Music News & Gossip
Apr 2, 2003
Threats & Promises
Music News and Gossip
Rock and roll doesn't seem quite as important as it did a couple of weeks ago, does it? But the world keeps on turnin' and I'm still here to fill you in on the parts you may have missed. See below for jump times...
Let's Play the Quiet Game: Want to get in on an honest-to-god early 1980's sound that isn't all fake-nostalgia-posturing crap? Atlanta/Athens band The Shut-Ups has your prescription. Their new album It Hurts To Be Seen combines sounds reminiscent of The Joe Jackson Band, The Paul Collins Beat and The Brains. Led by Paul Condescending and Ben Spraker, also of Athens pop powerhouse Ceiling Fan, the band has really created an album worth keeping in the CD changer for awhile. Although the band has never played in Athens, I can't encourage local bookers enough to check them out, as the band's been packing shows at Atlanta's Echo Lounge. An Athens show with these guys and The High Caliber would be damn near perfect, so let's get cracking on it, guys.
Bring up the Funk: The Ultramod Compound was thoroughly rocked Saturday, March 22, when Brian Helium staged a show there with his band The Late B.P. Helium and Colorado's The Love Letter Band. And as great as these two were, even though The Love Letter Band played a pitifully short, 20-minute set, the night will be remembered by all in attendance as the debut of Tiny Sticks. Fully giving up the funk to the unusually enthusiastic Athens crowd, Tiny Sticks - featuring the incredibly soulful vocals of Emily Simpson - not only had everyone dancing like fools at 2 a.m., but also left the crowd wanting more when they ended their early-morning set. Here's to more shows by them really soon.
History Lesson: Although he's most recently been known to shred eardrums via his "To Live And Shave In L.A." project, erstwhile Athens artist Tom Smith has been busy preserving two decades worth of noise lately. While he's been keeping pretty busy earning yet another college degree, this time in Mass Media Ethics, and touring with his current project OHNE, Smith is working on multi- and single-disc sets featuring the work of Memories Of Underdevelopment, the 1996 Tora!Tora!Tora! festival, and, most importantly for Athens historians, a double CD retrospective of Boat Of. Athens nursing home residents will remember Boat Of as the project created by Smith, ex-Fans member Mike Green, Michael Stipe, who stayed with the group from 1980 to mid-'81, and Athens photographer Carol Levy. Levy, sadly, was killed in a car crash in 1983 (and eulogized in the track "Camera" from R.E.M.'s Reckoning LP). Near the end of The Method Actors' reign in town, member David Gamble was also brought into the Boat Of clan. Smith and Green went on to create Peach Of Immortality, who would infuriate locals with their cry of "R.E.M. is Air Supply!" and a million other projects, but Boat Of is serious Athens music history and a great lesson for anyone who thinks Athens noise/experimental scene is a recent phenomenon. Look for the double CD to appear later this year.
On the Subject of Stipe: Speaking of R.E.M., the band recently posted a brand new song on its Web site, www.remhq.com. Titled "Final Straw," the song is a response to the current administration's attacks on Iraq. Says Stipe on the site: "This is the strongest voice I could think of to send out there. We had to send something out there now. We are praying and hoping for the lives of all people involved..."Available in both Windows Media Player and Quicktime format, the downloadable version is a rough studio cut. [CH]
Sorry, All Gone: For those of you that didn't heed the call, all tickets for The Flaming Lips' April 15 show at the fabulous 40 Watt on are long, long gone. Guess I won't see you there.
No, Dude, Panic Speaks to Me: Athens luminaries Widespread Panic have come in first in an on-line poll over at www.Jambands.com in which visitors were asked the question "Which of these bands lyrics resonate most deeply with you?" The other choices were The Dead (ex-members of The Grateful Dead who were formerly known as The Other Ones), Ekoostik Hookah and a bunch of other bands you never heard of. While the band is surely thrilled about this, they're gathering no moss as they prepare to release their newest album Ball on April 15. This spring will also see the band returning to Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival. Also currently rocking the band's fanbase are the newest Panic DVDs The Earth Will Swallow You which features the band performing at Colorado's Red Rocks, New York City and Las Vegas, and Live In The Backyard which was filmed in Austin, Texas, on July 20, 2002, and features a second disk filled with interviews, "behind-the-scenes footage," and usual junk that attempts to make a DVD worth its retail price. Kudos to all in the Widespread camp from me.
Still The Only Guy in Town to Keep Us Abreast: As always, studio wizard and savior to many a struggling young band, Chris Bishop has not come up for air in weeks over at his studio Radium Recording. Word has it that former Athens sweethearts Rock-N-Roll Summer are taking jaunts down from Raleigh-Durham, NC, to record new songs and help a new album take form. Work has already started on the new album by Athens' best-kept secret Murder Beach. Hopefully, the title will not be the rumored Messy Pompadour. Chris has helped many many bands complete their recordings. The testimonials over at www.radiumrecording.com attest to his character when it comes to treating bands right.
Flying High Again: Athens rockers Jet By Day weighed in with some news from their corner of the world. The band will put out a split 7" record with DC band The Maginot Line which will be released on Atlanta's Two Sheds label. The band will play Tasty World on April 11 and officially will release their Kindercore debut Cascadia at their AthFest showcase. Jet By Day have been around Athens for a long time now, and over the past two years have become one of the best live bands in this town. Mucho congrats, guys.
As always get your news to me EARLY! for those that don't know, this column is finished and put to bed on Monday one week before the day it hits the street. As such, if you have something going on that you want mentioned, I need it AT LEAST 8-10 days in advance of the issue it should appear in. So shake some action via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; via fax at 548-8981; or by post to P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb
| |
Let's Play the Quiet Game: Want to get in on an honest-to-god early 1980's sound that isn't all fake-nostalgia-posturing crap? Atlanta/Athens band The Shut-Ups has your prescription. Their new album It Hurts To Be Seen combines sounds reminiscent of The Joe Jackson Band, The Paul Collins Beat and The Brains. Led by Paul Condescending and Ben Spraker, also of Athens pop powerhouse Ceiling Fan, the band has really created an album worth keeping in the CD changer for awhile. Although the band has never played in Athens, I can't encourage local bookers enough to check them out, as the band's been packing shows at Atlanta's Echo Lounge. An Athens show with these guys and The High Caliber would be damn near perfect, so let's get cracking on it, guys.
Bring up the Funk: The Ultramod Compound was thoroughly rocked Saturday, March 22, when Brian Helium staged a show there with his band The Late B.P. Helium and Colorado's The Love Letter Band. And as great as these two were, even though The Love Letter Band played a pitifully short, 20-minute set, the night will be remembered by all in attendance as the debut of Tiny Sticks. Fully giving up the funk to the unusually enthusiastic Athens crowd, Tiny Sticks - featuring the incredibly soulful vocals of Emily Simpson - not only had everyone dancing like fools at 2 a.m., but also left the crowd wanting more when they ended their early-morning set. Here's to more shows by them really soon.
History Lesson: Although he's most recently been known to shred eardrums via his "To Live And Shave In L.A." project, erstwhile Athens artist Tom Smith has been busy preserving two decades worth of noise lately. While he's been keeping pretty busy earning yet another college degree, this time in Mass Media Ethics, and touring with his current project OHNE, Smith is working on multi- and single-disc sets featuring the work of Memories Of Underdevelopment, the 1996 Tora!Tora!Tora! festival, and, most importantly for Athens historians, a double CD retrospective of Boat Of. Athens nursing home residents will remember Boat Of as the project created by Smith, ex-Fans member Mike Green, Michael Stipe, who stayed with the group from 1980 to mid-'81, and Athens photographer Carol Levy. Levy, sadly, was killed in a car crash in 1983 (and eulogized in the track "Camera" from R.E.M.'s Reckoning LP). Near the end of The Method Actors' reign in town, member David Gamble was also brought into the Boat Of clan. Smith and Green went on to create Peach Of Immortality, who would infuriate locals with their cry of "R.E.M. is Air Supply!" and a million other projects, but Boat Of is serious Athens music history and a great lesson for anyone who thinks Athens noise/experimental scene is a recent phenomenon. Look for the double CD to appear later this year.
On the Subject of Stipe: Speaking of R.E.M., the band recently posted a brand new song on its Web site, www.remhq.com. Titled "Final Straw," the song is a response to the current administration's attacks on Iraq. Says Stipe on the site: "This is the strongest voice I could think of to send out there. We had to send something out there now. We are praying and hoping for the lives of all people involved..."Available in both Windows Media Player and Quicktime format, the downloadable version is a rough studio cut. [CH]
Sorry, All Gone: For those of you that didn't heed the call, all tickets for The Flaming Lips' April 15 show at the fabulous 40 Watt on are long, long gone. Guess I won't see you there.
| |
No, Dude, Panic Speaks to Me: Athens luminaries Widespread Panic have come in first in an on-line poll over at www.Jambands.com in which visitors were asked the question "Which of these bands lyrics resonate most deeply with you?" The other choices were The Dead (ex-members of The Grateful Dead who were formerly known as The Other Ones), Ekoostik Hookah and a bunch of other bands you never heard of. While the band is surely thrilled about this, they're gathering no moss as they prepare to release their newest album Ball on April 15. This spring will also see the band returning to Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival. Also currently rocking the band's fanbase are the newest Panic DVDs The Earth Will Swallow You which features the band performing at Colorado's Red Rocks, New York City and Las Vegas, and Live In The Backyard which was filmed in Austin, Texas, on July 20, 2002, and features a second disk filled with interviews, "behind-the-scenes footage," and usual junk that attempts to make a DVD worth its retail price. Kudos to all in the Widespread camp from me.
Still The Only Guy in Town to Keep Us Abreast: As always, studio wizard and savior to many a struggling young band, Chris Bishop has not come up for air in weeks over at his studio Radium Recording. Word has it that former Athens sweethearts Rock-N-Roll Summer are taking jaunts down from Raleigh-Durham, NC, to record new songs and help a new album take form. Work has already started on the new album by Athens' best-kept secret Murder Beach. Hopefully, the title will not be the rumored Messy Pompadour. Chris has helped many many bands complete their recordings. The testimonials over at www.radiumrecording.com attest to his character when it comes to treating bands right.
Flying High Again: Athens rockers Jet By Day weighed in with some news from their corner of the world. The band will put out a split 7" record with DC band The Maginot Line which will be released on Atlanta's Two Sheds label. The band will play Tasty World on April 11 and officially will release their Kindercore debut Cascadia at their AthFest showcase. Jet By Day have been around Athens for a long time now, and over the past two years have become one of the best live bands in this town. Mucho congrats, guys.
As always get your news to me EARLY! for those that don't know, this column is finished and put to bed on Monday one week before the day it hits the street. As such, if you have something going on that you want mentioned, I need it AT LEAST 8-10 days in advance of the issue it should appear in. So shake some action via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; via fax at 548-8981; or by post to P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb
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