Music News & Gossip
Jun 4, 2003
Threats & Promises
Music News and Gossip
Well I don't know about you, but I'm still nursing a headache from those ACC Big Government Blues we've been singing lately. At any rate, here's what we know for this week...
Defending The Marketplace Of Ideas: R.E.M.'s Mike Mills joined forced with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard in a coalition opposing the slated deregulation of limited ownership in the arenas of broadcast airwaves and print media. Before the vote, the FCC barred those who, for example, own newspapers from also owning a TV or radio station (and vice-versa) in the same market provided that market is lacking "competition." In major market areas, where competition is plentiful, companies may own as many as two or three media outlets. Working with the usual suspects of Common Cause and Move On, the coalition sought to delay the June 2 FCC decision in order to give the public a chance to comment on the possible ramifications of such a decision. Look, all I know is that no matter who owns what I still can't hear unedited 50 Cent cuts on the radio! Who stands up for 50 Cent's rights, huh? Either way, if you're interested in this ruling or if you've just run out of bandwagons to jump on, get the jimmy-jammy over at www.commoncause.org or www.moveon.org.
New Weekly Feature: You'd be amazed by how many bands in town have a wealth of great lyrics. Some only can muster up one or two in their entire career while others have volumes. Either way, I'm gonna start featuring great lyrics in this column and christening them "Local Lyric Of The Week" The inaugural award goes to Herb & Skills for the track "Anthem" (featuring Jawz Of Life, Ishues and Fort Knox) from their recently released compilation The Gathering. Here it is: "I stand out like albinos in a room full of negroes." Pretty much describes me to a T.
I Used To Do This... Seriously: Perhaps the longest-running and most enthusiastic "collective" ever in Athens is the Athens Folk Music And Dance Society. In addition to sponsoring the annual Athens Folk Festival and hosting the semi-regular Hoot (short for hootenanny), they also host monthly contra dances. For those unfamiliar with contra dancing, it's sort of like square dancing with a few variations that I'm not really qualified to comment upon. Best thing, though, is that it's not at all rude to have a different partner for each dance of the evening. So if your date is being an ass you can leave him or her and go on to the next one. At any rate, it's a lot of fun. But be warned: this is really physically exhausting stuff. But if you're up to it, head on over to the Memorial Hall Ballroom on the UGA campus on June 14 and get in line. The dance runs from 8-11:30 p.m. and the uninitiated can arrive at 7:30 p.m. for a quick half-hour contra dance lesson before they jump into it. The cost is $4-6 depending on whether you're a student or Folk Society member. But neither is required to attend and have a good time. For more information, contact bbenson@piedmont.edu or call 706-613-8287.
AthFest in Your Face: This year's AthFest, which takes place June 19-22, is shaping up to be a really solid event and possibly the best year ever. The fabulous 40 Watt is hosting the opening night part which will be a tag-team showcase between Misra Records and Orange Twin Records. Kindercore Records hijacks the stage there for the next two nights to celebrate the fact that their bands are now allowed to turn up their guitars. Aside from both of those noble endeavors, the list of quality acts is simply staggering this year. There's way, way too much for me to list (from Hazel Virtue to Hunter-Gatherer, from Parakeet Nelson to Paper Lions and from The Whigs to The Wheels, that's more than 140 bands!), but rest assured that I will be sufficiently hung-over after this event to lay all drinking aside for at least a year or two. Maybe. Get the full line up over at www.athfest.com and if you happen to see any of the organizers stumbling around that weekend in a completely exhausted state, give 'em a hug. They really do bust a hump all year long to bring you this stuff.
Voting Is Closed So Now Comes The Wait: Well, voting is now closed for the 2003 Flagpole Athens Music Awards so if you didn't get your vote in just sit back and think about how participatory democracy actually takes some effort on your part, too. For the hundreds that managed to get their votes in, thank you. The bands and artists thank you also. But the winners will really thank you over at The Morton Theatre on Thursday, June 19, when The 2003 Flagpole Athens Music Awards Show goes down. Look for announcement of the finalists for this year's awards in next week's issue! Oh, anticipation is making me wait.
Learn the Recipe, Cook at Home: The Flagpole music department seeks an editorial intern for the summer. Make yourself a better person by putting in some work; attention to detail, ability to meet deadlines and skill at clerical-type work are necessities. Oh, and a good attitude! The position is unpaid, but provides writing opportunities like none you've ever encountered - and hey, you might get some class credit out of this, if you need that sort of thing. Learn all about the bands, venues, record labels and folks who make this such a damn good town for music. Interested? Send a resume and clips to music@flagpole.com or call 549-9523 for more information. The deadline for applications is Monday, June 9. [Chris Hassiotis]
And another week is out. As usual, create a stir, get arrested, DO SOMETHING and let me know about it. Get into hugs, not makin' love, 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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Defending The Marketplace Of Ideas: R.E.M.'s Mike Mills joined forced with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard in a coalition opposing the slated deregulation of limited ownership in the arenas of broadcast airwaves and print media. Before the vote, the FCC barred those who, for example, own newspapers from also owning a TV or radio station (and vice-versa) in the same market provided that market is lacking "competition." In major market areas, where competition is plentiful, companies may own as many as two or three media outlets. Working with the usual suspects of Common Cause and Move On, the coalition sought to delay the June 2 FCC decision in order to give the public a chance to comment on the possible ramifications of such a decision. Look, all I know is that no matter who owns what I still can't hear unedited 50 Cent cuts on the radio! Who stands up for 50 Cent's rights, huh? Either way, if you're interested in this ruling or if you've just run out of bandwagons to jump on, get the jimmy-jammy over at www.commoncause.org or www.moveon.org.
New Weekly Feature: You'd be amazed by how many bands in town have a wealth of great lyrics. Some only can muster up one or two in their entire career while others have volumes. Either way, I'm gonna start featuring great lyrics in this column and christening them "Local Lyric Of The Week" The inaugural award goes to Herb & Skills for the track "Anthem" (featuring Jawz Of Life, Ishues and Fort Knox) from their recently released compilation The Gathering. Here it is: "I stand out like albinos in a room full of negroes." Pretty much describes me to a T.
I Used To Do This... Seriously: Perhaps the longest-running and most enthusiastic "collective" ever in Athens is the Athens Folk Music And Dance Society. In addition to sponsoring the annual Athens Folk Festival and hosting the semi-regular Hoot (short for hootenanny), they also host monthly contra dances. For those unfamiliar with contra dancing, it's sort of like square dancing with a few variations that I'm not really qualified to comment upon. Best thing, though, is that it's not at all rude to have a different partner for each dance of the evening. So if your date is being an ass you can leave him or her and go on to the next one. At any rate, it's a lot of fun. But be warned: this is really physically exhausting stuff. But if you're up to it, head on over to the Memorial Hall Ballroom on the UGA campus on June 14 and get in line. The dance runs from 8-11:30 p.m. and the uninitiated can arrive at 7:30 p.m. for a quick half-hour contra dance lesson before they jump into it. The cost is $4-6 depending on whether you're a student or Folk Society member. But neither is required to attend and have a good time. For more information, contact bbenson@piedmont.edu or call 706-613-8287.
| |
AthFest in Your Face: This year's AthFest, which takes place June 19-22, is shaping up to be a really solid event and possibly the best year ever. The fabulous 40 Watt is hosting the opening night part which will be a tag-team showcase between Misra Records and Orange Twin Records. Kindercore Records hijacks the stage there for the next two nights to celebrate the fact that their bands are now allowed to turn up their guitars. Aside from both of those noble endeavors, the list of quality acts is simply staggering this year. There's way, way too much for me to list (from Hazel Virtue to Hunter-Gatherer, from Parakeet Nelson to Paper Lions and from The Whigs to The Wheels, that's more than 140 bands!), but rest assured that I will be sufficiently hung-over after this event to lay all drinking aside for at least a year or two. Maybe. Get the full line up over at www.athfest.com and if you happen to see any of the organizers stumbling around that weekend in a completely exhausted state, give 'em a hug. They really do bust a hump all year long to bring you this stuff.
Voting Is Closed So Now Comes The Wait: Well, voting is now closed for the 2003 Flagpole Athens Music Awards so if you didn't get your vote in just sit back and think about how participatory democracy actually takes some effort on your part, too. For the hundreds that managed to get their votes in, thank you. The bands and artists thank you also. But the winners will really thank you over at The Morton Theatre on Thursday, June 19, when The 2003 Flagpole Athens Music Awards Show goes down. Look for announcement of the finalists for this year's awards in next week's issue! Oh, anticipation is making me wait.
Learn the Recipe, Cook at Home: The Flagpole music department seeks an editorial intern for the summer. Make yourself a better person by putting in some work; attention to detail, ability to meet deadlines and skill at clerical-type work are necessities. Oh, and a good attitude! The position is unpaid, but provides writing opportunities like none you've ever encountered - and hey, you might get some class credit out of this, if you need that sort of thing. Learn all about the bands, venues, record labels and folks who make this such a damn good town for music. Interested? Send a resume and clips to music@flagpole.com or call 549-9523 for more information. The deadline for applications is Monday, June 9. [Chris Hassiotis]
And another week is out. As usual, create a stir, get arrested, DO SOMETHING and let me know about it. Get into hugs, not makin' love, 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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