originally published May 9, 2007

I pay no attention to either lunar or solar calendar, but I am now declaring summer in Athens official! It's time for house party shows that last until 6 a.m., and time for bands to form and then break up by September. It's time for swimming, sweating and falling in and out of love. So, keep all this in mind while checking out this week's news, because chances are good you'll want to include some of this in your goings-on. Get going below…

Somebody’s Gonna Win; Might As Well Be Your Guy: It’s that time of year when the nominees are in and the votes are getting tallied. You know, the Flagpole Athens Music Awards. Voting is happening as we speak, and you can find a paper ballot right here in this issue, or you can vote online over at www.flagpole.com/Awards. The whole process is simple, painless and your favorite local acts would surely appreciate your participation. Deadline for voting is Wednesday, May 30, so go ahead and get it done.

Ya Gotta Eat: Ever wonder what people in rock bands eat? Well, me neither, but, having accepted my fate as a perpetual voyeur of all things rock and roll, I am probably really interested in the new book I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen With Your Favorite Bands. Compiled by author Kara Zuaro, published by Hyperion Books and taking its name from The Descendents' "I Like Food," the book, available now, is a compendium of recipes from over 100 bands. But why does Athens, in particular, care about this book? Because the Athens dream rockers in Maserati, whose new album Inventions For The New Season will see its U.S. release in June (Australia and Europe got it months ago!) contributed their recipe for Southern Cheese Grits, that's why. If you wanna check the book out, which includes contributions from Devendra Banhart, Belle & Sebastian, My Morning Jacket, Death Cab for Cutie and Okkervill River, among others, go see www.myspace.com/ilikefoodfoodtastesgood.

Baby Bears: After being encouraged to check out sorta new local band The Cubs, I did. What I found was a band whose name is most apt. Although they've only got two songs available online, the track "Grandad Ghost Stories" is a very cool dub-influenced, single-note-lead-oriented song, the mature-sounding vocals of which belie the baby-faced singer Ben Tinsley. The other song "James" is a little too-MTV2 sounding (think The Strokes, Interpol, whoever) for my tastes. But that's part of what being a new band is about, y'know? Feeling stuff out and finding your own voice. Thus, the aptness of the name. At any rate, this group has been gigging around for a while, so give it a chance. Check some of The Cubs' songs over at www.myspace.com/cubstheband, or catch the band at Tasty World on Monday, May 14.

Save A Nation: Warner Brothers will release Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, a two-CD set, on June 12. The reason you care is because you'll get to hear R.E.M. covering John Lennon's "#9 Dream." In actuality, the entire album is bands and artists from great, or at least passable, (R.E.M., U2, Snow Patrol, The Flaming Lips) to the ridiculous (Jack Johnson, Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas, Matisyahu) and a healthy dose of in-between (Green Day, Postal Service, Aerosmith) all covering Lennon songs. Yoko Ono has donated all of the publishing proceeds to benefit Amnesty International's Campaign to Save Darfur, and all of the artists have donated their performances. For more information, please see www.instantkarma.org or www.amnesty.org/noise.

Best Band You Never Heard: Athens musician Tommy Wedge, who records under the name Wedge, is, as of this moment, the best local artist you haven't heard (because he hasn't played live yet). Currently assembling a live band, Wedge is a former member of popular Nashville band Duraluxe. He moved to Athens in 1999 and stuck around when the rest of the band split for the smog of Los Angeles. Anyway, his music is, in a word, gorgeous. Lush arrangements with plenty of airy roominess, and melodies that put a lump in the throat. His new album is called Heavensville, which is a play on his hometown of Evansville, IL, and was released by New York label Harmonium Films & Music. Please check Wedge out over at www.myspace.com/tommywedge or www.heavensville.com.

Go Long: The local noise provocateurs in Long Legged Woman are so busy these days, they're gonna wear those legs down to nubs. The members are currently celebrating the achievement of releasing four CD-Rs in about a year's time, and a new recording called Newtown Nights is due soon on the Thor's Rubber Hammer label. The band is booking a full four-week tour for summer and the trip will include a performance at the 13th Olympia Experimental Music Festival in Olympia, WA, on Saturday, June 23. Better People will also play, as will the band I like to call The Real Noisettes, as in the former Athenian Brian Horst and not those limey bastards making waves right now. If you want to catch Long Legged Woman guitarist Gabe Vodicka and his horribly named side-project The Sugar Dicks, then head to the Caledonia Lounge on Thursday, May 17 where they will perform with The Cherokee and Some Animal and, as Vodicka says, "play greasy garage rock the kids are so fond of these days. Basically, we're poseurs."

 And I Want, And I Need: Speaking of which… Athens musician Roy Coughlin has played under the name Some Animal for years. Sometimes he played alone and sometimes with others. Now, though, Coughlin says he has a real band lineup and it is Robert Gunn (An Epic At Best, Just These Dudes) on drums, Jeff Tobias (We Versus The Shark Dark Meat,) on bass and Gabe Vodicka  (Long Legged Woman) on guitar. The band is playing the aforementioned gig at The Caledonia on Thursday, May 17, and reportedly writing new songs and trying to keep away from every show being a "debut," as it were. "Basically, we intend to play more often and consistently," says Coughlin, "and hopefully have some repeat customers." Well, Roy, that's the idea, ain't it? Go here: www.myspace.com/someanimal.

New Room: Local recording and popular rehearsal facility PigPen Studios has opened its B Room for musicians on a tighter budget than, say, Widespread Panic. The B Room is a fully-loaded ProTools facility and should be perfect for hip-hop vocalists, acoustic artists and basically anyone who doesn't need an enormous room to record in. Patrick Ferguson (Music Hates You, ex-Five Eight) is now on the staff of engineers over at Pigpen, and that's a definite boon to the place. The B Room runs $35 an hour or $250 a day, and has all the same top-notch microphones available in the main room. Check out other stuff over at www.myspace.com/pigpenstudios.

Extended Play: Local folk duo The Corduroy Road will release its first EP sometime in the early summer. The band, comprised of Drew Carman and Dylan Solise, recorded the thing with Dr. Leonard Ball and Thomas West over at UGA's Dancz Center for New Music. Listen if you want over at www.myspace.com/thecorduroyroad.

Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. Send 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