure to visit with SF many times.  Each and every time I visit, I 


1) check the music calendar (Fillmore, Slims, Warfield, The Greek…)


2) visit Squat and Gobble for lunch


3) roam Amoeba Music for a treasure and revitalize my musical juices


At the record store counter (which reminds me of pawn shop braced for thieves) is always some sort of free booklet.  Their annual music calendar is genius…so much so the 2010 one still hangs on me wall.  This time I picked up their “Music We Like” catalog.  Its pages of suggestions and hints from their staff and brain child are wonderful.  There is something for everyone.  I happen to agree to w Aaron on pay 29 about Paul McCartney’s “Ram” album being my favorite solo Beatles release and one of the best production jobs by crazy man Phil Spector.


Click here for more on Amoeba Music. 

The store has crates upon crates of records, old time black light posters, music books, movies…unlike others that try to stay in business, they have a formula that works and keeps the place relevant and fresh.

Immediately I noticed a white leather bound version of David Byrne’s new book “How Music Works.” Its the type of book I will read many times in my lifetime and pick something up new each time I scour its pages.

The next time you find yourself in SF…make it a point to stop in and pick something up to beam you back to the store every time you read or listen to it.




                   




I snapped a few pics of the surrounding graffiti and sights…the old fashioned neon sign is even art to me…also could not resist these spider stocking legs hanging out the vintage clothes store window.

Peace.