What's in My Bag?

Mondays are rough, but thankfully, it’s usually the day of the week the fine folks at Amoeba Records drop a new episode of their long-running music recommendation series “What’s in My Bag?” This is the 18th season of musicians and celebs filling their totes and dropping knowledge on the records they love. Kudos to them and the Amoeba team; this is one of my favorite ways to learn about genres I don’t usually explore. Here are 12 of my favorite recent episodes.

Kathleen Hanna

“Kathleen Hanna, the pioneering punk singer, artist, and frontwoman of Bikini Kill & Le Tigre, goes shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Kathleen Hanna’s new memoir, ‘Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk’, is available now from Ecco/Harper Collins.”

Some of her picks:

Sugarcubes – Life’s Too Good (LP)
Bruce Springsteen – The River (LP)
Isaac Hayes – Joy (LP)
Queen Latifah – The Best Of Queen Latifah (CD)

Ali Shaheed Muhammad

“DJ, producer, and hip hop icon Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest, Jazz Is Dead) goes record shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge & Ebo Taylor’s new album ‘Ebo Taylor JID022’ is available from Jazz Is Dead.”

Some of his picks:

Erykah Badu – Worldwide Underground (LP)
The Friends Of Distinction – Greatest Hits (LP)
Deon Estus – Spell (LP)
Can – Soon Over Babaluma (LP)

Arlo Parks

“Arlo Parks goes shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Her latest album ‘My Soft Machine’ is available from Transgressive Records.”

Some of her picks:

Sufjan Stevens – The Greatest Gift Mixtape (LP)
Deftones – White Pony (LP)
Dean Blunt – Black Metal 2 (LP)
Sophie – Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides (LP)

Pallbearer

“Pallbearer goes shopping at Amoeba Music in San Francisco. Their latest album ‘Mind Burns Alive’ is available from Nuclear Blast.”

Some of their picks:

Drew McDowall – A Thread, Silvered & Trembling (LP)
Ryuichi Sakamoto & David Toop – Garden Of Shadows & Light (LP)
Paul Horn – Inside The Great Pyramid (LP)
Heldon – Third: It’s Always Rock ‘n’ Roll (LP)
Dead Can Dance – The Serpent’s Egg (LP)

Alvvays

“Molly Rankin and Alec O’Hanley of Alvvays go shopping at Amoeba Music in San Francisco. Their latest album ‘Blue Rev’ is available from Polyvinyl Records.”

Some of their picks:

Margo Guryan – 20 Demos (LP)
Martin Newell – The Off White Album (LP)
Gordon Lightfoot – Endless Wire (LP)
Oasis – Be Here Now (LP)
Judy Collins – Judith (LP)

Explosions In The Sky

“Munaf Rayani of Explosions In The Sky goes shopping at Amoeba Music in San Francisco. Explosions In The Sky’s latest album, ‘End’, is available from Temporary Residence Limited.”

Some of his picks:

Vince Guaraldi Trio – Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus (LP)
Nino Rota – Fellini Satyricon (LP)
Piero Piccioni – A Modern Gentleman (LP)
Ohio Players – Observations In Time (LP)
De La Soul – Stakes Is High (LP)

The Armed

“Detroit hardcore band The Armed goes record shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. The Armed’s latest album, ‘Perfect Saviors,’ is available from Sargent House.”

Some of their picks:

Tovah Olson – Cabin Fever (LP)
Water From Your Eyes – Everyone’s Crushed (CD)
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Tao Of The Dead (LP)
The Bad Plus – These Are The Vistas (CD)

Tunde Adebimpe

“Tunde Adebimpe, the TV On The Radio co-founder, illustrator, painter & actor, goes record shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Tunde Adebimpe’s debut solo album ‘Thee Black Boltz’ will be available via Sub Pop on April 18, 2025.”

Some of his picks:

Nirvana – Bleach (CASSETTE)
Angelo Badalamenti & David Lynch – Mulholland Drive [OST] (CD)
David Lynch & Kristine McKenna – Room To Dream (BOOK)
Bill Watterson – The Essential Calvin And Hobbes (BOOK)
Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Boy Named Charlie Brown (LP)

Sleater-Kinney

“Sleater-Kinney goes shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Their latest album ‘Little Rope’ is available from Loma Vista.”

Some of their picks:

Dire Straits – Communiqué (LP)
Dead Moon – Echoes Of The Past: The Anthology (LP)
Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston (LP)
Various Artists – Women In Revolt! (LP)
Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material (LP)

Refused

“Refused go record shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Refused’s seminal album ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’ is available from Epitaph Records.”

Some of their picks:

The Hated – Best Piece Of Shit Vol. 4 (LP)
L’Rain – I Killed Your Dog (LP)
David Bowie – Live In Berlin 1978 (LP)
Khanate – Things Viral (LP)
Paraf – Prekinuti Koitus: 1978 – 1979 (LP)

Tony Hawk

“Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk is our very special guest for our 900th “What’s In My Bag?” episode! The king of the 900 himself goes record shopping at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will be available July 11th.”

Some of his picks: