originally published December 20, 2006

As they say, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. I know at least a couple of people that have really said that so don’t try to tell me I’m wrong. Anyhow, here’s this week's rundown of wonderfulness Athens music style. Get wonderful below…

Your Sunshine Soul: Sad news, Athens. On Monday, Dec. 11, local guitarist, photographer and artist Will Westbrook passed away. A member of psych-rock act The Gerbils and a friend to the Elephant 6 and Orange Twin crowd, Westbrook suffered from occasionally severe epilepsy, though as Flagpole went to press, a specific cause of death was unconfirmed. Friends, fans and well-wishers are sharing memories of Westbrook, a native of Louisiana, in the Gerbils online forum at the E6 Townhall message boards (www.e6townhall.com).

Deadline To Be Listed In The Next Issue: Bands, clubs and promoters, if you want to be sure your shows are listed in Flagpole’s ABC music listings section, please note our deadline for the double issue that comes out Dec. 27 is early due to the upcoming holidays. Send in your info by Friday, Dec. 22 at 10 a.m. Contact the music department at 706-549-9523 or email at abc@flagpole.com.

Word On West Washington: So the rumor going around town is that downtown bar Room 13 is undergoing some changes in ownership and will rework itself at some point in the new year as The Max Canada, and will feature live music. The names of the folks involved should be familiar to downtown scenesters, and whether this'll be a bar-with-music or a full-fledged venue is unclear at this point, but look for more info on this page next week.

Because The World Needs More Condos: Although everyone pretty much knew the day would come, it still stung when the news came down. The house venue known alternately over the past decade as The Ultramod Compound or The Ultraodd Compound has been sold to developers. The reported plan of the purchasers is to build (what else?) condominiums on the property. I have a very personal connection with this space - used to live there, helped book DIY shows there - and even though my involvement lapsed back in 2003, I’ll still miss it when it’s gone. There may still be a few shows happening over there, though, and Happy Happy Birthday To Me honcho Mike Turner just held a multi-band event last week at the space.

Celling Out?: Master multi-instrumentalist Heather McIntosh, well-known cellist and leader of The Instruments, has never been shy about appearing on other people's records and now has made it explicit that she’s for hire in this capacity. She has announced she can provide cello work on a sliding scale, and can even collaborate via the Internet, so c'mon, even the poorest of you can afford a little cello on your album. Contact her via www.myspace.com/theinstruments and get one of the best players you’ve ever heard down on tape.

Mr. Bo-Jingles: The band formerly known as Col. Knowledge & The Lickity-Splits has shortened its name to simply The Lickity-Splits. Well, anyway, the band has made its new Christmas single available for free via the Internet, so go grab you a download. "Christmas Tree On Fire" is a lust-ridden, greasy garage rock number and just the thing to give Grandma the pick-me-up she’ll need on the special day. You’ll still have to head to the obnoxiously long URL www.myspace.com/colknowledgeampthelickitysplits. The Lickity-Splits plan to release the sophomore full-length album Another Taste Of… in 2007.  

It Never Ends: Every time I mention Neil Young’s Living With War website (www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday), someone comes along behind me to tell me what I didn’t mention. Just this week, a reader let me know that even though I'd mentioned local artists Woody Garrison and Lost Art, I'd somehow forgotten to mention that the Drive-By Truckers' video for “Blue Dress” is currently ranked No. 5 out of 130 protest videos currently on the site. This is very cool, especially since the song comes from a personal experience of band member Jason Isbell. Folks, this is probably the very last time I’m going to write about this website. Thanks for the info, though - at least I know someone’s paying attention.

Drivin’ The Message Home: The members of local band Julian Drive had humble beginnings as youth worship service leaders at an Athens-area church. Then they were "discovered" in 2004 on the "Exalting Him National Talent Search," which I imagine is like "Star Search" or "American Idol," but strictly for Christian artists. Anyway, these guys keep getting bigger and bigger on the Christian rock scene, and tour constantly. Currently, the group is heading across the nation to several festivals and churches, and has dates booked through April of next year. Julian Drive also just released the DVD On the Road With Julian Drive which lets the curious see what life on the, um, road is like for the guys. The band's self-titled debut was released in 2005 by Vital Records, and it ranges from mid-tempo soft rock to Stevie Wonder-style R&B. Add this to the guys' boyish good looks and I guarantee you they're fending off nice girls in every town. Interested parties can hear them over at www.juliandrive.com.

Well, That’s One Way To Do It: Local artist and photographer Chris McKay sent out an email about a month ago to a bunch of people directing them to listen to a huge amount of songs located on his website. The purpose of this was for people to vote on which songs they liked the best and the songs that got the most votes would wind up on the album. Well, the process is now over and 11 songs have been chosen and will appear on Chris McKay & The Critical Darlings' next album Satisfactionista in 2007. Although I am certain that McKay did this in order to appeal to fans and, to be certain, had nothing but the best intentions, I can’t help but cringe at the very idea that a band would fashion an album according to the way people voted. I mean, we’re supposed to be talking about art here, not some new bacon-and-chicken sandwich, right? I've never felt that someone should treat their songs like menu items. But hey, they're McKay’s kids, and I guess he can do what he wants with 'em.

Up The Punks: A new solo project called Christopher's Liver is in the works from local guitarist-vocalist Christopher Ingham (ex-Heroic Livers, ex-Colostomy Bag) and there are plans to record some stuff in early 2007. This acoustic punk-folk-communist-anarchist stuff has always really hit home with the house show kids and if that’s your bag, go check him out at www.myspace.com/christopher39sliver and tell him to load some songs onto the page.

A Gentle Reminder: Okay, people, there seems to have been some confusion lately about Threats & Promises and its deadlines. Although you can get your band listed in ABC up until 11 a.m. on Mondays for a current week's issue, that's not the same deadline for everything else in the paper. The show listings are the very last thing that gets put together in the weekly cycle, and Threats & Promises needs to receive your news and announcements much earlier for consideration. This column is written a week before its publication, so if you want something considered for inclusion I need to hear from you by the previous Monday for publication the following Wednesday. Get it? Got it? Good.

And… that’s all folks.. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. I coulda been a contender via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.

Gordon Lamb