Catch The Fever

For The Past Year, Early Athens Punk Band The Plague Has Been At It Again

originally published November 22, 2006

Although the history of the Athens music scene has been written many times, often revisited in this very paper, there are a few bands who are perpetually overlooked. A case in point is The Plague, the group that is arguably the first “proper” punk band from Athens. Link Soutar and Jaye McDonaldson formed the band in 1981 and the two would eventually recruit singer Kirk Stigler and Rick Lickwar.

“We all shopped for music at Chapter Three Records," says Soutar of the long-gone downtown record shop in the space that now houses Five Star Day Café, "and they had a little section of punk and new wave records that maybe totaled 30 albums. Our first buys were Richard Hell, Dead Boys and Television. Later on, we got Buzzcocks, Stranglers and Damned records.” Taking as much inspiration from the local scene as they did their record collections, the bandmembers were privy to some energizing events: “We were inspired by R.E.M.’s first gig, we saw the Clash for $5 and saw The Stranglers at Tyrones,” says Soutar.

The Plague's sound is a mixed bag, just like the bandmembers' influences. It alternates the speed of early American hardcore with the rhythm and melody-driven sound of second-wave English punk. The Plague regularly appeared at house parties and the then-burgeoning club scene during the '80s. “Jaye worked as a doorman for the 40 Watt," says Soutar, "and saw a lot of bands but no one with an 'edge.' The Plague was confrontational, some would say rude, and we sang about politics and the world. We played lots of house parties at places like the Peach & Pink house along with 688 and Metroplex in Atlanta, and the 40 Watt and Stitchcraft here in Athens."

By 1985, the band's credentials included having played with punk legends Circle Jerks and Suicidal Tendencies - “they tried to steal our girlfriends,“ says Soutar - and it was time to record some songs. Entering the studio with John Keane, the band, which was now with third drummer Vince Spivey, laid down several tracks that have, until now, lain stored away. In 1986, The Plague splintered after Lickwar and Spivey left town. Soutar and Stigler went on to form Big Head and Soutar and McDonaldson would eventually play together in Sump and ****Volcanic.

In late 2005, The Plague decided to resurrect its own punk sound. The inevitable question is, more than 20 years later, why? Soutar says the idea is pretty simple. “After **** Volcanic broke up, Jaye and I hadn’t played together in three years," he says, "so it was time for us to do that again. I also wanted to get a good recording done of our songs, for posterity.” Joining the band this time around is Bob Fernandez (ex-Star Room Boys, Big Head), who, according to Soutar, once served as The Plague’s one-man road and video crew.

Considering the current Athens scene, Soutar is nostalgic but encouraging. “More bands and more bars are a good thing," he says. "The quality of the music is always something the listener has to judge. Back when the scene was smaller and more insular, you’d always see the same people at all the shows. The attitude was looser. Most of Athens' biggest bands came from that period, like The B-52’s and Widespread Panic. If there’s a scene now, it’s a bunch of new kids doing it, and I say more power to them. It’s great to see some of the old guard back at it, though.”

The Plague recently returned to John Keane’s studio and laid down rough tracks for 19 songs which are still in the mixing and mastering stage. There’s a chance that a CD will make its appearance at the band's upcoming show, but there’s just as good a chance it won’t. One thing that’s not in doubt, though, is Soutar’s retention of his original punk ideals. When asked if he considered the Athens music scene to have been better when our local government was less aware of its existence, as opposed to its current practice of touting the scene as a tourist attraction then hamstringing it with regulation, Soutar says, “It was better when government was unaware of the music scene. Government does very little well.”

Gordon Lamb
WHO: The Plague, Phoenix Pharaoh, Sacred Hollow
WHERE: Tasty World
WHEN: Wednesday, November 22
HOW MUCH: $5