Y'all, this week is packed with news. And I don't mean of the "Oh, someone might, maybe, be interested in this" variety. I mean news you need to know. Which is the way I prefer to handle things. Off we go…

First Things First: In a move that has not happened in years, R.E.M. will tour for the second year in a row. The band announced live dates last week and the tour will find its way to Atlanta on Saturday, October 23. This tour will be in support of the band's 13th studio album Around The Sun which sees an American release on October 5. R.E.M. will also co-headline the "Vote For Change" tour this Fall, performing with Bright Eyes, Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty for five dates in early October. This tour is sponsored by the extremely active and controversial Move On Political Action Committee and is dedicated to removing the Bush Administration from the White House. (As a side note, I endorse anybody's right to advocate changes in our government, but putting artists of the caliber of Springsteen, R.E.M. and Fogerty on the same stage with the saggy-diaper rock of Bright Eyes is simply scandalous.) For more information on any of this please go to www.remhq.com or www.moveonpac.org.

Metal Up Your Ass: Athens thrash/ metal outfit The Knife Trade has signed to Olympia, WA label Lovelost Records. The label is home to many solid bands such as Philadelphia, PA's One Dead Three Wounded and Set Ablaze. The band's immediate plans are to record four or five new songs to be released in early 2005 on a split release with labelmates Through The Eyes Of The Dead from South Carolina. Congratulations, guys, and please keep us updated on your progress. Check out www.lovelostrecords.com or www.theknifetrade.com.

I Would Have Never Guessed This One At All: Speaking of metal, a founding father of the sound that would eventually become heavy metal (as we think of it), the legendary (and deservedly so) Nik Turner of seminal British rock band Hawkwind will be kicking off his new Stateside tour here in Athens at the Caledonia Lounge on September 23. Although Turner's sound has grown and changed considerably over his 30-year career (as anyone who saw him at Tasty World last September can tell you) it behooves everyone reading this to make sure this show is packed. Not only will you be witness to an honest-to-God living legend, you'll also enjoy the hell out of the show. However, it would be a mistake to think you can show up to a Nik Turner solo gig and essentially be seeing Hawkwind (you won't). What you will witness is a man who has influenced literally thousands of musicians during his time on earth and is a monster talent that hasn't slowed since the day he started. There will be more news on this as the date approaches but I figured I'd go on and whet your appetite. For more information, go to www.nikturner.com.

It's Murder Out There: One of Athens' favorite pop acts of the past couple years will be taking a short break this fall. Murder Beach is currently undergoing some personnel changes as founding member and drummer Sean Sawyer is moving to Knoxville, TN to pursue a career in computer science. Taking over behind the kit will be local personality Jeff Griggs (Special Teams, Masters of the Hemisphere, The Marble Index, What? And every other band you can imagine). The band's time off will enable Griggs to learn the material; although I've seen him play shows with only one night of practice under his belt and pull it off masterfully. Maybe it's a case of the band needing to learn how to play with him. At any rate, good luck Sean and welcome aboard Jeff. For more information on Murder Beach, click to www.murderbeach.com.

Gone, Gone, Gone: Athens/ Atlanta hardcore favorites This Scares Me played its final show last week and even though the bandmembers complained the whole time that they were "sucking," there wasn't a single person in the crowd that thought so. The band's split comes on the heels of the decision by drummer Matt Roth to pursue his career in photojournalism by accepting a job in the DC/ Baltimore area. This Scares Me was one of the most solid bands to ever arise from the deep underground hardcore scene, which, sadly, often fosters an amateur-hour sensibility that is more irritating than enjoyable. They will be very missed. Good luck, Matt, and thanks for the memories.

From Us To You: Interested in having the Flagpole music staff recommend live music to you every night? Sign up for the Athens Cloud's free service at www.athenscloud.com and select this paper as a business from whom you'd like to receive updates, and every evening your cell phone will receive a text message from Flagpole with love. It doesn't cost a thing, and it's the perfect way for you to receive up-to-the-minute info if something awesome's going on in town - there are always spur-of-the-moment pieces of brilliance in the Athens music scene (like the August 5 Pylon show), and this is one way to stay in touch. Read more about the Cloud in City Pages on p. 6. [Chris Hassiotis]

And that's all for now. Please send your news in as early as possible and always reference either me or Threats And Promises in the subject line of all email. Gimme, gimme, gimme via email at music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-9523, ext. 214; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb