Athens Blur Magazine - Issue 7

for fans of music & those who make it volume 1, issue 7 CHAIRLIFT DEAF JUDGES THE DUMPS JOKER’S DAUGHTER LADY ANTEBELLUM THE ROOTS TINTED WINDOWS SPRING TIGERS ERIN MCCARLEY & MORE!!!!

10 Questions

GEorge thorogood

with

jaime pressly:

working girl

saving music education from dust to digital PLUS! summer festivals

not to miss!

maria taylor gets lucky

ben foldS: Big Man on campus

75+ Bands on 4 Stages

INCREDIBLE NEW SITE FOR 2009! THE BLACK CROWES GOV’T MULE SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9 Yonder Mountain String Band Les Claypool Matisayhu G Love & SpecialSauce Cross Canadian Ragweed Galactic Shpongle Buckethead

DIGABLE PLANETS Sly & Robbie Railroad Earth Steve Kimock Crazy Engine feat Melvin Seals PerpetualGroove Porter Batiste & Stoltz JJ Grey & MOFRO Jimmy Herring Band The Egg 20/20 Soundsystem Lucero Split Lip Rayfield

AND DOZENS MORE!

JUNE 4th -7th

MULBERRY MOUNTAIN OZARK, ARKANSAS SEE THE FULL LINEUP AND PURCHASE TICKETS AT

WWW.WAKARUSA.COM

y

er v co

r o t s

maria taylor gets lucky

(16)

Make no mistake - Maria Taylor knows there’s no place like home. Now, if she could just figure out where home is… —Alec Wooden

(40)

27 years after the release of his flagship blues tune, is George Thorogood still “Bad to the Bone?”

ten George q u e s t i o ns w i t h

Thorogood



(45)

DU S T by Erica Schwartz

TO

DI G I T A L

(49)

— Zac Taylor

From a college DJ booth to the biggest stage in the music industry, Lance Ledbetter’s passion for out-of-print rarities is becoming an unavoidable phenomenon. —Alec Wooden

(60)

With the economy on the fritz, it’s no surprise schools are cutting costs, cutting teachers, and cutting programs.

usic education

Athfest saving m

(56)

one school at a time

— Nicole Black

(65)

Jaime Pressly talks doing TV, making movies and raising a child. — DeMarco Williams

Wo

rki

ng

Gir

l

BEN FOLDS:

big man on campus 15 A Capella groups get the chance of a lifetime — thanks to pop music’s perpetual undergrad — Alec Wooden

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

3

19

music

COLUMNS

EDITOR’S PLAYLIST: Ten Tunes Worth Noting THE FIRST WORD: Indie is the New Punk WHAT’S YOUR MUSICSCOPE? Astrology for Musicians

24

13 spotlights

21

27

EAR CANDY: Album Reviews

32 35 38

UPCOMING CD RELEASES

THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

Dead Confederate Takes On The UK

62

80

11 12 13 14 16 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 30

TOUR DIARY:

36

9

Pains of Being Pure At Heart Roxy Epoxy & The Rebound Lady Antebellum The Belleville Outfit Maria Taylor Joker’s Daughter Chairlift Psychostick The Dumps Erin McCarley Tinted Windows The Roots Deaf Judges The Airborne Toxic Event Spring Tigers

ALSO:

25

6

20

12

36

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MOVIE PREVIEWS: Worth your money? UPCOMING DVD RELEASES

62

MEALS FOR YOUR BROKE ASS:

68

64

FOOD

Grills Gone Wild!

68

ALSO INSIDE:

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Go Ahead, Make My Date ATHENS LIVE: The Month in Photos

70 75

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

5

BLUR WHO WE ARE

Editor-in-Chief Nicole Black [email protected] Executive Editor Alec Wooden [email protected] Director of Sales Stephen Simmons [email protected] Account Executives Adrienne Klein [email protected] Jim McGahee [email protected] Advertising Interns Elaine Emma Kelch, Morgan Kelly, Julia Ott Design Colin Dunlop, Lily Feinberg Lauren Mullins, Carlye Norton, Alec Wooden Editorial Interns Will Hackett, Lindsey Lee Kristen Lee, Julie McCollum Erica Schwartz Contributing Writers Jacquie Brasher, Melissa Coker, Natalie B. David, Chris Homer, Ed Morales, Jon Ross, Zac Taylor, PT Umphress, DeMarco Williams, Jenni Williams

ON THE COVER: Maria Taylor, photo by Autumn De Wilde, courtesy Nettwerk Music Group 6

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

editor’s playlist

FROM THE EDITOR

old or new, 10 songs we can’t get enough of this month

Nicole Black Editor-in-Chief

“Does This Mean You’re Moving On?” The Airborne Toxic Event (TATE) “Bad Influence” Pink “Champagne” Trances Arc “If You Want Blood, You’ve Got It” AC/DC “A Little Less Conversation” JXL Remix, Elvis Presley “Gasoline” TATE “Personal Jesus” Johnny Cash version “Bad Company” Bad Company “Sometime Around Midnight” TATE “My Generation” The Who

Alec Wooden Executive Editor

“Geraldine” Glasvegas “The Feeling” Peter Bjorn & John “All This Time” Sara Watkins “Just Pretend” The Fascination Movement “Me No” Clem Snide “Up To Our Nex” Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 “Woods” Bon Iver “Rain, Fire, and Brimstone” Madeline “Shotgun Wedding” JazzChronic “Rebel Side of Heaven” Langhorne Slim

looking for blur? try here: 40 Watt Club ABC Package Barberitos Barnes & Noble Beef O’Brady’s Blind Pig Tavern Borders Bookstore Copper Creek Espresso Royale Cafe Jimmy John’s Jittery Joe’s Coffee J’s Bottle Shop Lay-Z Shopper Little Italy Locos Deli & Pub Melting Point

Moe’s Music Exchange Musician’s Warehouse School Kids Records Tall Boy Beverage Co. The Burger & Cheesesteak Factory The Georgia Theatre The Globe The Taco Stand Transmetropolitan Trappeze Pub Village Wine & Spirits Vision Video Wuxtry Records Your Pie

Or grab a copy at two publication boxes downtown — at the corner of College and Clayton, in front of Wuxtry Records, and across the street in front of The Fred Building.

Dear Readers, Like springtime, new things are blossoming here at Blur and in this issue we are introducing a new recurring section called, “Tour Diary”, where a local band shares their thoughts with us during their road travels. Kicking off this launch, Brantley Senn of Dead Confederate journals his ten days on a recent European tour with the band. As a new magazine on the verge of turning one, we continue to make small changes in an effort to polish the overall look and feel of our magazine that some of our avid readers may have been noticing with each new issue. As we continue to move forward with this publication, there will undoubtedly be more to come but we do so in order to make this Georgia’s ultimate music variety magazine. That said, we have finally decided on a slogan that sums up what we feel is The Athens Blur Magazine, a magazine for fans of music and those who make it. And of course, we sprinkle our pages with a little variety such as movie previews, interviews with actors/actresses, investigative features, and our infamous food section, Meals For Your Broke Ass. And speaking of new…we have recently discovered the joys and addiction of Twitter. Already on MySpace and Facebook, Twitter will surely help put us on the map as we aimlessly update our status and join our fellow competitors, musicians, and new and current readers. Also, be sure to continually check www.athensblur.blogspot.com for daily buzz worthy news and noise. In all seriousness — we really are in the process of a website but, as the saying goes, all good things come to those who wait. As always, keep your comments coming, and support our local businesses!

Nicole D. Black

The Athens Blur Magazine P.O. Box 7117 Athens, Ga 30604 Main Office (706) 353-7799

BLUR FROM THE EDITORS

Who We Are

Sales (706) 207-9091 For general comments and inquiries: [email protected] For advertising opportunities: [email protected] The Athens Blur Magazine issue 7, copyright©2009 By The Athens Blur Magazine, INC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part in any way by any means unless written permission is received from the publisher. Published monthly except for each summer issue in the United States of America and distributed free of charge (limit one copy per reader, each subsequent copy is distributed at a charge of $4.95). Postmaster send address changes to The Athens Blur Magazine, P.O. Box 7117 Athens, Ga. 30604

FOR MORE LOCATIONS, VISIT ATHENSBLUR.COM ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

7

INDIE IS THE NEW PUNK

the attitude is gone — all that’s left is a shell of the genre. In the genesis of any unique genre of music, there is a clearly defined sound and mentality existing within the typical fan and/or creator of said sound. As time goes on, that sound and mentality may increase in popularity — inspiring sub-genres, spin-offs and the ever-despised fakers. Whatever the case, as a given genre grows and evolves, it becomes less and less the defined seed of creativity and more a thinning root of inspiration running through the various offshoots. This is why “indie” is the new “punk.” Early on “punk” had definition, both a unique sonic experience and a rebellious, middle-finger mentality toward the establishment. Fast-forward a decade or two and things get mighty blurry. Nowadays, everything can be a little “punk” if it wants to be. Modern mainstream “punk” isn’t dangerous or sincere — it’s trendy and purchasable. True punk never cared to be mainstream, and that’s exactly why it blew up — there’s nothing cooler than someone who does their own thing and couldn’t give a shit what you think of them. Enter indie rock. Similar to early punk, early indie rock had a uniform and recognizable sound and attitude. Bands weren’t in it for the fame and money, didn’t dress to impress and shied away from major labels (or were simply ignored by them). They put their albums on vinyl — before it was cool again — for crying out loud. Enter the digital revolution. Pro Tools, home recording rigs, MySpace, Facebook, P2P filesharing services, torrents. Suddenly the means of self-production, distribution, and promotion are cheaper and

more accessible. Suddenly major label support is harder to justify — every band wants to be independent. And so, as with punk, at one time “indie” rock identified a particular sound, but now, because so many artists have latched onto the indie attitude of DIY, we have artists from all genres going “indie.” A shining example of this is Radiohead. Yes, that Radiohead — a band that could sell out Madison Square Garden ev-

Similar to

early punk,

early indie rock had a uniform and recognizable sound and attitude. Bands weren’t in it for the fame and money, didn’t dress to impress and shied away from major labels (or were simply ignored by them). They put their albums on vinyl — before it was cool again. ery night of every day of every year, forever. Clearly not a bottom feeder, Yorke and company are “indie” nonetheless because they have no major label backing. They do it all on their own. They may not sound indie, but they operate indie. Then there’s “indie music,” which is where the watered down nature of the term becomes most evident. Let’s see… there are indie bands that don’t play indie music (Minor Threat or Reel Big Fish), bands that play indie music that have major label support and thus are not truly indie (The Shins or Manchester Orchestra), and then you’ve got Sufjan Stevens,who is an indie artist who

BLUR THE FIRST WORD

MUSIC

plays indie music. But then again, what the hell is indie music anyhow? A particular sound defined by some elite panel of hipster judges? It’s easy to see why musicians themselves eschew genres, since a band can be defined differently depending on who you ask. Take Wilco. It can be called indie, folk, rock, country, Americana, or even pop. Are any of them entirely right? Are any of them entirely wrong? Any of those genre adjectives mean a number of things to different people. They’re just vines of inspiration, winding in and out of various bands down through the years, and as time goes on, they thin out. It’s rare a new band goes so far back to the roots in which it is inarguably definable — both in sound and attitude — as that core, source genre. They still exist — dyed in the wool punk and indie bands — but surely they themselves cringe when attempting to explain their place in the musical spectrum, knowing their hard-earned, well-deserved adjective is meaningless to anyone else. And it can never go back. We live in a world where Avril Lavigne has been called “punk” and “indie” bands go platinum overnight by popping up in an Apple commercial. And there’s not a goddamn thing the hardest of the hardcore or the indiest of the indie can do to change that. Indie is the new punk. But hey, it was a fun ride while it lasted. — The lethal combination of PT Umphress and Ed Morales contributed to this column. Got something to say? Send your thoughts to [email protected]! ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

9

CAUGHT BETWEEN MOONS OVER MY HAMMY AND NEW YORK CITY It resounds in a rush — fuzzed out guitars crafted in big city streets, punctuated by lyrics of drug addiction and the calamity of love. The sound — unmistakable, yet fresh — elicits ’80s underground rock and forgotten bands such as The Field Mice, Rocketship and Black Tambourine.
 The Field Mice? Rocketship? Where do 20-somethings find these bands? These inspirations? Unknown depths of coolness wrought from tales of big city excess? No, someplace darker. Think Moons Over My Hammy.
 “I grew up in suburban Pennsylvania with my mom and hung out with my three friends, sitting in Denny’s smoking section but not smoking, drinking bottomless cups of coffee, discussing anarchy and wondering if anything cool would happen,” said Kip Berman, lead singer and principal songwriter of Brooklyn’s The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. “We’d go to punk shows and stuff, but were never as punk as the real punks. We’d talk about how there was never anything to do, but looking back on it, I think that we had fun all the time.”
 Started in a warehouse to celebrate the keyboardist’s birthday, POBPAT (“taken from the title of an unpublished children’s book,” Berman notes) still isn’t made of real punks, but finds itself with plenty to do. Comprised of Berman, drummer Kurt Feldman, singer-keyboardist Peggy Wang and bassist Alex Naidus, the band recently embarked on an international tour to promote its self-titled full length debut and in the process, far exceed its wildest expectations.
 “I always used to joke with Peggy, ‘all our dreams are coming true’ — like when we played a sandwich shop in

MUSIC ALTERNATIVE

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART WHO’S WHO Alex Naidus (bass), Kip Berman (guitar, vocals), Kurt Feldman (drums), Peggy Wang (keyboard, vocals) PHOTO: ANNIE POWERS

Tallahassee to between three and six people,” Berman said. “But now, they really are.”
 Those dreams are sowed on the strength of Pains’ initial LP, a collection of shoegaze gems and bouncy beats belied by forlorn lyrics (“Can’t you see his arms are a hell and won’t ever leave?” Berman sings on “Stay Alive”). “Everything With You,” found single success and steady airplay on Sirius XM. Signed to slumberland Records (home to dreamy indie pop bands), POBPAT finds the label suits its musical and commercial tastes.
 “Growing up, we loved so many of the bands they put out — Rocketship, Velocity Girl, Aislers Set,” Berman said. “Thanks to the Internet and home recording, there’s a great leveling of the playing field, because now a band on a small indie label can still record for cheap, get attention and distributed.”
 Pains saw the Internet’s power firsthand. Touring to support its debut EP in 2007,

Courtesy The Weepies

FORMED 2007 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

the band grabbed a Saturday afternoon slot at Popfest, and an hour before it took the stage, the Black Kids leapt into indie buzz history with a blazing set that sent bloggers into a frenzy. And though Pains missed the online bustle that day, it did stumble upon something just as satisfying.
 “We did a tour to Athens Popfest and there were less than 10 people at every show,” Berman remembers. “The wonderful thing was, we were all having so much fun, it wasn’t disappointing in the least. We ate a lot of Dairy Queen, especially in Georgia, where it was 105 degrees in August, and discovered Jagermeister. — at first in a tongue in cheek ‘we’re doin it’ way, but then...”
 Those small show days are long gone, as the Pains hype grows. Pitchfork called the LP one of the year’s best and NME and The New York Times praised the band’s

LABEL slumberland Records LATEST RELEASE The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (2008) ON THE WEB www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com retro-yet-new-sound rise to prominence.
Berman appreciates it all, realizing it wasn’t long ago he wanted to sit where he is right now. After all, being cool happens when you’re not looking for it.
 “I know it’s hard for people to understand, but no one was a super cool 13-year-old listening to The Flatmates and Meat Whiplash,” he said. “We were pretty much typical teenagers into Nirvana and learned about The Vaselines and began to know about these other amazing bands like Teenage Fanclub, The Pastels, Beat Happening, and the underground pop bands of the ’90s and ’80s. Don’t worry about being cool, because lots of cool music isn’t ‘cool’ — I mean, we all jam out to Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Siamese Dream’ in the tour van more than people might assume.” — Ed Morales ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

11

MUSIC ALTERNATIVE

Former epoxies fronTwoman finds a new sticky situation ROXY EPOXY & THE REBOUND WHO’S WHO Roxy Epoxy (vocals), Qat Bergler (Guitar), Drat (guitar/vocals), Jarius Dathan (keys), Lola Gold (bass/vocals), Ryan Moore (drums) FORMED 2006 in Portland, Ore. LABEL Metropolic Records LATEST RELEASE Band-aids on Bullet Holes (2009) ON THE WEB www.roxyepoxy.com

PHOTO COURTESY ROXY EPOXY

The shoes of Siouxie Sioux, Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde are hard ones to fill, but Roxy Epoxy slides her toes into those ass-kicking boots and laces up with ease. The former frontwoman for synth-infused punk band The Epoxies, Roxy vocally channels DEVO’s Mark Mothersbaugh in equal measure to her feminine punk predecessors for a sound that is uniquely her own. On a phone call from a friend’s house in Seattle, Roxy is easygoing and immediately amiable. It’s the second-to-last date on the inaugural tour for Roxy Epoxy and The Rebound, her new band, and her first outing since The Epoxies called it quits. “It’s been really good,” she says of the tour. “It’s been interesting to see what the crossover might’ve been from my old band. There’s a little bit 12

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

going on, but there’s definitely a degree of starting over again, which is pretty cool actually.” Before unofficially breaking up in late 2007, The Epoxies gained a loyal fan following for its sci-fi influenced punk and new wave sound, as well as for the group’s penchant for overthe-top stage shows, which included smoke machines, guitars equipped with lasers, and costumes made of duct tape all in conjunction with Roxy’s commanding stage presence. But an end to The Epoxies didn’t mean an end to Roxy Epoxy. When asked if she ever thought the breakup meant the demise of her musical career, she laughs, “I got pretty stubborn right away. It was intimidating, but I just went for it and tried to see what would happen, and I’m pretty psyched about how it’s gone so far.”

The songs that would become her debut with The Rebound, Band-aids On Bullet Holes, had been partially written and set aside during her tenure with The Epoxies. But the resulting sound finds Roxy embracing more rock ‘n’ roll influences, which she credits to Drat, her significant other and songwriting partner, whose musical background is entrenched mostly in goth, rock and glam. “We just spent a long time at home figuring it out between work, because of course we both still have day jobs,” she remarks of the demoing process. “Punk rock don’t pay the bills.” Despite Roxy’s fiercely DIY ways (she created all the artwork for the album and even lived at the Seattle studio during recording), the demos were mailed out to various record labels, finally coming

to land at the goth/industrial label Metropolis. “It’s appealing to self-release these days because the music industry is so unpredictable, which kind of makes it fun as far as I’m concerned because you get to figure out all these new ways of doing things,” she says, “but we went through a label because we had no money to record.” As for touring, gone are the days of stage show gimmicks with her former band. Although The Rebound’s personality is still being determined, Roxy sounds confident that, for now, she has all of the right bases covered. “I think that we’re putting on a great show just physically asis, which is the first thing that you need to make sure is going on,” she says. “If you’re going to see a band you want to see something good or you could’ve just stayed home and listened to the album, especially ‘cause we’re all broke these days.” — Natalie B. David

MUSIC COUNTRY

ON THE REBOUND

ante up!

two georgia boys and a great scott unite As they say, great things come in three — and that fact rings true with trio Lady Antebellum. All are steeped in influential background ingredients. Multiinstrumentalist/harmony vocalist Dave Haywood is from Augusta, where he met Charles Kelley (tenor) at Riverside Middle School. While the two started writing together at the University of Georgia, Nashville is where they met the group’s feminine side — alto Hillary Scott, who actually approached Kelley after having seen/heard him on MySpace. The daughter of Grammywinning artist Linda Davis and musician Lang Scott, she hails from Nashville (better known as “The Athens of the South”). “I’m the analytical perfectionist, Hillary brings the silliness and the emotion, and Dave is the calming glue,” Kelley observes. “Everyone balances everybody else out.” Their balance has already brought numerous successes. They’ve been certified Gold (complete with a surprise plaque presented on The Ellen DeGeneres Show), garnered two Grammy nominations, a Top 5 hit (“Love Don’t Live Here”) and can now say they’ve been on the iTunes Top 10 country albums chart for a full year. Last year, they took trophies at the ACM Awards for “Best New Vocal Group” and CMA Awards for “New Artist of the Year.” This year, they crossed the line with a nomination in the even more elite “Top Vocal Group” category. An even bigger bestowed honor was getting to perform their new single, “I Run to You,” on a special stage with enthusiastic fans crowded around them. “It was unbelievable [to play “Run”]…actually getting to perform was one of the

LADY ANTEBELLUM WHO’S WHO Hillary Scott (vocals), Charles Kelley (vocals), Dave Haywood (vocals, guitar, mandolin) FORMED 2006 in Nashville, Tenn. LABEL Capitol Nashville LATEST RELEASE Lady Antebellum (2008) ON THE WEB www.ladyantebellum.com most exciting things for us,” exuded Haywood, while already in Vegas for rehearsal nights before the ceremony. Their previous single – “Lookin’ for a Good Time” – still holds its own in the award world. In particular, CMT is praising its video counterpart. It’s up for three “Video of the Year” awards for their fanvoted award show which airs June 17. Though set up as a clean-cut back in time TV show, the video does get pretty dirty — and even a little oiled up. That is, there’s a mechanic who deigns to dirty up Dave with a slightly smudgy tap on the shoulder, producing a don’t-you-dare response. “Time” included, the trio had a hand in ten of the eleven album tracks. “Run” makes a much slower sound than

PHOTO COURTESY LADY ANTEBELLUM

many may expect from the three, but they’re still living in fast forward. Fresh off the ACM’s, they’ve found their next good time with Kenny Chesney. Suiting up for some sun fun with Chesney and the boys aboard the acclaimed concert-thrower’s hot “Sun City Carnival Tour,” they join fellow fire starter Miranda Lambert with dates booked now through August’s end. “We keep our shows loose and spontaneous,” Haywood shares. “Probably my favorite song to play live, though, is ‘All We’ll Ever Need.’ It’s first one we wrote together, a really special, personal song. Being a ballad we do in the middle of our set, people really sit back and take in the lyrics. I get to play piano on it. And you know, Georgia’s our old stompin’ ground. We love getting to play such a big show for the hometown crowd. A bunch of my friends are coming out, tailgating…we’ve all got friends coming out. Hillary has ties to Georgia too.” Videos the band’s uploaded tie in heavily to their shows. “We put a video up for just about every single show on the Martina [McBride] tour a year

and a half ago,” he adds. “We kept it up, in what we now call ‘Webisode Wednesdays.’” Haywood’s really needled (in a good way) if a fan shares a story of how a song’s affected them. “‘One Day You Will’ has inspired a lot of listeners,” he says. “We had a girl tell us it helped her dad get through during his cancer struggle. It’s amazing to give such hope, especially when we put so much of ourselves into these songs.” Lady A will shine their heart on you in Alpharetta on May 28. “This is the tour to be on this summer,” says Scott. “Not only will we be playing in front of hundreds of thousands of die-hard country music fans over the next few months, but Kenny is just the most gracious host and has already made us feel so welcome. We couldn’t feel any more fortunate that he invited us to come out with him.”  From the sound of it, Lady A have forged their way from on the fringe to inside music’s circle — thanks to a career that’s already taken great shape. — Melissa Coker ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

13

MUSIC COUNTRY

LOOKING FOR A NEW OUTFIT?

BELLEVILLE MIXES BLUEGRASS AND ROCK FOR A PERFECT MATCH THE BELLEVILLE OUTFIT WHO’S WHO Rob Teter (guitar, vocals), Connor Forsyth (piano), Jonathan Konya (drums, vocals), Jeff Brown (bass, vocals), Marshall Hood (guitar, vocals), Phoebe Hunt (violin, vocals) FORMED 2007 in Austin, Texas LABEL independent LATEST RELEASE Time to Stand (2009) PHOTO: JOHN GRUBBS

When three kids out of Spartanburg High School in South Carolina formed The DesChamps Band, most people thought they were “cute,” a trio emulating the late Champ Hood’s Uncle Walt’s Band and playing gigs around the city for “fun.” But for members Rob Teter, Marshall Hood and Jeff Brown, it meant much more. They were actually writing their own songs and doing it for more than just good times. When high school ended and college carted them farther West, their potential was anything but lost. A booking in Wilkesboro, N.C., for the 2007 MerleFest simultaneously did two great things for this group of bluegrass boys; it reunited the DesChamps talent, adding some new sounds and faces, and before a few months could change their mind, birthed a brand new touring outfit—The Belleville Outfit. School went on hold, (although each member plans to return one day) and in 2008 they released Wanderin’ as a 14

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

direct result of touring for a growing fan base and having nothing to leave behind. “Our goal was just to get something out,” Teter says. “We were touring with no disc so we said, ‘Ok, we’ve got 12 tunes. Let’s make it happen.’” Their selfreleased album did “better than we ever thought it would,”Teter admits, “but it didn’t transmit the energy people found in our live shows.” Thus, Time To Stand followed, bringing a more cohesive track flow and a true identity for Belleville. “We sequenced it to be more like our live show and something that was radio-friendly.” A crossover from the smorgasbord of sound their first disc offered, this one sounds more like bluegrass, yet still maintains the Belleville originality that the first carried. It was a learning process for this group of young 20-somethings, Teter says, explaining that “when you get serious making an album you really have to whittle it

down. We all write songs, so we’ve all got stuff, got ideas, but you really have to learn to compromise to get the album you need.” Almost every song is written by several members, a collaboration if you will, of the talent across the board within the various members of the Outfit. They consist of the original Spartanburg three, plus Jonathan Konya and Connor Forsyth from college days with Teter in New Orleans, and Phoebe Hunt, a friend Hood picked up in Austin. Although still shy of the official Time To Stand release, the group plans to get started on a third album as soon as this one releases. “We’re on the fast-track now,” Teter says. And it shows. Not only have they shared the stage with Lyle Lovett, Ricky Skaggs, Kentucky Thunder and the Del McCoury Band, the Belleville Outfit attracts a wide audience of listeners with Time To Stand, and, according to Teter, “makes you wanna dance.”

ON THE WEB www.bellevilleoutfit.com That’s exactly what happens at a Belleville show. According to Teter, with old American musicians’ influence like Ray Charles and Muddy Waters, “people are just spinning and twirling all over the place” at their shows. And with 200+ days on the road, playing for a party like that makes it worthwhile — not to mention makes them all a little more confident in that “college later” decision. Like no bluegrass you’ve ever heard (think rock, alternative blues, and even some swing), The Belleville Outfit truly represents its music. Lyrics from their debut album, like, “if I lost it all — if I lost everything I knew, I’d want to love somebody like you,” proves what their music is, something you’d want if nothing else in the world was right. It makes you feel good and makes you want to groove, and the best part is this group has a lot more music to come. — Jennifer Williams

maria taylor

gets lucky She probably doesn’t have an “Auntie Em” or a land plot in Kansas. It’s doubtful she owns red slippers or a little dog named Toto. But make no mistake - Maria Taylor knows there’s no place like home. Now, if she could just figure out where home is…

“I don’t know if I did it on purpose, but I definitely allowed myself to feel (at home) in more places,” says the artist who has thus far in her already lengthy (though still quite young) career set up shop in numerous musical hotbeds. Born in Birmingham, Ala., Taylor began in her hometown with the band Little Red Rocket at the ripe age of 15. Since, she’s had mailing addresses in Athens, Ga., with the likes of Azure Ray and Now It’s Overhead, as well as Omaha, Neb., with the Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes/Saddle Creek Records crew. “There’s no place like where you grew up, so probably Birmingham feels like home the most,” she continues. “But I do love that, where I feel that I have all these homes. When I get close to Athens or Omaha, I’m already making plans to see all my friends — and now Los Angeles kind of feels like home, and I can’t wait for the last show (of the current tour) there.” Speaking from Birmingham, Taylor is just days removed from a lengthy European run (and prepping for a stateside run) with fellow folk-artist Joshua Radin — a tour played mostly solo with some backing help from Radin’s regular guitar player. “When you’re by yourself, you’re in control of all the dynamics and I feel like you can still have a dynamic set,” she says. “I really enjoy performing both ways, and it’s cool to be able to let people hear the songs both ways. But I am excited to pull out the electric guitars and distortion pedals for this tour.” Taylor is a bit of a musical mystery, tough to nail down

MUSIC FOLK

a southern lady brings it all home(s)

PHOTO: AUTUMN DE WILDE

in any setting, be it recorded or live. Largely known for her intensely personal, stripped down acoustic tracks, she does have the ability and propensity to rock out — and does so on a multitude of instruments (she spent a stint as the touring drummer for Bright Eyes). “I love playing drums, but I have friends that are much better drummers than I am,” she says modestly — though, while not discounting her talent behind the kit, she’s probably right. When it’s suggested she simply title all her new albums Maria Taylor Has Cooler Friends Than You, she laughs — but they easily could be. The production and performance efforts of her previous solo records, 11:11 and Lynn Teeter Flower, featured the likes of Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst and Nate Walcott (all from Bright Eyes), Andy LeMaster (Now It’s Overhead), David Barbe (Sugar), Jim Eno (Spoon) and Doug Easley (Cat Power). “I’m fortunate to have a lot of friends who are super talented so I don’t have to compromise

MARIA TAYLOR WHO’S WHO Maria Taylor (guitar, vocals) FORMED 2005 in Los Angeles, Calif. LABEL Nettwerk Music Group LATEST RELEASE LadyLuck (2009) ON THE WEB www.myspace.com/mariataylor my sound by working with them,” she says. “They bring inspiration, that’s for sure. But it’s not just their talent. I love being around them on every level — they’re all just beautiful people and that inspires me to be a better person and a better musician. And we’ve all spent so many years together that we definitely feel like we’re a family.” That “family,” along with a new helping hand from R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, has

again helped Taylor crank out what promises to be another in her trend of criticallyacclaimed records, LadyLuck. “I definitely felt like this album felt very inspired,” she says. “Everything in my life was changing, so it seems natural that some of these songs were going to be filled with more emotion than some of my other songs.” The documentation of that change has resulted in one of the most introspective and personal records Taylor has produced to date — yet, she doesn’t feel any discomfort with allowing fans into her open wounds, if only metaphorically. “Sometimes I get uncomfortable (letting the fans in) after the fact because people want to know even more,” she says. “But as I’m writing, I don’t think about it. I can’t keep secrets. I’m an open book. So I try to be honest in my music — and the way I write songs is pretty similar to how I communicate as a person.” — Alec Wooden ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

17

uk songstress collaborates with danger mouse on debut was at such an early age, I don’t think it affected the spontaneity that goes with not being classically literate as it were. I improvise more than I calculate when it comes to the actual music-making process. I can have the best of both worlds where I can use the classical training that I had to be able to hear string arrangements and want to use them but in a way that can be experimented with. So no, it never gets in the way — on the contrary, it enhances the creative process.

Joker’s Daughter, the moniker of the ethereal synth-pop band fronted by UK-based Helena Costas, has just released a highly anticipated debut full-length album, The Last Laugh. A collaboration with acclaimed producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley), the record has a sonic and emotional depth that pulls you in and out of her dark, mystical world. As the featured new artist of New York indie label Team Love (Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis), Joker’s Daughter has some serious momentum. Athens Blur Magazine: What was it like collaborating with Danger Mouse? How did you initially hook up with him? Did you discuss a lot of the sonic textures in detail, or did you both create the soundscapes as a team as you went along? Helena Costas: It all started when I was playing an acoustic set of my songs at a bar in Soho, London, and a friend of his approached me and said he knew someone who may be interested in my songs. So I sent Danger Mouse some computer recordings, and it just kept going from there. If he liked a song I would send over the parts so that he could add to them. When I heard what he did to them I loved it straight away, it was like I had the songs, but there was only so far I could go with them, and he knew instinctively what to do with them. This was where his amazing talent would step in and make the songs go to places I hadn’t seen before. ABM: Did you use samples or real strings for the orchestral sounds? HC: Danger Mouse used the Sonus Quartet to record live strings on the album, which I absolutely loved, and it created such texture in the songs that I could not record. There are also

JOKER’S DAUGHTER PHOTO: STEPHEN DOWLING

parts where I play the violin experimentally, and some samples were used, too. ABM: How important is this production to the emotional impact and weight of the songs? HC: Enormously! The different layers fill in the gaps of the initial skeleton parts of the songs. It brings them all alive. ABM: How has your songwriting style evolved leading up to this record?  HC: My style has shifted significantly. When I compare my first songs to what I write now, I have grown to realize what my strengths are in writing and tried to evolve them—I will always learn something new and be constantly changing. The songs on this album were picked from material over five years, so the diversity in styles are prominent. Sometimes I like to crossover styles; I don’t like to set boundaries, as I think songwriting for me is about playing

WHO’S WHO Helena Costas (vocals, guitar) FORMED 2003 in London LABEL Team Love Records LATEST RELEASE The Last Laugh(2009) ON THE WEB www.jokersdaughter.co.uk with inspiration and allowing for any possibilities. ABM: Do you keep a notebook, or record quick ideas into a laptop, etc? HC: I’ve got a notebook for lyrics, and I also record my guitar strumming and singing onto my Blackberry Dictaphone — it’s easily reachable for quick ideas. ABM: With regards to your early classical training, how much of it do you actively use in your current compositions? Does it ever get in the way? HC: Because the training

MUSIC FOLK

getting the last laugh

ABM: How do you prepare to make the songs and overall stage show shine and keep the audience engaged in your world? HC: I did have quite a theatrical image in my head of how I could perform these songs on stage, with multiple visions flying around. I want to convey the sounds you hear on the album as much as possible, and I’d like to have more visuals to create the illusions in some of the songs that are fantasy-ridden. I will be experimenting to see what works and what doesn’t. Initially, I think it will be a simple affair...for now, that is! ABM: What aces do you have up your sleeve from here on out? Are you looking forward to touring? HC: An Ace of Wands for a creative adventure, and an Ace of Cups for flying high but staying grounded! Touring will be great fun! ABM: What will the live act consist of? HC: The live act will probably consist of a few other musicians on stage and myself. I want to recreate as much of the sound you hear on the album as possible, so there may be laptops involved, too! — Zac Taylor ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

19

MUSIC MELTING POT

chairlift starts the ride to the top of the music mountain

CHAIRLIFT WHO’S WHO Aaron Pfenning (guitar), Caroline Polachek (vocals, keyboards), Kyle McCabe (bass) FORMED 2006 in Boulder, Colo. LABEL Columbia Records LATEST RELEASE Does You Inspire You (2009) ON THE WEB www.chairliftmusic.com

Courtesy The Weepies

PHOTO COURTESY BIG HASSLE MEDIA

The newest iBand may not be a household name yet, but I bet you know all the words to their single “Bruises,” of iPod commercial fame. You know the one — “I tried to do handstands for you/I tried to do handstands for you,” by the Brooklyn-based trio with Colorado roots is certainly catchy, but don’t think everything from Chairlift’s debut album follows in the vein of the twee pop ditty. “People are approaching our album with the idea of getting a whole record full of “Bruises” which is not what we’re about,” said a thoughtfully speaking Caroline Polachek, the lead vocalist of the trio. “But at the same time, I think a lot of people are being surprised by the rest of the record in a way that they really enjoy. A lot of people are finding themselves with a record of kind of experimental music who would never otherwise.” Chairlift’s music is a kind of hybrid pop that incorporates 20

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

several genres. The band has said that their original intention in forming was to create a soundtrack for a haunted house, and Polachek’s voice is a beautiful, spooky instrument that goes beyond simply singing. “I think the way we think of our music is pop the way we want pop to be,” Polachek said. “It’s pop that isn’t one- sizefits-all, it’s not put through the meat grinder. It’s got a whole range of feelings, but it is hooky and catchy. It appeals to people from the lyrics to the melody.” Polachek and guitarist Aaron Pfenning share song writing duties, writing songs that are, in Polachek’s words, “about abstract things going on in our lives. Or maybe they’re more abstractions of our real lives.” Either way, they write alone. “We don’t jam,” she insists. “Our song-writing is pretty solitary, either me or Aaron by ourselves.” “I think we are totally

comfortable talking about anything in front of each other,” Polachek said. “I think it’s more being able to be alone, to have the time and space to think of [personal] things like that.” Polachek explained how, in today’s fickle music industry, song writing requires more attention to detail than ever before in music history. “If you can get people to remember a hook, that’s like the same thing as getting them to remember a song 20 years ago or something. It’s just microscoping, you have to fit the whole concept of the song into just a couple lines because that’s how people sample music. That’s how fast someone will come up with an idea of whether or not they like something. It’s very fast.” The band re-released its debut album Does You Inspire You April 21 via Columbia Records and will see two new tracks added to the original slate of 11.

“I think [the re-release] completes the world that record is,” said Polachek. “To me that record is kind of a cinematic trip, and I think it had a feeling of incompleteness before, like you ended up at the ending without a full explanation of how you got there. The two new tracks make it more symmetrical and satisfactory.” They are also working on several new music videos, an experience Polachek describes as “just as much fun as making music,” which will debut soon on their Web site and merge art and sound (Polachek studied art in college). The trio is poised to see their careers in the music business really take off. What started with the iPod commercial was followed by touring with music’s new golden boys MGMT — but Polachek hasn’t let any of it go to her head. “I don’t feel famous in the ‘coke, rockstar’ kind of thing,” she explained. “I feel like I have a job that involves getting to meet a lot of people, which is really really fun.” — Lindsey Lee

not your standard pb&J

but a sandwich all the same Comical heavy-metal band, Psychostick, is bringing fans ‘humor-core’ once again with Sandwich, a follow up to the band’s debut, We Couldn’t Think of a Title. Songs on the new album like “Caffeine,” “VahJah-Jah” and “Do You Want a Taco?” promise to deliver the same raunchy, entertaining metal songs as before, but this time with more tracks. Rob “Rawrb” Kersey phoned in from Arizona to chat about the album and magic carpets. ABM: Did you guys all sit together and write the songs on the album all at once? Or was this a collaboration compiled over a period of time? Rob Kersey: When we were starting to get ready to put together a new CD, we got signed and started touring so we didn’t really have time to sit down and finish writing a record. So a lot of it was already put together. Then we brought in Jake (McReynolds) and Jimmy (Grant), the two newer members, who are both very talented writers and creative all around. Half was ready to go and the other half was just about sitting down and finishing it up to get it ready to record. ABM: Do you get tired of playing the “Beer song”? RK: No, actually, it’s a lot of fun. People ask me that question quite a bit, but I don’t because it’s a lot of fun to play — everybody loves it; I love it. Everybody in the band loves it. ABM: Is it harder to write dark lyrics versus humorous lyrics? RK: Absolutely, I think it’s way more difficult to write. I mean, how many times can you say ‘this pain inside’? The thing about writing what we write, it’s all based off of just what

PSYCHOSTICK

MUSIC METAL

doing more than handstands

WHO’S WHO Rob “Rawrb” Kersey (vocalist), Alex “Shmalex” Preiss (drums), Joshua “Joshy” Key (guitarist), Jimmy “Jimmychanga” Grant (bassist), Jake “Jackermeister” McReynolds (guitarist) FORMED 2000 in Tempe, Ariz. LABEL Rock Ridge Music LATEST RELEASE Sandwich (2009) ON THE WEB www.psychostick.com magic carpet, but decided to get a van instead. I wanted to [get a magic carpet] because it would save us a lot of gas money. Unfortunately that technology doesn’t exist like it used to. PHOTO COURTESY PSYCHOSTICK

happens around us. And there’s always something happening around us, always. A lot of the times we’ll just start singing funny lyrics and then one of them starts throwing a riff with their mouth. It’s so much easier. It just feels natural for us to write funny songs rather than songs about how my girlfriend broke my heart. ABM: Do you ever worry what you find funny isn’t so funny to others? RK: Honestly, when we’re writing we’re not even thinking about if people will laugh at it. If it makes us laugh, then we’re happy. We try to make it funny to where everybody will get it but it’s still funny to us. ABM: Will you ever write a serious song?

RK: As far as Psychostick is concerned, it will always be humor, metal-hardcore; “humor-core” as we call it. But we ( Josh, Alex and myself ) do have a side project called Evacuate Chicago. Any time we have a song that doesn’t fit Psychostick it will go there. ABM: What can fans expect when they come to a show? RK: Expect the unexpected. Don’t go in there thinking it’s going to be a standard rock show. The further up or closer to the front you are, the more heckling you are going to get — from me, in particular. I will interact with you; you will be part of the show. ABM: Do you travel by bus or van? RK: We tried to travel by

ABM: How do you think gas prices and the economy will affect your tour? RK: Usually in a recession like this a lot of people turn to entertainment to distract themselves from their debts and pain and suffering. I think the entertainment world will do just fine as far as this recession goes. That’s what I predict. ABM: What’s your guilty pleasure song? RK: (laughs) I listen to a lot of Jewel! ABM: How would you describe your music to a deaf person? RK: I would flail my arms up and down, let me think…yeah, just jump around like a monkey, flailing my arms around and throw lots of stuff at them. —  Nicole Black ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

21

local metal group dumps the progressive music model Starting a band can sometimes be a religious experience — but more often than not, it proves quite the opposite. “I was just at a point in my life where I was pissed off at everything — in the dumps, if you will,” remarks guitarist/ vocalist Andy Hollingsworth. While The Dumps remain, at their core, punk/metal with the three original members, the addition of Patrick Ware creates a nostalgia in its sound for bands (i.e. Motorhead) that played in “smoky/sweaty/ shitty” venues and eventually saw their names at the top of marquees. The indie-laden town of Athens is a tough place to set oneself apart, but the way The Dumps see it, the music scene in the Classic City is a perfect place to run a business model that today’s music industry requires. As bassist Jeff Rapier puts it, “We’re happy with recording five or six songs at a time and releasing EP’s, just to keep our name out there and remind people of what we’re all about.” In other words, distribution is everything. On the current state of the industry, Hollingsworth predicts, “I think it (the music industry) will all level out. It’s just a difference of how people consume music — it’s really going to fuck up the big names and big labels more than anyone else.” Sitting in a smoky room in the backstage of 40 Watt, there is a moment of clarity on how Athens music thrives in today’s cutthroat business. It’s both a respect for the past and anticipation of the future that forces today’s musicians to realize whether or not they can

MUSIC METAL

the revival of recordings

PHOTO: MIKE WHITE

THE DUMPS WHO’S WHO Andy Hollingsworth (guitar, vocals), Jeff Rapier (bass, vocals), Jason Richardson (drums), Daniel Ray (guitar, vocals) FORMED 2005 in Athens, Ga. LABEL independent LATEST RELEASE EP 1 (2009) ON THE WEB www.myspace.com/the dumps

provide a sustainable project. As all four members of The Dumps have been playing in

Athens for nearly a decade, sustainability is one of their fortes. “To me, touring and playing shows is great and everything, but making a good record is the ultimate,” says Ware, “because that’s what people dig up — recordings are timeless.” As these words come from Ware’s mouth, there is a sense of confidence and calmness that fortifies what The Dumps are all about: communicating with fans and making awesome records. “I mean that’s why we’re on planet Earth,” he continues. “Fuckin’ dig that shit up and listen to The Dumps.” Looking at the backstage walls, you will see years and years of random thoughts of musicians — a process that doesn’t seem to have any pattern or any method. After

talking with The Dumps, it is an eclectic nature that, in fact, ties everything together more cohesively and helps to make sense of it all. Having members from Georgia and Ohio along with influences from all genres of music, The Dumps embrace their individual differences and use them to fuel their cohesiveness as a group. As drummer Jason “Mohawk” Richardson puts it, “the four of us have been influenced by a whole bunch of different sorts of music.” However different those influences are, The Dumps have been able to fortify their sound into their records and live shows and in turn have created a solid following from Texas to the Northeast. —Will Hackett ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

23

MUSIC POP

rising star offers hope through music If any of you watch “Grey’s Anatomy,” “One Tree Hill,” or “Ghost Whisperer,” you may be familiar with breaking artist Erin McCarley’s catchy pop tunes from her debut album, Love, Save the Empty. McCarley’s had multiple tracks appear on such shows and most recently the title song appeared on the soundtrack and in the last scene of the romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You.” Signed to Universal Republic Records after her performance at last year’s SXSW festival, McCarley has received nationwide recognition and praise for her songwriting abilities and her soulful singing voice. Taking a break after a month-long tour we were able to catch up with McCarley to talk about her debut album and adjusting to her music career. Athens Blur Magazine: How have you adjusted to life on the road? It seems like it’s easier for guys to travel on a tour bus for weeks. How is it being a girl on the road? Erin McCarley: (laughs) I don’t know if it’s harder, well, I guess it kind of is because guys get to wake up and throw something on, and they can actually wear that to the show and look normal and cool. But that’s probably the hardest part for the girl; there are just so many different pieces to your outfit even if you are non-high maintenance. ABM: Do you get nervous or anything or do you just get excited to perform? EM: I always get so nervous. I’m really not like the normal artist who wants all the attention on them…I’m a pretty private person and when I go up there on stage, it’s a little nerve-wracking, but I’m getting better at that.

24

Hansons, pumpkins, fountains and tricks - oh my! Meet the bizarro-world supergroup tinted windows

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

EM: One highlight was the day my record came out…I was in New York, my favorite city, and [I performed on] Letterman, and that whole day I’m preparing for that, which was so exciting. Then, that night, I played a record release show at Joe’s Pub, where it was always a dream of mine to play there. It was a pretty big day.

ERIN MCCARLEY WHO’S WHO Erin McCarley PHOTO: REID ROLLS

ABM: So what do you do to calm your nerves before you go onstage? EM: I usually try not to drink too much, just have a shot or like a glass of wine or something, and um, whoever I’m playing with, I usually get them to sing the “Never Ending Story” with me as a warm up [before] I play. ABM: After the first song or two do you get over the nervousness? EM: Yeah, I think so. I think I ease up. A lot of the times the whole first song I give myself a pep talk, of, ‘Okay, don’t take yourself so seriously, people are coming here to escape and listen to music, and they’re entertained probably more easily than you are, and they just want to have a good time, and let them.’ (laughs) And I just say that to myself a lot. ABM: What made you decide to play pop music instead of country, since you were playing in a country cover band while

FORMED 2005 in San Francisco, Calif. LABEL Universal Republic LATEST RELEASE Love, Save the Empty (2009) ON THE WEB www.erinmccarley.com

attending college in San Diego after living for some time in Nashville? EM: I grew up on pop. I didn’t grow up on country. There was nothing to grasp from country for me. I learned to write country later on, but it’s not what is innately inside, you know. When I was in San Diego, I did find myself getting more country and it was so weird because…I tried my favorite country songs, but I could never deliver right. I could try and have a country thing, but it just [wasn’t] natural. ABM: What has been the highlight so far of this musical journey you’ve begun?

ABM: Why was Joe’s Pub so special and unique to you? EM: I guess whenever I was starting to write… I would always research people who were doing what I wanted to do and see where they were playing and you know, just kind of follow their career. ABM: Why should one of our readers pick up Love, Save the Empty? EM: I just think it’s real because I’m talking about a lot of things that people will say out loud, ‘Oh, this is one of those situations you always get yourself in,’…and it’s about wanting [fulfillment] and [having] something to release and not having that void inside anymore. ABM: And is that kind of what Love, Save the Empty means? EM: Oh yeah. Definitely. ABM: I read that the songwriting that went into this debut was a search for authenticity in yourself and others. Did you find what you were searching for? EM: (laughs) I don’t know. No, not yet. ABM: That will be the second album? EM: That’ll be the second one. Hopefully, the second one will be a little bit [happier]. — Nicole Black

Apart the members of Tinted Windows have played, written and sang on some of powerpop’s most memorable tunes — from “1979” and “I Want You to “Want Me” to “mmmBop” and “Stacey’s Mom”. Together their music epitomizes the genre with loud guitars, ample hooks and plenty of radio-ready energy. A bizarre grouping, the lineup includes Taylor Hanson, the big-voiced middle brother from Hanson, James Iha, former lead guitarist for the Smashing Pumpkins, Adam Schlesinger, bassist for Fountains of Wayne and rampant pop songwriter, and Bun E. Carlos, the legendary drummer for Cheaap Trick. However strange the band may seem to outsiders, when speaking to Schlesinger, it all seems to make sense. The nucleus of the group, Schlesinger had known both Hanson and Iha for years when, finally, three years ago he brought them the idea of slotting Hanson’s unique-yet-familiar vocals over loud, power-pop guitars. Both were immediately on board. “Once we came up with the idea, it sort of made sense to everybody right away,” he says, “even though it was a little bit bananas.” The last remaining challenge was acquiring a drummer. With some songs written, the group began tossing around ideas for drummers, all in the vein of Bun E. Carlos. “Then we thought we should just ask Bun E. Carlos,” Schlesinger says matter-offactly, mentioning that both Fountains of Wayne and the Smashing Pumpkins had played shows with Cheap Trick. “We thought it was a long shot, but he just wanted to hear the music. He heard it. He liked it. And he said ‘Yes.’” Regardless of their

MUSIC POP

love can save the empty

PHOTO COURTESY BIG HASSLE MEDIA

TINTED WINDOWS WHO’S WHO Bun E. Carlos (drums), James Iha (guitar), Adam Schlesinger (bass), Taylor Hanson (vocals) FORMED 2007 in New York City LABEL S-Curve Records LATEST RELEASE Kind of a Girl (2009) ON THE WEB www.myspace.com/tintedwindows pronounced musical pedigree, Schlesinger downplays the group’s status as a so-called “supergroup.” “We don’t think of ourselves as, alone, being brand names that are worth something all by themselves,”he laughs.“This was

really just four musicians that came together and had some overlapping tastes and thought we could do something cool. We didn’t have any illusions of being super.” Brand names or not, the band members are recognizable. Although the act has certainly benefited from the shock factor of its lineup, Schlesinger thinks once people hear them, the focus will shift from who they are to what they’re doing. “We knew people would do a little bit of a double take to see these four people,” he says, explaining that the band wasn’t announced until after the record was completed in an attempt to offset any quick judgments. “We think that once people hear the music, they’ll understand where the idea came from, and it will stop being such a weird concept, and it will just be a band.” The group’s eponymous debut is 100 percent pure power-pop with overflowing

guitars and ample “oh ohs” and “cha chas.” Full of slick love songs peppered with hooks and abundant energy, from the start of album opener and lead single “Kind of a Girl” the album moves furiously through its 11 tracks without ever stopping for a breath. However, with only a few shows at SXSW under its belt and a few dates lined up for summer, it still remains to be seen whether Tinted Windows will live beyond the one-off album. Schlesinger says that Tinted Windows exists in conjunction with its members’ other musical obligations and the band’s future relies primarily on how enjoyable it continues to be. “The whole reason we’re doing this thing is just to have fun, so that’s really as far as I’ve thought it through,” he says. “We just want to enjoy it.” — Natalie B. David ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

25

MUSIC RHYME, RHYTHM & SOUL

hip-hoppers try the late show on for size

THE ROOTS WHO’S WHO Tariq Trotter aka Black Thought (MC), Ahmir Thompson aka Questlove (drums), Leonard Hubbard aka Hub (bass), Kamal Grey (keyboard), Frank Walker aka F. Knuckles (percussion), and Kirk Douglass aka Captain Kirk (guitar) FORMED 1987 in Philadelphia, Penn. LABEL Def Jam PHOTO COURTESY NBC

The Roots probably aren’t hip hop’s first green band. They’re just its most well-known. “In 2009,” begins Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, “you can’t afford not to be somewhat on the road to that direction. I mean, we’re not 100 percent green as is, you know, our house isn’t converted or solar-powered. But we’re slowly making a move there. I know that right now my [Toyota] Scion is sort of easy on gas guzzling but I would eventually like to get off the waiting list for a Prius. That’s probably the hardest car to obtain now in the tri-state area.” Lead vocalist Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter adds, “I’d love to have a Prius, but I have to settle for my CR-V.” While it’s unclear if the crew rode in a vegetable oil-running tour bus from its native Philly to Washington D.C. for late February’s environmental summit Power Shift ’09, we do know that The Roots rocked the house with snippets from its forward-thinking catalog of jazz-infused hip hop. But that’s been the group’s M.O. — Touring! Thoughtfulness! Toe26

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

tapping! — since its magical debut, Do You Want More?!!!??!, was released in ’95. Others have come (A Tribe Called Quest) and gone (Digable Planets), but the Roots have kept to its, well, roots and remained germane. “It has something to do with longevity,” explains Black Thought, an MC who far too often is excluded from anyone’s “Best Rapper” discussions. “I mean, the fact that people still care what The Roots is doing at this late date in our career is success.” Questlove continues, “As long as we’re working, that, to me, is successful. There’s not too many people from the class of 1992 that got signed when we got signed that are still able to make a living in 2009 doing what we’re doing.” That leads us to the other green growing synonymous with The Roots. With seven studio albums, ranging from brilliant (Illadelph Halflife) to blah (The Tipping Point), that have reached as high as No. 4 on Billboard, the Grammywinning band has seen success at the cash register. But where

this crew’s really cashed in and separated itself from nearly everyone else is with its insane touring schedule. The Roots have been known to be on the road 200 days out of the year (they’re scheduled back in Atlanta on June 10). Of course, with their new gig as the official house band on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”, the guys’ long bus rides to shows in Richmond, VA, and Burlington, VT, have to stop, right? Nope. “We’re still touring,” insists Quest, who also reveals that the band just started recording its ninth album, How I Got Over. “As it stands now, there’s probably 10 weeks of touring that we will do spread out throughout the year. We’re definitely still doing shows on the weekends.” Whew, that was a close one for The Roots’ international following. “People in the States shouldn’t have anything to worry about,” clarifies Questlove. “I don’t know if people in South Africa will see The Roots in any timely manner, or when we’re going back to Macedonia.”

LATEST RELEASE Rising Down (2008) ON THE WEB www.theroots.com

Sorry, guys. However, if you have access to NBC, you can still see The Roots looking surprisingly dapper every weeknight as they “Slow Jam the News” with Jimmy or come up with wacky birthday songs for the talk show’s guests. Though they appeared a bit nervous the first couple of nights, Thought, Quest and the others have eased into your TV sets much like their matchless brand of hip hop has worked its way into your speakers over the years. “I think,” offers Questlove, “that this will probably show that there’s absolutely no challenge or obstacle that we can’t master, if given to us. I just think this is the ongoing linear voyage of The Roots, you know. Not necessarily the end of a sentence — just another chapter in our history.” —DeMarco Williams

MUSIC RHYME, RHYTHM & SOUL

the root of the solution

making some noise

and we can hear it loud and clear If you thought Athens was just a swirling melting pot of indie, rock and pop bands, think again. The hip-hop scene is starting to make some legit noise, and whether you want to hear it or not, it’s there — and it’s getting louder. Deaf Judges, Athens’ favorite hip-hop group (according to the 2008 Flagpole Athens Music Awards) agree that though the hip-hop scene doesn’t always make itself as present as the indie or rock ‘n’ roll scene, it’s there. “And definitely, like I wish there was more interface in general between other hip-hop groups and rock groups and stuff because there is good talent out there and they get pigeon-holed like, ‘This is rap night,’” says Austin Darnell (aka Produceman) in a raspy voice thanks to a show at Farm 255 the night before. For that reason, the Judges try to expose themselves to all different types of audiences by playing with bands that are not hip-hop at all. Their first show in Athens took place on New Year’s Eve in 2007 with Music Hates You (metal/punk), Dark Meat (psychadelic) and Mouser (pop), and they have been slapping mad beats all around town, and the Southeast, ever since. “That’s why it’s so fun to do these bills,” says Produceman, “because we like good music and there’s a lot of people in this town making really good stuff so it’s great just to be able to come together with people where we like what they do and they like what we do. It’s totally genre unrelated. It’s just good music.” The rap quartet released its debut album, All Rise, last year boasting unique beats and lyrics slightly comparable to the Beastie Boys but with a little Southern rap twist. Produceman feels the music itself is a reflection of the fact that they

PHOTO: MIKE WHITE

DEAF JUDGES WHO’S WHO Rorshak, Produceman, Louie Dangerous, DJ Cubenza FORMED 2007 in Athens, Ga. LABEL EC Ruins LATEST RELEASE All Rise (2008) ON THE WEB www.myspace.com/deafjudges like everything and pull from everything from Vanilla Ice to their single biggest influence, Wu Tang Clan. And though the album has been well-received, it’s their high energy shows that impress people most and keep them coming back for more. “We’ve just been fortunate enough to have people seem like they’re into it ever since

that night [their first show] compared to even last night” says Louie Dangerous. “People seem to be into it and excited.” You can’t possibly talk about four white dudes trying to make it in the rap world without mentioning the big elephant in the middle of the hiphop scene. “It’s such a little piece of the puzzle as far as that element goes,” says Louie Dangerous. “It becomes an issue in the MTV kind of sense, but that’s not the kind of shit we’re trying to work in anyway,” adds Produceman. “And underground has always been open to everybody who loves music and that’s the cool thing about it; it’s pretty non-judgmental.” And by the looks of the Judges, you would never think to yourself, “Now these guys look like rappers.” They give off a sort of geeky vibe, but this works to their advantage. “We have had some good response in that regard because people underestimate us like hell,” says Produceman. “This guy came up to me after a show and he was like, ‘Dude y’all got on stage and y’all just looked

like geeks!’ And I was like, ‘OK, we’re kinda nerdy’ and he was like, ‘No, you specifically!’ And I was like, ‘Right on,’ and he was like, ‘But you killed it!’” “We’re an inspiration to fat kids everywhere,” adds Louie, the apparent goof ball of the group. Though the boys have played around in different bands from blues to punk to metal, it seems they’ve all found their niche here in the Athens hip-hop scene and hope to break out of it real soon. “‘Rolling Stone and the Playboy mansion,” Louie says of where he sees the band in five years. “This is honestly my hope,” adds Produceman. “It sounds a little bit ridiculous, but I would definitely like for us to be touring like 300 days a year in the next couple of years and Europe for sure, getting out of America for sure if we can do it. That’s my goal in the next two years. And so five...hopefully we’ll be somewhere for real in five.” — Kristen Lee ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

27

MUSIC ROCK & ROLL

an intoxicating event

sometime around midnight

THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT WHO’S WHO Mikel Jollet (lead vocals, guitar), Steven Chen (lead guitar), Noah Harmon (bass), Anna Bulbrook (violin), Daren Taylor (drums) FORMED 2006 in Los Feliz, Calif. LABEL Majordomo Records/Island Records LATEST RELEASE The Airborne Toxic Event (2008) ON THE WEB www.theairbornetoxicevent.com PHOTO COURTESY BIG HASSLE MEDIA

Imagine you and your friends just formed a band and have barely finished recording a single when you get a call from the biggest terrestrial station in existence, L.A. base KROQ. They inform you that your new single will be in rotation on their station, and that they would have called your manager or label first, but you don’t have either. Such was the case for one of L.A.’s indierock bands, The Airborne Toxic Event (T.A.T.E.), who created a phenomenon in the music world with their no-hookor-chorus single, “Sometime Around Midnight.” It would be the first time in over ten years KROQ included an unsigned band in their regular rotation. The song is a story about the emotions of seeing an ex leaving a club with someone else, and the music only emphasizes the melancholy tone of the lyrics, which most of us at some point in our lives can relate to. Since then, T.A.T.E.’s music has spread massively nationwide 28

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

and into Europe, where they sell out venues in London. The self-titled debut album released there in February broke the UK’s Top 40. “We’re like a little art project disguised as a rock band,” reveals lead singer and guitarist Mikel Jollett, phoning in from Nevada before getting on a plane back to his home in California. “We never expected all of this. I never thought our song would be on a fucking radio, for sure. We’re an indierock band from L.A. We home-recorded and produced the record and put it out.”      Before his musical journey began, Jollett was a writer working on his first novel, and in one week his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he with a genetic autoimmune disease, and, to add to the string of unfortunate events, he and his long-term girlfriend broke up. While some of us might experience a fit of depression, Jollett instead released his emotions through music and

writing, locking himself in his emotional world for a year before joining forces with fellow band members. Together, they combine orchestra, rock and poetry to create musical brilliance and a unique sound not heard on mainstream radio today. “I didn’t even know what a hook was,” he admits.     Despite lacking the standard song-writing formula, the album continues to impress the music and entertainment industry (Carson Daly declared “This is the kind of band you bet the farm on”). T.A.T.E generated even more hype after a January performance on The David Letterman show. A usually indifferent Letterman responded with genuine enthusiasm after they performed and applauded — not his usual polite one time, but twice. “I was surprised by how much his reaction was like a big deal to other people,” Jollett admits.     The band was recently picked up by Island Def-Jam, but only

under the circumstances that the group remains partnered with indie label, Majordomo, and that the record is left unaltered. Since acquiring the backing of a major label, T.A.T.E. just finished their first bus tour. “We started off in our own cars when we first started touring,” Jollett shares. “We were touring within a month after we formed the band… we went from the caravan to a passenger van to a sprinter, to a larger sprinter, to a sprinter with a trailer, to now a coach bus.”     What you hear on the album is what you can expect to hear live, only the experience is heightened to a higher level. “We’re primarily a live band,” he says. “Our record was recorded live…our record’s basically a shoddy re-creation of our live show. I think it’s usually the other way around.” Jollett said in a recent interview that they didn’t use pro-tools as most bands do these days. “A lot of these

PHOTO COURTESY BIG HASSLE MEDIA

“A lot of these songs were written in some real isolated times…There was a real sense of wanting to bring people into that moment. Like the moment would be so much better if it was a shared one and I think that is very much important as well at an Airborne show.”

— The Airborne Toxic Event — songs were written in some real isolated times…There was a real sense of wanting to bring people into that moment. Like the moment would be so much better if it was a shared one, and I think that is very much important as well at an Airborne show.”      The band is becoming renowned for engaging the audience during shows by inviting fans to dance on stage with them. One such show in England left Jollett with a bruised eye. “We invited the whole audience on to the stage for awhile,” he recalls. “And [a guy] was really into the show, like head banging, and the back of his head hit my eye…I kept singing…and the audience was really into it. I had this huge black eye for like the next week and we had all this press to do.”

    The creative band members have also made a 10-part acoustic video series of the songs appearing on the album, using confined places such as a pontoon boat, where drummer Daren Taylor never misses a beat while being captain — and inside a van where he demonstrated his ability to keep rhythm using the roof of the vehicle as his drum. “He’ll get drunk at a bar and just start banging on anything,” Jollett jokes.      With all the media frenzy surrounding the group, Jollett remains grounded. “There’s a lot of bands that come as far as we have and then just fall on their faces” he reflects. “We don’t feel like we’ve done much…we just go on tour playing shows like every other rock band.” — Nicole Black

MUSIC ROCK & ROLL

ready to spring

band puts down roots, puts out album SPRING TIGERS WHO’S WHO Chase Prince (vocals, drums), Kris Barratt (guitar, vocals), Eli Barnard (bass, vocals), Shane Davis (guitar, keys), Stephen James (keys) FORMED 2007 in Athens, Ga. LABEL Bright Antenna LATEST RELEASE debut forthcoming ON THE WEB www.myspace.com/ springtigers PHOTO:MIKE WHITE

Spring Tigers may be fairly new faces to the Athens music scene, but the band has quickly established itself since forming in 2008. Composed of Kris Barratt (vocals, guitar), Shane Davis (guitar, keys), Eli Barnard (bass, vocals), Chase Prince (drums, vocals) and Stephen James (keys), the synth-friendly rock group is preparing their debut album for release on Oakland label, Bright Antenna. Remarkably, Spring Tigers has played SXSW, landed a management deal and a record contract all within the first 12 months of being a band. However, vocalist Kris Barratt could be considered an indie rock veteran. A native of the U.K., Barratt was previously part of synth-rock outfit, the Capes. Barratt’s first group split ways after conflicts developed with its label. “It made me a lot more careful about who I worked with, as we were totally ripped off by our label,” Barratt said of his experience with the Capes. Since leaving the U.K., 30

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

Barrat has quickly grown to love the Athens music scene. “I loved all of the Elephant 6 stuff back in the day,” Barratt said. “Olivia Tremor Control is my favorite band from that scene. It’s funny, I sort of ended up here by accident, I think a lot of people do. It’s like an indie rock Bermuda Triangle. Or Narnia. You walk through a closet and end up in Athens and never leave.” Barratt also points out the cheap living-cost of Athens as a major benefit to musicians. “It’s pretty easy to get by financially here and focus on just making music,” he said. “After the Capes broke up, my work visa would only allow me to earn money by playing music, so I had almost a whole year at home just writing songs, which was amazing.” While it’s easy to see a hint of the Capes sound in the high-spirited, rock-meetselectronica style of the Spring Tigers’ songs, Barratt says that his newer band has several important differences. “Creatively, I wanted the

songs to be a bit more emotionally engaging. Not emo though, just a bit more shivery in parts,” Barratt explained. “That feeling you get when someone hits that perfect, unexpected note and you get a tingle in your spine. I felt that the Capes stuff was maybe a bit shallow and one dimensional. I want this stuff to connect more.” Spring Tigers has a more advanced sound in Barratt’s eyes, but his love for infusing rock parts with electrifying key and synth melodies has remained constant. “I like to have a lot of different textures in recordings. Plain old guitar, bass and drums sounds really dull to me for my own stuff,” Barratt explained of the Spring Tigers’ style. “Other people like Sonic Youth can make new textures with their guitars, but I’m not so good at that. So I tend to layer on a lot of synths and percussion.” “To be honest,” he continues, “I find it really difficult to even put acoustic guitar on any of my tracks. It sounds too vanilla

to me.” Like Barratt’s unconventional song-writing style, the group’s upcoming six song “mini-album” used a recording process that’s downright spacey. Spring Tigers turned to engineer Sep V. in Oakland to record its debut. In addition to being a member of the Iranian royal family, he uses NASA equipment to record. He also owns the tape machines that NASA used to record the messages within deep-space probes explaining what the human race is to any aliens that may one day find them. “It sounds like a lie, but it’s actually true,” Barratt promised. Spring Tigers currently has demos of the tracks from their debut on MySpace. It’s a surprisingly diverse set of songs that varies from the franticpaced synth-rock of “New Improved Formula” and “Beep Beep” to the smart, catchy popmelodies of “Car Song” and “Suddenly.” — Chris Homer

MUSIC ALBUM REVIEWS

EAR CANDY

Western Civ Shower the People You Love With Gold

Mike Pardew Azul

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge Backwoods Larry Keel & Natural Bridge’s Backwoods fuses bluegrass of new and old for an album with a freshly classic appeal. Keel’s passion for preserving mountain music fuels his unparalleled abilities as a flatpicking guitarist. His band flavors the album with powerful plucking and fiery fiddling, giving this group an unmistakable sound. Add Keel’s smooth yet gritty voice and you’ve got that kind of “Dark Horse,” Johnny Cash sound to his music. Backwoods highlights the best of bluegrass with a refreshing new spin to Tom T. Hall’s “Faster Horses” and a surprisingly impressive remake of the Beatles’ “Mother Nature’s Son.” Also, with original tracks like “Diamond Break” and “They,” Keel’s Backwoods offers everything you could want in a bluegrass record – a little twang, a little grit, a little romance, a little something old and a little something new. Hats off to Keel and company on this one. — Erica Schwartz 32

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

The HEAP Deluxe The new record from Athens-based The HEAP is if anyting -a good time. They recently put on a P-Funk cover show, which is a huge hint at what kind of music you can expect to find on this release. These aren’t exactly just-broke-up-with-the-loveof-your-life-for-the-thirdtime tunes, with lyrics like “Blame it on the Alcohol.” The songs start to sound similar, but there are a few standouts, including the opener, “One of Those Days,” and “8 lb Hammer,” the kind of song that gets stuck in your head for a full 24 hours. The HEAP thoughtfully included a bonus instrumental version of all of the songs for those who aren’t into the vocal stylings of Bryan J. Howard. For those who are, he and his band mates deliver nine catchy, horn-heavy funk tunes with sing-along hooks ideal for a live show. Listeners who don’t crack a smile while they’re listening to this need a serious injection of adrenaline to the heart, Pulp Fiction style, because this is the kind of music that makes the average person want to bust a move.

— Julie McCollum

Wovenhand

Jazz-fusion is probably the most unrewarding genre on the planet. There’s a stigma that either you’re Medeski, Martin and Wood, or you’re not — and that’s a pretty tall mountain to climb. Yep, Jazz-rock fusion can be a tough sell. But Portland’s Mike Pardew sells it well on Azul – an intelligent and unpredictable collection of tunes not at all unlike MMW and other heavyweights of the genre. The record is under Pardew’s name, but he doesn’t necessarily go out of his way to make sure the listener sees him as the star of the show. There’s as much to be said for the moments when he wisely allows the record’s co-conspirators to the forefront as there is for the moments when he is, indeed, making your head spin with his technical romps around all-things minor and modal. More correctly, let’s call Azul a co-bill with his bandmates — bassist Damian Erskine is flashy but not masturbatory and drummer Micah Kassell is expertly unpredictable in keeping the consistent inconsistency of the polyrhythmic joy ride that is Azul. — Alec Wooden

I’m all for retro music, and this is why I initially enjoyed Western Civ’s Shower the People You Love With Gold. It sounds as if it were created in 1987, fighting for college radio airtime with The Connells and The Railway Children. But herein lies the problem: It’s one thing to be from 1987, but quite another to sound like 1987. The album was great for a listen, but it just made me run back to my Waxing Poetics’ cassette. New artists too often borrow, trying to mask these appropriations with subtle flourishes — an added bridge here, a guitar solo there. As “I Am A Waterfall” kicks in, it hits me: Lloyd Cole! Yes, that was a good album. With “Rally” I’m with the Lemonheads, before Evan Dando lost any sense of reality. “The Disturbing Presence of Chachi” brings Robyn Hitchcock and his Egyptians to the fore, while “Paper Hornet Parade” puts Let’s Active front and center. The last one can’t be pinned too much on Western Civ — Mitch Easter, Let’s Active founder/lead singer, serves as producer on Shower the People. Western Civ created a greatest guitar riffs from my youth, and it’s good for a visit. But when bands of today such as M83 and Oxford Collapse take old school to new depths, playing music ripped from the past makes a band as relevant as a Betamax. So thanks for offering a ride, Western Civ, but you’re a little late. By about 22 years.

Ten Stones

— Ed Morales

Listening to this album was like pulling teeth...and not the baby ones. It’s not the musical composition that got me, it’s David Eugene Edwards’ harsh, monotone voice that turned me away from what could have been a sufficient album otherwise. The heart-catching drums and smashing guitars guide you through this jungle-like album with the banjo, bass, piano, and accordion taking their stand, as well. Edwards plants his lyrics in Biblical imagery and waters them with Native American legends. This he can attribute to his grandfather, a Nazarene preacher who has been said to be the biggest influence on Edwards’ eerily unique style. It wasn’t until “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars” that Wovenhand finally got a hold on me. It’s here where Edwards reveals to us the extensive range of his voice, weaving in an oldtimey sound, and still keeping a creepy quality to it. The album was gripping and not boring in any sense of the word, yet it never lost its ability to scare the hell out of me — is that a good thing? It’s worth giving Ten Stones a listen for yourself. — Kristen Lee

The Decemberists The Hazards of Love Long-form concept music has a rich history. From Jethro Tull’s 1973 album, A Passion Play, to NOFX’s The Decline, aural narratives have prospered in a variety of genres. The Decemberists have made a career of toeing the line between songs of traditional pop length and involved musical epics. The Hazards of Love finally tips that balance into the narrative column, finishing what the band started in 2004 with The Tain. Complete with fully developed characters (lead singer Colin Meloy and guest artists Shara Worden and Becky Stark each have title roles) Hazards of Love spins a baroque tale of love and death. While the record can be broken up into songs, it’s best listened to all at once. The music is pure Decemberists prog-rock fare broken into themes that pop up again and again; the same melodic structure is manipulated across the entire album. This thematic material is heard right off the bat in the “Prelude,” where it rises from a din of sustained organ notes, settling down as a weaving undercurrent on acoustic guitar for “The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle the Thistles Undone.” Lyrics and musical images fade in and out of the piece, sometimes in slightly altered form. Hazards of Love is an exceptional album that makes good on the band’s storytelling promise. But after such a strong showing, the album peters out one song too soon. Choosing a lethargic goodbye, “The Hazards of Love 4,” for the final music is a slight misstep in a pleasurable and listenable album. — Jon Ross Psychostick Sandwich Phoenix, Ariz. metal/comedy group, Psychostick, has finished working on their latest album, Sandwich. A follow-up to the 2006 release, We Couldn’t Think of a Title. it includes an amalgamation of celebrations of food, email spamming, vahjay-jay’s, bad directions and more food. They even proclaim that P is the best letter in the alphabet. Psychostick practices a PR tactic in their track “373 Thank You’s” by personally thanking the 373 people who donated $50 or more to help the band pay for studio time and studio equipment—the track is over 14 minutes long. With the conglomeration of track imagination and thoughtful selling tactics, Sandwich promises to deliver to Psychostick fans a good effort in continuing their style of meshing metal and comedy. The album is set for release in mid-May. — Will Hackett

The latest offering from local group Venice is Sinking embodies a sort of rueful sadness that has me imagining it as the score to a cool indie film about coming-of-age. “Okay” has an up-tempo pop feel that just begs to score a night out on the town, while “Wetlands Dance Hall” is the perfect background music for the dance of the cool kids at the party they put on in lieu of going to the prom. For the heartbreaking scene where the protagonist cries on her bed, “Young Master Sunshine” should play softly in the background. Roll credits to “Iron Range.” In an age where the art of “the album” is often lost due to the rise of a singles-driven market, Azar is comprehensively crafted and complete. While each song is incredibly well-crafted and comes across as thoughtful, there is variety across the tracks, but an overarching theme pulls them all together. The overall sound of the record is spacey and oh-so pretty with layered guy-on-girl vocal harmonies that lend a rich texture to the album as a whole. The guitars sparkle while the vocals soothe. The album whispers, rather than screams, and is instantly likable, though it gets better the more you hear it. It has a quiet presence that, while underwhelming, is hard to ignore. — Lindsey Lee Loxsly Tomorrow’s Fossils

Robert Gomez Pine Sticks & Phosphorus

Jazz Chronic Share The Wealth

Loxsly’s new record, Tomorrow’s Fossils, manages to find a title which sums up the whole sound of the band: familiar yet new. They sound somewhere between The Killers and Death Cab for Cutie, with a splash of old school Flaming Lips. Songs like “Pet Results (The Dog That Talked Back)” have the quirk factor to them that makes you listen closer. There is also more experimentation than you would see in mainstream bands, such as the instrumental tip-toe called “Mouse Pedals.” The experimentation has finesse though; there is a feeling that nothing in the record was haphazard. While some of the songs get dangerously close to dull, others succeed, particularly the opening song, “Pedal to the Coast,” and “As the Constellation’s Arms Uncurled.” If you are a sucker for indie music and songs that have lots of slower, layer-heavy, spacey jams with lots of reverb, Loxsly is your band.

Robert Gomez is a master of his craft. He has dabbled in almost every genre of music: classical guitar, jazz, latin (he once headlined in a band called The Latin Pimps — classy, I know). He even did a short stint with The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Thankfully though, Gomez has settled into an indie-folk phase that embodies his newest release, Pine Sticks and Phosphorus. Think Elliott Smith meets wider instrumental arrangement — enter organ, flute, cello, French horn. Gomez’s hushed singing over dreamy melodies and his exceptional guitar plays out like a foggy haze of quiet folk ballads peppered with darker elements. Songs like “On this Day” and “A Paper Figurine,” showcase Gomez’s lyrical talents, while instrumental ballads capture Gomez’s unparalleled musical talent in “At Nemili Bats” and “October Third Post.” This album quiets your soul and sends your mind wandering. Favorite song: “Open Your Eyes/Escape From Burning Trees.”

Athens band Jazz Chronic has recently released their first fulllength album entitled Share the Wealth. The genre-jumping production incorporates soul, funk, acid-jazz and rock to literally share the riches of musical talent and collaboration. This innovative and creative work truly creates a powerful musical experience that will, in the words of the band, “melt your mind.” As the latter half of the band’s name alludes, be sure to stockup on your MJ, sit back and realize the musical experience. Titles such as “Do the Math,” and “Soul True” will be sure to take the listener to audio-vana, a place of listening heaven that all Jazz Chronic fans have grown accustomed to. The group will be playing numerous shows around Athens in the upcoming months, including a 5/2 set at The Caledonia Lounge in Athens.

­— Julie McCollum

— Erica Schwartz

— Will Hackett

upcoming CD releases may

5

Akron/Family Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free J.B. Beverly & The Wayward Drifter Watch America Roll By Ciara Fantasy Ride The Dangerous Summer Reach For The Sun Ben Harper & Relentless7 White Lies For Dark Times Hatebreed For the Lions

12

may

Art Brut Art Brut vs. Satan Bricolage Bricolage Crisis In Hollywood Safe And Sound Steve Earle Townes

19

may

Tori Amos Abnormally Attracted To Sin Busta Rhymes Back on my B.S. Eminem Relapse Iggy Pop Preliminaries Jason Lytle Yours Truly, The Commuter Chrisette Michele Epiphany Passion Pit Manners Lionel Richie Just Go Ruben Studdard Love Is Iron & Wine Around the Well

Release dates are subject to change. Check artists or store websites as these dates approach.

Hey local bands! Got a release date coming up? Let us know at [email protected]

may

25

Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Simple Minds Graffiti Soul WAND (James Jackson Toth Proect) Hard Knox or Are You Sure Hank Jr. Done it This Way?: Home Recordings 1999-2007

may

MUSIC RELEASE CALENDAR

Venice is Sinking Azar

26

Grizzly Bear Veckatimest Marilyn Manson The High End of Low Mandy Moore Amanda Leigh

june

2

311 Uplifter Elvis Costello Secret, Profane & Sugarcane Dave Matthews Band Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King Ryan Star 11:59

june

9

9mm Solution The Dream is Dead Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. Lil Wayne Rebirth Sonic Youth The Eternal

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

35

MUSIC TOUR DIARY

brantley senn of

Below is an account of Dead Confederate’s first UK tour with Darker My Love and A Place To Bury Strangers. For the purposes of keeping this tour diary interesting, I will skip most of the details of our shows. The tour diary below is more of an account of the “other” stuff that went on, music aside.

Day 1 — Dublin

36

Day 2 — Dublin

7 a.m.rolls around pretty quickly. It’s a short flight to Glasgow. I grab lunch at Quizno’s, where the guy making sandwiches is ecstatic and asks me if I’ve ever eaten there before. Apparently, Quizno’s is a totally new thing and everyone is excited to have another sandwich option besides Subway (America is apparently taking over the world one fast food joint at a time). It’s kind of depressing. The show was fantastic tonight. Glasgow has really enthusiastic crowds. The Scottish accents are difficult to understand, and even more so when you’ve had a few pints too many. I think I sold a Scotsman the rights to our songs. I’m not sure, but I definitely agreed to something.

Did a good bit of sightseeing today. There are lots of street musicians in Dublin, and they play mostly American music. No matter how hard they may try, I still hear the influence of Irish folk music in their covers of American songs. I guess it’s much the same as how bands from the South will undeniably sound Southern to everyone else, regardless of their intentions. Tonight was the first show of the tour. I was more nervous than I thought I’d be about playing in a new country for the first time, though all went well. A few of the guys from the bands forget about sleep and stay out drinking all night.

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

Today is our first day on the road with our driver for the week, Ricky. We change his name to Ricky Bobby immediately, because we’re jerks. Our Sprinter van has four vertical, stiff seats and a beanbag. A Sprinter is not anywhere close to the comforts of an American Econoline. After the show I go for a walk to stretch out the ol’ sea legs. When I walk back in the venue, I’m wearing the hood of my sweatshirt over my hat. The bouncers tell me I need to take the hood off my head and, apparently, the cops will tell me the same. They have to be able to see a person’s profile at all times on the CCTV cameras around the city. Ooohhh, 1984!

Day 6 — Oxford

Day 3 — Glasgow

The flight was only seven hours, but we lost five on the way. Everyone is giddy; it’s the kind of giddy people get when they are up past their bedtime and everything is hilarious, for no apparent reason. We hop on a bus toward downtown Dublin. The taxis are on strike today so we have to carry our bags and gear about a half-mile to the hotel. Our giddiness subsides. We realize later that John’s luggage is still on the bus, and now we know the tour has officially begun. We meet in the hotel bar for our first pints of Guinness. After a few rounds, we take our drinking out on the town. A realization hits me. Dublin and Athens should become sister cities. Drunk, obnoxious sister cities.

Day 4 — Manchester

I really like Leeds. It’s laid-back and not as “posh” as some of the other cities in the UK, a comparison similar to how one might describe Athens and Atlanta. It seems everyone here loves discussing the differences in our cultures as much as we do. One of the bouncers explains to me how he’s envious of Americans’ right to protect their homes. He tells how homeowners can get sued if a burglar injures himself breaking in to your home. He says if you kill or injure an armed person breaking in to your home, even if you’re protecting your family, you will most likely get time in prison. I don’t know if any of what he said is actually true, but for a minute, I feel really proud to be American. We leave Leeds that night and stay in Nottingham with one of Ricky’s friends. They are obsessed with Guitar Hero.

Day 7 — Birmingham

There are a lot of really old buildings that are beautiful and massive. Good lord our country is young! The bar we play is where Radiohead played their first gig. After the show, the promoter takes us to a club. It’s three dance clubs in one giant building where they play an awful lot of American music. I heard everything from Huey Lewis to Pantera. Some people will dance to anything. Also, not coincidentally, ecstasy is really popular here.

Day 8 — London

The venue is located in an industrial section of town that appears to be pretty run-down. There isn’t anything to do but sit at the club and wait for the show to start. Tonight has the smallest crowd of the tour. This city could be easily confused for Birmingham, Ala., in every way except the pronunciation (which is “Birming-um”, not “Birming-HAM”). We’ve been very fortunate to have time to sightsee and to play for good size crowds thus far, so I can’t complain. At least I’ll get a good night’s sleep.

Day 9 — London

We spend the day lounging around a friend’s house because everyone is too exhausted to really do much else. On our way to the venue the police stop us. They search our van and verify our ID’s. They’re looking for terrorists. I suggest they search Walker because he looks like a redneck Osama. They are far friendlier than any American police I’ve encountered. They don’t carry guns and I think that may play a part in why they don’t bully people. We play a headlining show at The Victoria. It feels good to play our own show with a fulllength set. For more stories and pictures from the road

London reminds me of New York City but cleaner and calmer. I could definitely see myself living here. Sold-out, rocking show tonight. Perfect way to end our tour with APTBS and Darker My Love. A latenighter is had by all.

with Dead Confederate, as well as the latest news and exclusive downloads, visit them on their Wrecking Blahg, http://deadconfederate.typepad.com

MUSIC TOUR DIARY

tour diary: dead confederate

Day 5 — Leeds/Nottingham

Day 10 — London Our friend Bernard gives us a music history tour around the west side. We see: Abbey Road studios, David Gilmore’s old house, the Tabernacle where Pink Floyd first played (back in the Syd Barrett days), Rough Trade records, the different neighborhoods where Punk, Glam and the Psychedelic music scenes blossomed, respectively. We play a show with our old tour buddies, Manchester Orchestra, in the Camden Market section of town. I wonder, do people in the UK think they are an orchestra from Manchester? Arriving at the airport to fly home, it finally rains for the first time since we’ve been here. Dead Confederate leaves thinking it is 65 and sunny in the UK year-round.

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

37

MUSIC THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY

MUSIC THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY 1957 – Elvis Presley is taken to an L.A. hospital to have a cap from his tooth removed from his lung after inhaling it. 1995 – Stone Temple Pilots’ front man, Scott Weiland, is arrested in California for trying to buy drugs in a motel parking lot.

May

1968 – The Doors lead singer, Jim Morrison, incites a riot during a concert in Chicago.

1

1974 - Eric Clapton records “I Shot the Sheriff.”

2

3

4

1969 - Jimi Hendrix is busted at Toronto International Airport for possession of narcotics and released on $10,000 bail. 1989 – Employees of a California jewelry store call police to investigate a suspicious person shopping at the store — who turns out to be Michael Jackson shopping in disguise. 1980 - The South African government bans Pink Floyd’s song “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)”. 1998 - Loretta Lynn announces her decision to return to college and get a degree. 1986 – Dolly Parton opens her own theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

5

6

7

1969 – President Nixon has Stevie Wonder to the White House. 1995 – Former Guns N’ Roses drummer, Steven Adler, is arraigned on a felony count of possession of heroin and two other misdemeanor drug charges. 1965 – Keith Richards is inspired to start writing the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” while sitting in a Florida hotel room. 1977 – Over 76,000 fans attend a Led Zeppelin show in Pontiac, Mich., setting a new record for the largest audience at a single-act concert. 1959 - Winners of the first annual Grammy Awards are announced.

38

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

8

9

10

11

12

13

1968 – Reginald Dwight officially changes his name to Elton John.

1957 - Buddy Holly and the Crickets audition for “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” and are rejected.

1991 - A judge in Macon, Ga., dismisses a wrongful death suit against Ozzy Osbourne after a local couple fails to prove his music inspired their son to attempt suicide.

1974 – Elvis Presley and Robert Plant perform an impromptu version of “Love Me” after a concert by Presley. 1970 –The Beatles release their 13th and final album, Let it Be.

1944 –“You are My Sunshine” songwriter, Jimmie Davis, becomes governor of Louisiana. 1990 – Rebellious songstress, Sinead O’ Connor refuses to perform on “Saturday Night Live” after Andrew “Dice” Clay was announced as the host.

1971 – A judge grants Jerry Lee Lewis a divorce from his third cousin Myra.

14

15

1974 – 43 people are arrested after throwing bottles outside a Jackson 5 concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. More than 50 people are injured as a result.

1985 – President Ronald Reagan 1983 - Meatloaf presents Michael files for Jackson with a bankruptcy. humanitarian award. 1998 – George Michael is fined, given 80 hours community service and ordered to undergo counseling stemming from charges for committing a lewd act in a park restroom.

1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin their famous ten day “bedin” in Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel. 1975 - Elton John releases Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, which becomes the first album to be certified as a millionseller on its first day of release.

1996 - Bradley Nowell of Sublime is found dead of a drug overdose at the age of 26 in a San Francisco hotel room.

2000 - The Eagles file suit against a Dallas restaurant named “Hotel California,” claiming trademark violations.

16

17

2000 Britney Spears releases Oops!..I Did It Again.

18

19

1971 - Peter Cetera (of the band Chicago) is beaten up at a Cubs-Dodgers game by four men who objected to the length of his hair.

20

1999 - Lenny Kravitz walks off a New Jersey stage after 40 minutes and collapses from heat exhaustion. He had been performing in a fur coat.

21

22

23

1979 - Genesis takes a turn in the box office, selling tickets to its benefit show at L.A.’s Roxy. 1998 - Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell proclaims May 24th to be the official “Van Halen Day” in Philadelphia.

1964 - Ella Fitzgerald’s cover of “Can’t Buy Me Love” hits #34 on the U.K. charts, making her the first artist to chart in the U.K. with a Beatles cover. 2003 - Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) is arrested for drug possession. 2003 – After an incredible run of 6,680 shows during 16 years on Broadway, “Les Miserables” closes. 1958 - Bobby Darin’s “Splish Splash” is released as the first eight-track master recording pressed to a 45-RPM disc. 1965 – While investigating the lyrics to “Louie, Louie” by The Kingsmen, FBI agents make a visit to Wand Records.

1968 - The Beatles begin recording the White Album. 

1998 – A Hanson show slated for June 29th at the Pine Knob Amphitheatre (capacity 15,000 plus) in Detroit sells out in less than 20 minutes.

1999 - The Manic Street Preachers refuse to perform at a concert because Queen Elizabeth II is present. The group had previously vowed to never perform for the monarchy because they considered it outdated and pointless.

24

25

26

27

28

29

30 31

1957 - The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) is established. NARAS is best known for organizing the Grammy Awards.

1958 - Jerry Lee Lewis confirms that he has married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra.

1956 - Buddy Holly is inspired to write “That’ll Be the Day” after seeing the John Wayne movie “The Searchers.”

2003 - The final manuscript of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which included annotations by the composer, sells on the auction block for $3.47 million. 1964 – Cited for having a hair style “like Mick Jagger,” 11 boys were suspended from a school in Coventry, England. 1987 - During a show at Rome’s Flaminio Stadio, U2 sets off two neighborhood earthquake alarms with its sound system.

1973 - Clive Davis is fired from Columbia Records for misappropriating $100,000.

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

39

ten

questions with

George

Thorogood

Blues-rock pioneer George Thorogood is one of the pre-eminent slide guitar players of the last three decades. With rock anthems like “Bad to the Bone,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” and “Move It on Over,” George Thorogood & The Destroyers are a staple on any classic rock radio station. By Zac Taylor 1) How are you doing, George? Bad.

2) Ha. That’s what I thought you’d say. So way back when you were young and traveling from gig to gig, did you sleep in the car? Were you making money? How did that go in the early years? Just whatever it took to survive. Get a cheap motel room. Sometimes the club itself would put us up. Or sometimes we’d go to a town and there would be people who were sympathetic to poor musicians and would let us stay at their house. It was a very common story for most bands starting out.

3) Was it frustrating? Or did you guys feel like you were on a righteous path and it was no big deal to rough it? When I was in Boston in 1974, it was a real gas because I knew we had something good going. Pretty much every place we played, especially in Connecticut, we knocked people silly with our show and our songs. After the middle of 1975, it started to get frustrating.You got to understand — we were opening for people like Howlin’ Wolf, John Hammond, Muddy Waters, and Hound Dog

Taylor. And everybody loved us. And that’s not an easy thing to do in that area — open for these blues legends and have people dig you — all the guys in Muddy’s band and Howlin’ Wolf ’s band said, ‘You guys are terrific! When are you gonna put out a record?’ And that was the next step.

record deal to go down there to get a shot at opening for somebody like me. When I was around and J. Geils was playing there, I’d go down and camp out on the doorstep and say, ‘Hey, put me on first!’ That’s an exciting thing. But everything’s weird now. People lip-sync, play tapes, and do all sort of

Everything’s weird now... Our band is looked upon as a bunch of freaks because we plug in the amp and play. 4) In the last 30 years, I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of development in the music industry. I’m surrounded by a bunch of young, aspiring musicians, like you once were, and we get very frustrated trying to open for people and make money and drive around New England. In this current state of the industry, what would you find exciting if you were a young musician? That’s a tough one. I don’t see anything exciting... The time of a scruffy kid band getting together — you got to have a lot of push behind you to get people’s attention these days. The exciting thing is there’s this House of Blues in Boston. You don’t need a

bizarre stuff. Our band is looked upon like a bunch of freaks because we plug into the amp and play. I think the most exciting thing you can think about is the music itself. If you’re excited about the music you’re playing, that’s all the excitement you need.

5) What are some of your favorite old school guitar toys you’ve had over the years that you can’t live without? Any new ones? I play a Gibson 125. That’s all I can play. I can’t play any other guitar. You’d be surprised at how few guitars I have. My guitars are the tools of my trade. I’m sure Brooks Robinson doesn’t ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

41

7) Did you see that movie “Cadillac Records” with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and all those guys? No I didn’t see that one. I’ve seen Howlin’ Wolf. I’ve met Chuck Berry. I’ve been to Chess Records. That’s all I need. I don’t need to go see a movie about it.

we’re on the

interweb! industry news.

industry noise.

8) Who are some current bands that are rockin’ that you listen to? Jonas Brothers. Bacon Brothers. Cheetah Girls.

George. C’mon. I got to listen what my daughter listens to. That’s the only music I’m exposed to, except for my own. Jonny Lang’s pretty good. We’re going to play with him. He’s not so much a youngster anymore, but he’s younger than me. He’s got a lot going for him.

9) What’s the best blues record I have never heard of before that I should go pick up?

have a room full of gloves. They’re instruments of his occupation. I have the ones I need — that’s it.

6) How about the other instrument you play — your voice? You have a pretty badass voice, but I was wondering if you drink tea or anything to help with vocal strain before you play? How do you maintain vocal health these days? You’re not going to believe this, but limited use. A lot of times, it’s not fair when you see a vocalist do interviews, if he looks dull, or didn’t have anything 42

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

to say, or didn’t talk much. They’re just saving their vocals. I drink a lot of tea. Alcohol is not good for your vocal cords. If you’re a heavy drinker, it’s bad because alcohol is acidic. It can tear into your vocal cords. If you have one or two drinks, that’s nothing. But if you do it regularly, it wears the vocal cords down. [Tea] is healthier and I drink a lot of that. Plus, the style of vocal I do, its almost like the worse my voice gets, the better it sounds! I can’t explain that. But I’ve always been a gutbucket singer. I’m no kind of singer, really. But I’ll pick songs that are right for my voice.

 ere’s two excellent records by Th John Hammond called Source Point, and John Hammond Solo. There’s an album by John Lee Hooker called Is He the Worlds’ Greatest Blues Singer? And The London Sessions by Howlin’ Wolf. There’s an album you got to get by Elmore James with a song on it called “Something Inside Me.” It’s the greatest blues song you’re ever gonna hear, ever — by anybody, not just Elmore James. His voice is just amazing.

10) Do you have any advice for prospective guitar students? There are thousands of guitar players and not a whole lot of jobs for them. Play for fun. Play for the joy of playing, and all the things that you seek will come to you if you play with that attitude. Always make it fun first. And two other things. Very important: stay away from fried foods and stay out of Italian cars. B

defender of awesome. athensblur.blogspot.com

DU S T TO DI G I T A L

From a college DJ booth to the biggest stage in the music industry, Lance Ledbetter’s passion for out-of-print rarities is becoming an unavoidable phenomenon. by Alec Wooden

Your Vision. Amplified. CAREER TRAINING FOR THE AUDIO AND FILM INDUSTRIES

www.sae.edu CREATE YOURSELF WITH SAE

SAE ATLANTA www.sae-atl.com 404-526-9366

44

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

It’s a hazy Sunday in 1997 and, though it’s barely mid-morning, Atlanta’s downtown connector is crowded with well-dressed men and women on their way to one of the many churches that pepper the metro area. Perhaps they chat lightly, rubbing sleep from their eyes and pondering the possibilities of the forthcoming sermon, all the while making plans for brunch after the service. Tucked in a small DJ booth at Georgia State University, Lance Ledbetter settles into his seat and prepares a handful of LPs — sprinkled with a few cassettes, no doubt — for his morning-ride specialty radio show featuring rare and largely out-of-print gospel recordings. “It’s our culture – America’s vernacular music. It’s what we have, you know, it’s our original music of this country,” begins Ledbetter some 12 years later, still speaking from Atlanta but now doing so in the office of his self made anthology and re-issue company, Dust-to-Digital. Through his reassuring and polite Southern drawl, you get a sense of urgency in

his voice. He’s a man on a constant mission to preserve and protect music and recordings of a time and medium that seems nearly lost on the MP3driven Generation Y. “I think the fact that so much of this material was not available on record or cassette or CD, to me that’s a tragedy because even bands that are new now that may not be doing traditional music can still learn from the old material,” he says. “They can still adapt it into their style or into their songwriting. To me it’s something that needs to be heard by people to keep this history alive.”  As referenced, Ledbetter began his study of “America’s vernacular” in 1997 as a DJ at “Album 88” — on the dial at WRAS 88.5 FMz, the official radio station of Georgia State University. “This buzz was starting around the reissue of Harry Smith and the Anthology of the American Folk Music, which was on CD for the first time,” recalls Ledbetter. “I’d read all tons of music publications, and there was this buzz around it, and I really didn’t know

what it was. I ordered a copy through the station and just took it home, and it blew my mind. It was one of those experiences you really don’t have too often in life.” That experience led Ledbetter to take over the Sunday morning show on the station, opening his eyes to the wide world of reissued classics in jazz, blues, folk and, particularly, gospel. “I started to, especially with the Sunday morning radio slot here in the South, I wanted to find some really good gospel music for people to listen to going to church,” he explains. “So I started to track down record collectors that had reissue records we were using put out on cassette, LP and CD.” Ledbetter’s passion became a timeconsuming hobby and, before long, a full time labor-of-love job. Between classes at Georgia State, he tirelessly expanded his search for rare and out of print recordings, ordering two cassettes a week from some collectors at a rate of 50 cents per song. Before long, he no longer wanted these recordings just for himself — rather, ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

45

he became transfixed with the idea of reissuing them for public consumption and enjoyment. He quit school, founded Dust-to-Digital and immediately set about with his first project of rare gospel recordings entitled Goodbye, Babylon. “We had so much material when all was said and done, so we had to look at the idea of a box set,” he says. “I think at one point we had over 300 tracks for consideration and we whittled it down to 160. And it was a six CD box set. The whole thing took four and a half years to do and we finally released it back in October of 2003.” Babylon became a critical darling of 2003-2004, building a steady reputation as one of the most authoritative and compelling box sets in recent memory. “People really responded to it strongly,” says a grateful Ledbetter, who admits there was “quite a bit of debt” thrown behind the project. “I wanted it to be something that people could come to and it could sort of be an access point to all this great gospel music. The material that was in print was sort of scattered around as a compilation here, or a complete retrospective there. There was no good way to approach that music that I could find.” And people found it indeed — Ledbetter sold more than he could have ever fathomed, (to this day, he still hand assembles each box set in Atlanta) and caught the attention of the Recording Academy,

46

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

which honored Dust-to-Digital and Goodbye, Babylon with two Grammy nominations at the 2004 awards show. While Ledbetter couldn’t have been more pleased with the reception of Babylon, he faced a serious problem: it had taken him the better part of four years to complete the box set. Four years in the music business, even when dealing with rare and ancient recordings, is an eternity. Not even a Grammy nomination guarantees continued momentum over a stretch that long. Was Ledbetter willing to take that risk? “The question I sort of had to ask myself after Goodbye, Babylon was, ‘Do we do a normal album and have material come out on a regular basis, or do we go away for another five years and come out with another epic compilation or release?’” he says. “And you know, I started to think, ‘Yeah, we’d be better off to have material coming out on a regular basis.’ But the problem was that in order to have things coming out on regular basis there’s no way I could shoulder all the work because it just took so long, and we’d also set the bar so high because Goodbye, Babylon came out with a 200 page book. We put emphasis on historic research, text, images, and we wanted to put that sort of aesthetic throughout every release. So, what I decided to do was start collaborating with people. Some of these musicologists we had met, instead of me doing the editing, compiling, everything, we started sort of sharing the work load.

And so that‘s what we’ve sort of done ever since; we’ve always collaborated with someone on each release.” Enter The Art of Field Recording, a two-volume set that has become DTD’s latest critical success – a collaborative effort that drew largely from Athens, Ga., native and rare recording collector/archivist Art Rosenbaum. Rosenbaum’s inspired guidance and tireless years of collecting, coupled with the mission and drive of Ledbetter’s nowreputable company, fused into the magical combination at the core of Field Recording. “I mailed Art a copy (of Goodbye, Babylon) and he invited me over to Athens for lunch one day,” begins Ledbetter on the story of the pairs introduction. “He took me to the University of Georgia archive at the library and we started pulling out music he had collected over the last half century. When we were listening to those tapes, that same feeling came over me when I was listening to tapes from the 78” collectors gospel music, which is, ‘Why is this music so hard to get to? Why is it not in print? Why can’t people listen to this?’ That’s when Art and I started to hatch the idea of reissuing some of his recordings.” Thanks to the success of his previous releases, there was a built-in cult audience lying in wait for The Art of Field Recording (as there had been for smaller releases in between). That didn’t mean, however, he couldn’t afford help — and loads of praise —

from some pretty high places. “We were getting ready for the release party way back in November of 2007 and I sent out an email to our newsreader list, people who subscribed to our newsletter, and one response I got was from a reporter at the New Yorker magazine,” says Ledbetter. “He expressed interest in possibly doing a story on Art and what we had put together. He came down to the release party in Athens and ended up staying with us for a couple days afterward, and he made another trip down later. In April 2008 the New Yorker published an article about the Art of Field Recording and Art’s work, and I think it really helped when we got nominated for a Grammy — a lot of people that vote for Grammy awards were more familiar with us than if that article had not been written.” So roughly 10 years after beginning work on Goodbye, Babylon and five years removed from his first nominations, Ledbetter again took his seat in Los Angeles’ Staple Center, nervously scrolling in his head the million or so reasons why, for the second time, he wasn’t about to win a Grammy. “We had gone out (to L.A.) for Babylon, we were nominated for two categories then, and we didn’t win those,” he says of his 2009 Grammy mentality. “So in the back of my mind I was thinking, ‘Here we go again, another oh-for-two, so we’ll just have a good time and celebrate our loss and take it with a grain of salt.’” Celebrate he did, but it wasn’t for a loss. When the famed envelope was opened and the winner announced, Ledbetter and Rosenbaum found themselves living an unparalleled dream sequence of accepting one of the highest honors bestowed upon

(and by) industry professionals. “It was amazing. They called out our names, we walked up to the stage, and it was just a great, great experience. It was pretty surreal to receive that level of an honor for the work,” he says. “I felt really great for Art to be honored for all the hard work he had done over the century, including putting all of those recordings together.” Ledbetter doesn’t strike you as the sort of person to dwell on things —

not even Grammy Awards. Rather, he seems the type to leave the stage, return to his seat and begin penning out the outline for his next release on an iPhone. It comes as no surprise, then, when he can hardly hide the excitement in his voice over the next Dust-to-Digital project to be released later this year. Ledbetter plans to archive the early recordings of Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville — the man who has only recently been proven to have recorded sound before the commonly accepted origin of such

by Thomas Edison. “In 1877, Thomas Edison was widely regarded as the first person to record sound,” begins Ledbetter, showing off the encyclopedic knowledge that is an unspoken requirement in a field like Ledbetter’s. Scott’s device was the PhonoAutograph, a crude device with a horn for speaking into at one end and a bristle to record the shape of the sound waves at the other. While this was the earliest form of recording invented, Scott was never able to find a proper channel for playing back the audio he had captured - leaving clear sound waves on paper but no audio to boot. “It wasn’t until last March of 2008 that some people from America went over to Paris and went through some of Scott’s archives and brought back some of the sheets of paper and took them to California and scanned them on a flat bed scanner,” says Ledbetter. What they found on the scanner was multiple snippets of a young French girl (perhaps a daughter or relative of Scott himself) singing the famed French Folk Song “Au Clair de la Lune.” “So Edouard-Leon Scott lived to see Edison get the credit for recording sound, but he knew I guess the whole time that he had done it first, and in 2008 that was proven,” says Ledbetter, adding that the release would be of the 45 RPM 7” vinyl variety and will simply be titled Au Claire de la Lune. “We look forward to issuing that, and hopefully it should be out in the middle of this year.” If the release is on time, someone should start warning the Grammy voters — though if recent history repeats itself, they won’t be able to avoid Ledbetter’s next batch of handiwork. B

by Erica Schwartz

* lineups indicate artists listed as of press time — check websites for updates!

50

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

51

* lineups indicate artists listed as of press time — check websites for updates!

52

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

53

* lineups indicate artists listed as of press time — check websites for updates!

54

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

BEN FOLDS

big man on campus

15 A Capella groups get the chance of a lifetime — thanks to pop music’s perpetual undergrad by Alec Wooden 56

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

Ben Folds studio

meone With So oney Else’s M r Folds o opens f e’s meone Els With So lds at o F r o f ens Money op rncale. The Tabe

A

h, college. The best four, five, maybe six years of your life. For Ben Folds, it’s been the best, well…20. And counting. Though he’s a couple decades from the undergraduate days, it’s arguable that his presence on campus — any and all of them nationwide — has grown exponentially since. “I can’t seem to graduate,” said Folds, laughing. “I play universities all the time, so I seem to be reliving [the college days] at every show.” Though Folds is over 40 now, he does indeed still center entire tours around college campuses but, even when he’s not playing on campus, his music infiltrates the popular campus sub-culture of organized and competitive A Capella singing groups. “Well, I spend a lot of time on shit that goes pretty well unappreciated to the critical listening audience,” said Folds of his music’s popularity among the collegiate groups. “Like if you listen to, you know, a Frank Sinatra song, the voice will be perfect and it will have interesting modulations and everything will be, you know, all this nerd shit will be going down. That’s really important when you are trying to sort of transcribe this for all human voices or an ensemble of some kind. If you’ve just got a beat box, like if a song

Spark s in Ben rocks out ’s stu dio

Posing for a group shot in Nashville

is just nothing but two chords and a drum machine, it’s really not an easy thing to do for an A Cappella group because they don’t have anything to work with. It gets old really fast. There’s so much going on in the way of chords, proper voicing, voice leading

BEN FOLDS WHO’S WHO Ben Folds (piano, vocals) FORMED 1988 in Winston-salem, N.C. LABEL Epic Records LATEST RELEASE University A Capella (2009) ON THE WEB www.benfolds.com

and all that stuff, so I think this is easier to work with.” So easy, in fact, that it has long been difficult to sit through an entire college A Capella performance without hearing some sampling of his music. “His songs are fun,” said Jonathan Sparks, lead arranger and member of The University of Georgia’s

mixed-gender A Capella group, With Someone Else’s Money (WSEM). “A lot of his songs have a great sense of humor to them, which makes them great for nerdy A Capella kids. That, and his stuff has a lot of layers, which makes arranging easier.” WSEM is a patchwork group of singers from various majors (unlike other University A Cappella groups, the pursuit of a music degree is not a prerequisite for joining). The dozen or so members gather twice weekly when the school day is done to rehearse. Playful and restless between takes, they’re all business when the songs begin — serious and focused, but always exerting the maximum amount of energy. Since it’s inception in 2001, WSEM has been much like any other college A Capella group in its propensity to cover a Folds tune – but it wasn’t until late last year when Sparks happened to stumble upon a major opportunity on Folds’ Web site — aimed directly at the college groups. “I just really liked the versions that I was hearing, the A Cappella versions of my music,” said Folds, adding it became an unavoidable part of playing the various campuses. “Then, as I got into it I started realizing, it’s like a total scene. You know, the A Cappella scene is huge, so it sort of grew out of ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

57

that.” “It” was the idea for Folds latest record, University A Cappella – a small idea that became a nationwide call for submissions of songs from the Ben Folds catalog from any and all University-affiliated groups. “We came up with a big list of A Cappella songs that would work,” said WSEM member Steven Hutchings. “Then we put it out for everyone to vote and came up with those two.” When the votes were tallied, With Someone Else’s Money put on their best game face and settled into record two YouTube submissions — tracking “You Don’t Know Me,” from Folds’ latest album, Way to Normal, and “Cigarette,” from the 1997 Ben Folds Five breakout record, Whatever and Ever Amen. A relevant song – or one that first helped to make Folds a household name wasn’t necessarily enough to catch the attention of Folds among the masses of other video submissions – rather, the group was faced with making a video equal parts aurally pleasing and visually appealing. “We had so much personality [in the video],” said Tierney Cosgrove of the recording. “We interacted a lot; we talked and interacted with each other

t Live a abthe T

58

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

while we were performing it.” After the work ended for the submitting groups, it meant only the beginning of a massive undertaking for Folds, who promised to — and indeed did, every night after tour stops – review every video submission personally. “It was tough,” Folds said of the process. “I mean the first thing I did was an initial run-through for anything that struck my fancy. I wasn’t being too picky, just keeping my interest in some way, just very not technical. So it must have come down to 90 (laughs). So I’ve got 90 to listen through on the second batch. I kept narrowing it down. After I got it narrowed down to pretty close to the number of songs on an album. I really had to take into account sequence, how many vocalists are high, low, girls, boys. R&B approach versus more of a straight ahead or jazz approach, just start sequencing it in a way that was gonna make the best album. So as soon as I got down to a certain number of songs, it stopped being about who’s the best and now what ‘makes the best album.’” When the dust settled, WSEM, along with 14 other groups (see sidebar), had made the cut with their

Live at the Tabernacle

version of “You Don’t Know Me.” The arranger — and, moreover, the fan — in Sparks was overwhelmed when the reality of the situation sank in. “I don’t think I really [felt the pressure of the arrangement] at first,” he said. “I was more excited, than anything, to do it. When I found it was going to be on the album, I probably passed out.” Folds now faced a unique challenge in finding the best way to record each group — geographical location wasn’t necessarily a submission requirement and, as a result, the winners spanned the entire nation. Bringing each group to Folds’ studio in Nashville wasn’t really a feasible option — so, Folds went to them. “I recorded most of these people on campus,” he said. “One’s in a synagogue, one’s next to a bathroom or a hallway. Sometimes there would be an Achilles heel of some kind to the recording, and sometimes that would just be, ‘This is a beautiful sounding room that has a really fucking loud air conditioner.’” While location wasn’t a requirement in the contest, it did work our well in WSEM’s case. Good scheduling breaks and a drive of only around five hours

Live a the T t aber

nacle

to Nashville gave the group a unique chance (literally, they were the only ensemble to record in Nashville). “At first we couldn’t find the studio,” said WSEM singer Rebecca Martin. “One of the guys just opened a door, and there was Ben Folds, just standing there. Of course, we’re all kind of starstruck. But he was so excited when he saw us.” The fan (and piano player) in Sparks, of course, soaked in every second of being in the studio of one of his idols. “I played on every piano in that studio,” he said, laughing. “And I have a picture of me playing on every piano in that studio.” While they say Folds pretty much “let them do their own thing” during the tracking, some of his signature personality from live shows seemed to leak into the session - the singers commented on being able to see him dancing and making motions in the control booth and flicking the lights on and off to the sound of the music. “Yeah, I gave ‘em a light show,” said a chuckling Folds. “I was so hoping the one with the light show would be the best take. I mean I just like [recording] to be natural. You know, sometimes it’s a grumpy session and that’s just part of the natural flow of getting it down. They were really cool and easy to work with and so totally understood what I was saying so we could get beyond turd polishing. I could explain something and they got it, and therefore the next thing to do is to make it fun. Just because something is accessible and able to be molded for the sake of an A Capella group, doesn’t mean that it necessarily will work - and some of the tunes that made the final cut did so as quite a pleasant surprise to the songwriter. “Well, I was really impressed with “Jesusland” (from 2005’s Songs For Silverman) for two reasons,” said Folds. “One is that it’s an all female group, and you just have to be so much more inventive to make that sound good because they don’t have basses. The roof has been taken away from you unless you have a girl that can sing and carry low notes. And also the song didn’t really seem conducive to A

If everything

goes to absolute

shit, it’s because

there was no fiber.

But this is like full

of fiber, you

know, All Bran. These kids are feeling

it, and that means there’s a lot of

integrity. I mean it’s not as dramatic as I make it sound, but that’s probably

what compelled

me to do this more than anything – and there’s nothing

more sort of hopeful and bright than

that.”

Cappella, you know I remember seeing, ‘The special’s going to be ‘Jesusland.’ Well, let’s see,’ you know. And it was cool. So that was kinda neat.” Folds also walked the figurative mile in the students’ shoes, tracking two songs A Capella himself in a challenging exercise that served to, if nothing else, only enhance the appreciation he had developed for the stars of the new record. “Well, it was probably tougher for me because I don’t get together with my friends three times a week and work through all these things, so we kind of had to work from scratch. Luckily, I learned a lot by recording all these groups just in terms of arrangement and their technique,” he said. “It’s a pretty incredible amount of work to have to tear down over and over again. I’d do eight hours of work and we’re leaving the studio at midnight and I’d go, ‘You know we gotta tear it all down and start again tomorrow.’” And if nothing else, a newfound appreciation for the tireless extracurricular work of the students seems to be the underlying sentiment that Folds took from his creation. “I have to say, I don’t think I could have even [found the time to sing in a group in college], said Folds. “I could barely pay for it all, and keep going and keep grades and stuff. I was just sort of paddling, trying to keep up with life. It seems really easy to, even at my age, to look back and say, ‘Kids these days. They don’t do this, they don’t do that. They’ve been watching video games, we had to practice. Blah blah blah.’” “There’s something about this record,” he continues, “that I hope, in some small way, when people hear it, gives people some hope that there’s some fiber, you know? ‘Cause that really is the problem at the end of the day. If everything goes to absolute shit, it’s because there was no fiber. But this is like full of fiber, you know, All Bran. These kids are feeling it, and that means there’s a lot of integrity. I mean it’s not as dramatic as I make it sound, but that’s probably what compelled me to do this more than anything – and there’s nothing more hopeful and bright than that.” B

n o i t a c u d e c i s u m g n i v a s Athfest article & photos by Nicole Black

With the economy on the fritz, it’s no surprise school budgets are feeling the effects; cutting costs, cutting teachers, and cutting programs they do not deem of high importance on the education meter-such as Music and Arts. However, Jared Bailey, founder of Athfest and Flagpole, is focused on keeping music an important part of education by working with local schools’ after-school programs to educate and inspire children about music. “It’s the AthFest Education Committee,” Bailey shares. “The program is called ‘AthFest After School.’ We want to expand it so it’s in the daytime during school.” The program is in its beginning stages but is already being received well by students and faculty members. “The response from the After-School Director for the whole district has been really positive,” says committee member Jennifer Kumnick, who is also a social worker for the Athens-Clarke County public schools. “She really wants us to be more involved next year in the after-school programs.” Students participate in hour-long classes where local musicians perform songs, introduce the instruments they perform with and give students a brief history of music. 60

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

one school at a time

Most recently, local artists Joel Byron and Carl Lindberg played teacher for an hour at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School. In Byron’s room, 14 young kids piled onto the cafeteria stage behind a large curtain and eagerly took their seats. Byron started out playing some blues. By the time the second chorus came, some of the kids started tapping their feet in rhythm. The tapping spread up to their hands and they began to clap in beat and soon after, like a wave at a sporting event, the rest of the kids joined in. After he finished he explained to his receptive audience, “blues is the foundation for all music you hear on the radio today.” When asked how important Byron feels music is in correlation to education, he responded, “I think they’re really important. A lot of the focus with schools now is just on academics. There’s no culture in academics...music and art are very important. You learn about music and art, and it broadens your horizon and that’s really what kids need. We’re stuck in this computer-centric world and everything is viewed through a monitor.” He adds, “I think it maybe stems more from our country’s priorities than it does the school’s budget. If we weren’t so wasteful with our money

we would be able to put more money back into education.” Lindberg’s audience proved a little more challenging, as he was faced with about 20 pre-teen females, a few of which had the ‘I’m too cool for this’ front. But Lindberg was eventually able to break through to all of the girls and had everyone participating through clapping while he hummed the blues and plucked his cello. “For now, it’s this basic introduction,” Bailey explains. “But, down the road we’re hoping to be a lot more. We’re also thinking that this program doesn’t have to be just in Clarke County Schools, and it doesn’t have to be in just public schools. It could be in the Montessori School, Athens Academy; you know the surrounding county schools. So, if it works well and we get some support, we can take this thing statewide — even nationwide.” Former Counting Crows drummer turned Clarke County kindergarten teacher, Ben Mize, shares his thoughts about the importance of music education. “My four-year-old son is in the bathtub singing songs he learned at school. It occurred to me that we (adults) take for granted what all we learned from music.” Mize adds, “What I know of my son’s learning I know from the songs he sings: I can hear what he’s learning in these songs and I can see his daily progress in the songs too.” Mize shares a valid point. We are first introduced to our alphabet as well as basic aptitudes, such as colors, states, planets, etc., through song and rhyme. Music seemed to help us absorb what we were learning at such a young age. “There are entire emergent literacy/ early reading curriculums based on nursery rhymes and singing and there’s research that indicates that kids with this experience read earlier and better than kids that don’t,” Mize explains. “That is music in school, and I dare say most of the teachers I know don’t feel confident to really embrace musical learning in their own classrooms. It certainly shouldn’t be assumed that they will. Nor should we trust that school districts will make up for the loss of music in other

(Above) Joel Byron answers questions from his eager young audience recently at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School. (Below) Byron explains various playing techniques to the students.

ways, even when they promise for (hypothetical) example: ‘Oh, we have given each teacher a Sing a Song of Poetry book of nursery rhymes, and we held a seven minute meeting at each school where we emphasized the importance of rhyme as a pre-reading skill, and we have strongly encouraged teachers to use these books.’” He concludes his thoughts, “Not to mention the benefits learning melody and rhythm has on the pathways of the brain — if we can’t acknowledge the value of musical intelligence in and of itself, we can at least point to the benefit of musical practice to ways of thinking that helps one succeed on standardized tests for the major subject areas of reading, language arts and math.” For now, the community can get involved with Bailey’s mission by joining his committee or making donations to the program. Members

of the committee meet once a month to plan upcoming classes, and find more local artists to add to the current roster. The money raised through donations and fundraisers help pay the musicians for their time. “Although this is still in its infancy,” adds Bailey, “We have been at this for over a year now, and we’re really excited about it. I think it’s got a lot of promise.” B Join the committee by emailing [email protected] Donate by contacting Jared Bailey [email protected] For musicians interested contact [email protected] A 50/50 Raffle is being held at Alibi Bar on the eastside Tuesday, May 12th from 7 p.m.-11:p.m. Tickets are $2.00. Half the money raised will go directly to the Athfest After-School program and the rest to a randomly drawn ticket holder. ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

61

A&E MOVIE PREVIEWS

upcoming on the screen

(May 15) (Stephen Belber) Jennifer Aniston stars in (what else?) a romantic comedy opposite Steve Zahn. Aniston’s character is a traveling saleswoman who has a fling with a hotel manager (Zahn), who then decides to follow her around the country in attempts to win her love. Aniston’s character’s boyfriend, played by Woody Harrelson, throws a wrench in his plans.

making sure it’s worth your money by Julie McCollum

Battle for Terra (May 1) (Aristomenis Tsirbas) This animated sci-fi adventure film is set on the peaceful planet of Terra. Two alien teens, voiced by Justin Long and Evan Rachel Wood, befriend an injured pilot voiced by Luke Wilson when the planet is invaded by humans fleeing from civil war. Soon they learn that with limited resources only one of their races will survive. PREDICTION: The end-of-the-world premise is a bit of a departure from the “Finding Nemo” brand of kid movie, but who said animation is just for the young ones?

X-MEn Origins: Wolverine (May 1) (Gavin Hood) This film tells the story of Wolverine’s violent and romantic past leading up to the events of X-Men, including his complex relationship with Victor Creed. Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him famous as Wolverine, complete with retractable claws.

PREDICTION: You can guess how this will end before the previews are even over.

Angels & Demons (May 15) (Ron Howard) Ron Howard tackles this film version of the novel which introduces the character of Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbolist featured in “The Da Vinci Code”, played again by Tom Hanks. In this story, Langdon tries to stop a secret society from destroying Vatican City. PREDICTION: If you enjoyed the “The Da Vinci Code” film adaptation, this is a must-see.

PREDICTION: Action for the guys, Jackman for the girls, and appearances by X-Men legends sprinkled in for the die-hard fans; this movie will probably make box office bank.

Adoration

Next Day Air (May 8) (Benny Boom) This film tells the story of two inept criminals who mistakenly receive a package of cocaine. The mistake turns into a battle for the drugs between the furious dealer who sent it, the frightened people who were intended to receive it, and the criminals who plan to turn it into their profit. PREDICTION: The beat-the-clock plot promises action, and actors like Donald Faison (“Scrubs”) and Mos Def add some comedy flavor that will bring allaround entertainment.

62

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

Easy Virtue (May 22) (Stephan Elliot) This Hitchcock remake set in the 1930’s stars Jessica Biel as Larita, a glamorous American who hastily marries Englishman John Whittaker. When Whittaker takes Larita home to mom, her new mother-in-law has an instant aversion to her, and from there tries incessantly to run her off. PREDICTION: The monster-in-law plot is a bit played out, but the movie may deliver a fresh, funny take.

(May 8) (Atom Egoyan) When Simon receives an assignment in his high school class based on a real news story about a terrorist who plants a bomb in the luggage of his pregnant girlfriend, he takes his story to the internet with false identity and thus begins a journey deep into the past. PREDICTION: This quirky film brings something different from the usual onslaught of Summer blockbusters, so it might bring movie snobs out of hibernation and into the theater.

A&E MOVIE PREVIEWS

Management

ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT

The Brothers Bloom Dance Flick (May 22) (Damien Dante Wayans) The Wayans Bros. bring yet another movie spoofing movie trends, in this case movies which feature lots of dancing (“Save the Last Dance,” “Step Up,” “You Got Served,” etc.). The premise is that Thomas Uncles bonds with character Megan White as they attempt to enter an epic dance battle. PREDICTION: If you were into “Scary Movie” and perhaps even the subsequent knock-offs, you might enjoy the over-the-top laughs in this movie, like a woman giving birth on the dance floor to a break-dancing baby.

(May 29) (Rian Johnson) “The Brothers Bloom,” played by Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo, are all-star con men millionaires who have decided to take on one final job: showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress around the world, and in the process extract $2.5 million from her. The con gets a bit complicated when Brody’s character falls in love with their lovely con target. PREDICTION: The perfect date movie: action, romance and laughs.

Drag Me To Hell (May 29) (Sam Raimi) In this thriller, the director of “Spider Man” takes on the story of a loan officer who receives a supernatural curse when ordered to evict an elderly woman from her house. When her life is transformed into a living hell, in desperation she goes to a seer, who sets her on a frenzied course to break free of the evil spell. PREDICTION: Up-and-comers Alison Lohman and Justin Long star in this movie, which promises a few jump in your seat moments and a temporary fear of old people.

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

63

upcoming dvD releases may

5

New Releases: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Last Chance Harvey Smother TV Box Sets: Boston Legal: Season Five Crusoe: Complete Series Doctor Who: Battlefield Lipstick Jungle: Season Two Mythbusters: Volume Four October Road: Season Two Music DVDs: B.B. King: Soundstage Dazz Band: Best of Funk

may

12

New Releases: Of Time and the City O Jerusalem Personal Effects The Grudge 3 Possesstion S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale Underworld: Rise of the Lycans TV Box Sets: Penn & Teller Bullshit: Season Six The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series The Jeff Foxworthy Show: Season Two Two and a Half Men: Fifth Season

19

may

64

may

rkin

26

New Releases: Hindsight Killshot TV Box Sets: Gunsmoke: Season Three, V2 Law and Order SVU: Season Nine The Closer: Season Four

june

2

New Releases: Baby on Board Defiance Revolutionary Road TV Box Sets: Army Wives: Season Two Quincy ME: Season Three Raising the Bar: Season One The Jetsons: Season Two, Volume One Weeds: Season Four

june

9

New Releases: Gran Torino Powder Blue

New Releases: Paul Blart: Mall Cop My Bloody Valentine 3D Valkyrie

TV Box Sets: Father Knows Best: Season Three My Family: Season Three & Four The Best of Whose Line is it Anyway?

TV Box Sets: 24: Season Seven Friday Night Lights:

Music DVDs: Dave Matthews Band: Hope Springs Etern al

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

Wo

Release dates are subject to change. Check artists or store websites as these dates approach.

Photo: Scott Garfield

W

hen you’re face-to-face with Jaime Pressly you immediately notice the similarities, or lack thereof, between her true self and what you see portrayed every Thursday night on the hilarious sitcom, “My Name is Earl.” Joy Turner, Pressly’s on-screen character, is very loud, crass and arguably primetime television’s zaniest dresser. In person, she’s modestly-attired, polite and well, only kinda loud. The point being, this likable 31-year-old acts her tail off on TV. “I’m just very blessed,” Pressly says, “to be able to do what I love to do and to play characters that I love to play. I was not always so fortunate to be able to go to work and enjoy myself or enjoy the character I was playing. If it wasn’t for [“Earl” creator] Greg Garcia giving me the opportunity to show what I can do and giving me the role of Joy, I would probably still… well, I might not even be in the business anymore.” On the small screen and in films like the March release “I Love You, Man,” Pressly is good for a few chuckles. But the moment she opens up on the struggles of finding

gG irl

Jaime Pressly talks doing TV, making movies and raising a child

By DeMarco Williams

success in Hollywood, the Kinston, N.C., native turns dead serious: “I started my clothing line (J’aime) because I wanted something to fall back on and something else to do because I was kinda getting fed up [with acting]. But then the amazing Greg Garcia came around and wrote a brilliant character for a woman, which is rare. And it sorta changed my perception. I’m so, so blessed to be able to do what I love to do. I could never do a 9-to-5 job, although I did 14 years ago. I had three at a time.” Now, thankfully, she only has two -- Golden Globenominated actress and new parent. The former might spark the finger-pointing at the airport, but it’s the latter that warms Jaime Pressly’s heart like nothing else. “Dezi will be two in May,” announces the proud mom, beaming from ear to ear. “From day one on our [‘Earl’] set, it’s always been okay for people to bring their children to come and visit. Dezi walks on set and says, ‘Ello! Ello!’ He walks around and they bring him the roll with all the pretty tape on it. He puts it around his neck. Then he climbs up on the camera and goes, ‘And action!’ He’s not afraid by any means.” ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

65

Pressly and Jon Favreau on the set of I Love You, Man.

I was not always so fortunate to be able to go to work and enjoy myself or enjoy the character I was playing. If it wasn’t for [“Earl” creator] Greg Garcia giving me the opportunity to show what I can do and giving me the role of Joy, I would probably still… well, I might not even be in the business anymore.” — Jaime Pressly — Jaime credits coffee and “a lack of sleep to where you get delirious” for all the energy she resonates. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that she shut down the clothing line. “Before Dezi,” explains the former international model, “I could do the show full time and run my company full time. But once I had Dez, it became almost impossible to go to work. I certainly wasn’t taking the clothing line over my son. If I had a day off, instead of wasting my time to drive downtown, I would just have [my employees] come to set or have the girls email me and I would do a lot of stuff. I would go in on Saturdays and stuff like that and bring Dezi with me. Things change when you have a baby. There’s so much more important than designing clothes.” Jaime’s only slightly less excited when speaking of her other baby, “My Name is Earl.” A show that’s part moral analysis and part poor white trash exposé, “Earl” is an out-of-nowhere hit that just laughed its way through a fourth season. But if you think seeing Joy Turner pick on kids in glasses or push around Betty White is a good time, Pressly swears you haven’t seen the half. “It’s the greatest job on the planet,” claims the woman Maxim once called the 30th hottest lady on the planet. “Everybody loves going to work. We all truly adore each other. We really enjoy each other’s company. We all know each other so well know. Our families are all friends. Our kids play together. We have amazing writers. We have amazing crew. We all genuinely respect and admire each other and there’s not a bad seed in the group. There’s no drama.” If you’re wondering why you don’t see Jaime Pressly in more movies, there’s no dramatic explanation there either. She simply says scheduling around “Earl” and Dezi hasn’t permitted leading lady roles to come her way. “I’ll be honest with you,” she states, “if I get to play really amazing roles and it’s five or six scenes –hell, if it’s three scenes with a really great cast- I’m fine being in the supporting cast because it still allows me some normalcy in my life. It allows me some time to be with my son. It gives me a break so I don’t get burnt out, which I’ve done so many times.” B

FOOD dives to delicacies

more ways to pinch pennies with your grocery list By Jacquie Brasher

Grills Gone Wild

Ah, spring. Everything’s in bloom, the weather’s lovely, and

suddenly staying indoors is the last thing you want to do. It’s the perfect time to drag out the barbecue grill. These days, pretty much anything is grill-worthy. And the added bonus is, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get great food from a grill. Here are some easy meal ideas to make your spring and summer months a breeze. All these recipes should serve two people.

Garlic–Lime Chicken Skewers 2 chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into thick strips 2 garlic cloves, minced Juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Mix the garlic, lime, oil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the raw chicken to the mixture and marinate for at least two hours in the refrigerator. Mix well. After the chicken strips have marinated, take them out and thread them on metal skewers. Place skewers of chicken on a low flame of a gas grill. (You can use a charcoal grill as well.) Grill for about three minutes on each side or until all the pink is gone. If the chicken gets too dry, you can baste it with a little more olive oil. Serve with a salad and garlic bread for a light, flavorful meal. 68

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

FOOD dives to delicacies

MEALS FOR YOUR

Veggie phase Think veggies are not suitable for the grill? Think again! Now that the warmer months are upon us, fresh veggies will be plentiful—and they are fabulous on the grill.

Grilled Mixed Vegetables 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise 2 yellow squash, halved lengthwise 4 salad onions, halved lengthwise (they look like green onions, only with a bigger bulb at the end) 1 eggplant, sliced

thickly diagonally Marinade: ½ cup olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Mix the marinade in a small bowl. Whisk briskly to incorporate all ingredients. Place the vegetables in a larger bowl. Pour marinade in with vegetables and toss to coat. Let stand for one hour. On a low-flame gas grill, place the vegetables flat side down. (Reserve the extra marinade.) Do not put the vegetables over

Burger Phase Burgers don’t have to be boring. You can add all sorts of ingredients to the ground meat to make it explode with flavor. Try this burger recipe for added zing!

direct flame, by the way—just off to the side a bit. Grill for about three to four minutes on each side. If you like your vegetables crunchy, don’t grill them too long. After you remove the vegetables from the grill, toss with the reserved marinade. Serve on a platter as an accompaniment to your meal.

Zesty Burgers 1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon hot sauce 1 minced garlic clove ½ onion, minced Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Mix all the ingredients into the ground beef. Your hands are the best tools, so use them! (Wash them well before and after.) After the beef has been thoroughly mixed with the ingredients, form into two big patties. Grill on each side according to how well you like your burgers cooked. (If you’re adventurous, try mixing in about ¼ cup of finely crumbled bleu cheese to the ground beef.) Note: Ground meats for the grill should have a little more fat in them. If you use leaner meats, they tend to dry out.

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

69

BLUR EVENT CALENDAR

ATLANTA  May 1  Telepath, Eliot Lipp Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $10/ adv. Cursive Man Man Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m., $16/adv.

May 2 VAST, Branded with Fear, Stand Alone and Guests Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $13/ adv. Ben Harper & Relentless 7 Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m.,

$35/adv. Hermon Hitson, Noot D’Noot The Drunken Unicorn, $10/adv.

May 3 Big Business, Tweak Bird The Drunken Unicorn, 8p.m., $10/adv.

May 4 Protest the Hero and guests Masquerade-Hell, 6:30p.m., $12.50/adv.

in the Family Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $12/ adv.

The Horrorpops and Guests Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $13/ adv.

May 6

Wye Oak, Pomegranates, Pretty & Nice The Drunken Unicorn, $8/adv.

Parkway Drive, Stick to Your Guns, My Children, My Bride, As Dawn Breaks Masquerade-Heaven, 6:30p.m., $12/adv. Amos Lee Variety Playhouse, 8p.m., $25/ adv.

May 6

May 5

The Supervillians, 50:50

The Gaslight Anthem, Heartless Bastards, A Death

Masquerade-Hell, 7 p.m., $10/ adv. El Ten Eleven, La Chansons, Magic Apron The Drunken Unicorn, $6/adv.

May 7 Jimmy Herring Band featuring Oteil Burbridge, Greg Osby, Jeff Tinsey, and Jeff Sipe Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m., $20/adv. FUCK YESSS DANCE PARTY, Le Castle Vania, RRRump The Drunken Unicorn, $5/adv. For 21+, $7 for < 21

May 8 Shpongle, Evolve, Ent, EP3 Masquerade-Heaven, 7p.m., $20/adv. O’Brother CD Release Show, Dignan, A. Armada The Drunken Unicorn, 9p.m., $6 for 21+, $8 < 21

May 9

Vienna Teng, Ben Sollee, with special guest Katie Herzig Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m., $15/adv.

May 10 Cyril Neville Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $20/ adv.

May 11

May 19

Smith’s Olde Bar, 7p.m., $5

Room, 8p.m., $7/adv.

Nightwish Masquerade-Heaven, 8p.m., $25/adv.

Soul of John Black, Mike Zito Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $12/ adv.

Tony Lucca, Joey Degraw Andrew Hoover Smith’s Olde Bar-Atlanta Room, 8p.m., $10/adv.

May 30

May 20

May 26

Testament, Unearth, Lazerus AD Masquerade-Heaven, 7p.m., $22/adv.

Lions and Scissors, Lake Inferior The Drunken Unicorn, $5

Suburban Soul, That’s What She Said, The Humms The Drunken Unicorn, $5

Static-X, Bury Your Dead, Seventh Void, Dirge Masquerade-Heaven, 6:30p.m.,

The Bridge Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $12/ adv.

Comcast Bands on Demand, The Nigel Depree Band, The Quazimotors, Elli Perry, Junior Dolan & Cash Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $10

May 21

Stanton Moore Trio (2 Full Sets) Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $13/ adv.

May 31

May 15

The Villains, Nathan Beaver, Steve Baskin, James David Carter Smith’s Olde Bar, 7p.m., $8/adv.

Pretty Lights and Dieselboy Masquerade-Hell, 8p.m., $15/ adv.

Damon Moon and the Whispering Drifters, Owl Eyes The Drunken Unicorn, $5 for 21+, $8 for < 21

May 16

Chain & The Gang, The Hive Dwellers, Pine Hill Haints, The Coathangers The Drunken Unicorn, 8p.m., $8/adv.

The Thermals, The Shakey Hands, Point Juncture, WA Masquerade-Hell, 8p.m., $12/ adv.

The Burning Hotels, TBA Smith’s Olde Bar, 7p.m., $5/adv.

Horse Feathers, Joe Pug The Drunken Unicorn, $8/adv.

May 12

Web Wilder, The Backyardbirds Smith’s Olde Bar, 6p.m., $15/ adv.

Metal Blade Young Guns Tour 2009 Featuring: Psyopus, Rose Funeral, Woe of Tyrants, Moltov Solution Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $10/ adv.

May 13 Kreator, Exodus, Belphagor, War Bringer, Epicurean Masquerade-Heaven, 6:30p.m., $20/adv. MC Chris, Whole Wheat Bread, I Am The Dream The Drunken Unicorn, $12/adv. Ty Reynolds, Ben Deignan & Suburban Soul, Christopher Alan Yates, Tyler Herrin Duo Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $8/adv.

***Contribute #2 to America Benefit Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $20

Passafire Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $10/ adv.

May 22 Marcy’s Playground Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $13/ adv. Silent and Listen CD Release Show, Cinemasophia, Ringfinger The Drunken Unicorn, $8 WILX, Moontower Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $8/ adv.

May 23 The Deep Vibration, Roman Candle, The Rosewood Thieves,

May 17

Ben Chapman and the Accents The Drunken Unicorn, $8

Her Space Holiday, City Light, Mother/Father The Drunken Unicorn, 8p.m., $10

May 24

Reed Pittman, Magic Math Smith’s Olde Bar, 7p.m., $8/adv.

May 18 6 Day Bender, Breaking Twilight, TBA Smith’s Olde Bar, 7p.m., $5

Highland Blues, Sam Thacker Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $10/ adv.

May 25 Justin Kennedy Band, The First Stone, Trees Leave

May 28 Sean Mcconnell Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $10

May 29

Bonnie Prince Billy Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m., $16/adv. Lefty Williams Smith’s Olde Bar-Atlanta

The Business, Flatfoot 56 Masquerade-Heaven, 7p.m., $12/adv.

June 4 Tab Benoit, The Legendary JC’s Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $17.50/ adv.

June 5 Bassnectar and guests

BLUR EVENT CALENDAR

go ahead : make my date upcoming events in athens and atlanta

May 14

BLUR EVENT CALENDAR

Masquerade-Heaven, 8p.m., $15/adv. Arc Angels featuring Charlie Sexton, Doyle Bramhall II and Chris Layton Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m., $22.50/adv.

June 6 Little Feat Variety Playhouse, 8:30p.m., $30/adv. Passion Pit The Drunken Unicorn, $12/adv. The Downtown Executives, Dale Arbor Band, The Wheels Smith’s Olde Bar, 8p.m., $10/ adv.

June 8 Threat Signal, The Agonist, Flatline, Thy Will Be Done Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $12/

adv. Cas Haley Smith’s Olde Bar-Atlanta Room, 8p.m., $10/adv.

June 9 Me Without You, The Dear Hunter, and Guest Masquerade-Hell, 7p.m., $13/ adv.

June 11 Femi Kuti, King Sunny Ade Variety Playhouse, 8p.m., $30/ adv.

ATHENS May 1 Packway Handle Band Georgia Theatre, 10p.m., $10 The Help, Oblio, The Starter

Kits 40 Watt Club, 9:30p.m., $5 Chuck Leavell with the Randall Bramblett Band The Melting Point, 8p.m., $100 Gift Horse, Arizona, Russian Spy Camera Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $6

May 2 Telepath Georgia Theatre, 10p.m., $10 Bit Brigade (as Castlebandia), Buddy System, Powers 40 Watt Club, 9:30p.m., $6 Free Lunch, Jazz Chronic Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $5 Death on Two Wheels, Elevation, The Shut-Ups, Harrison Hudson Tasty World, 10p.m.

May 4 David Cook with Ryan Star Georgia Theatre, 9p.m., $15

May 5 Terrapin Tuesday: North Georgia Bluegrass Band The Melting Point, 7p.m., $3 Sweetbox, Sybris, +1 Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $5

May 6 Andy Davis 40 Watt, 9p.m., $5/adv. Romanenko, Soapbar, Only Living Boy, Eureka California Tasty World, 10p.m.

May 7 Shpongle with Dr. Fameus vs. DJ Drizno and DJ Triz Georgia Theatre, 9:30p.m., $20 Supernaut, Paster of Muppets

(CD Release), Marshmallow Coast (CD Release), The Lolligags Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $5

Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $5

Georgia Theatre, 10p.m., $7

Sonia Leigh, Levi Lowery and the Community House Band Tasty World, 10p.m.

ATHFEST CD RELEAE w/ David Barbe and the Quick Hooks, Holy Liars, Brave New Citizen Tasty World, 10p.m.

May 8

May 16

Wolves in the Throne Room, A Storm of Light Caledonia Lounge, 10 p.m., $10

Caroline Aiken Georgia Theatre, 10 p.m., Price TBD

June 2

Presidents of the United States of America 40 Watt Club, 9p.m., $15/adv. Colt Ford Georgia Theatre, 9p.m., $15

May 9 The Walkmen with Kuroma 40 Watt Club, 9p.m., $10/adv. Colt Ford: Special Kid Friendly All Ages Show Georgia Theatre, 2p.m., $15 Colt Ford Georgia Theatre, 9p.m., $15 Pegasuses-XL, YeahBig+KidStatic, The Buddy System Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $5

May 11 Annual Kids Hoot The Melting Point, 7:30p.m., free Stinking Lizaveta, Hot Breath, Darsombra Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $6

May 12 Terrapin Tuesday Bluegrass Series featuring Smokey’s Farmland Band Melting Point, 7p.m., $4.50/ adv.

May 13

Ghost, Majik Markers Tasty World, 10p.m.

May 15 A Benefit for True Love Canines with Bloodkin and Friends

May 19 Terrapin Tuesday: The Mudflapjacks The Melting Point, 7p.m., $3

May 21 Brandie Carlile and Gregory Alan Isakov The Melting Point, 8:30p.m., $27/adv.

May 26 Terrapin Tuesday: The Drovers Old Time Medicine Show The Melting Point, 7p.m., $3 Thrones, Chrissakes Caledonia Lounge, 10p.m., $7

May 28 3 Fott Swagger Georgia Theatre, 10 p.m., Price TBD

May 29 Lazer/Wulf, Gaylord, Classic Bastards Caledonia Lounge, 10 p.m., $5 The Arcs, Gift Horse Georgia Theatre, 10 p.m., Price TBD

May 30 Kinchafoonee Cowboys Georgia Theatre, 10p.m., $10 Casper and the Cookies

June 1

Terrapin Tuesday: Mayhem String Band The Melting Point, 7p.m., $3

June 8 AthFest Sampler Hoot The Melting Point, 7:30p.m., free

June 9 Terrapin Tuesday: Redline Express The Melting Point, 7p.m., $3

June 11 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists with Titus Andronicus, All the Saints 40 Watt Club, 9p.m., $10/adv.

June 12 X, Steve Soto, Twisted Hearts 40 Watt Club, 9p.m., $20/adv.

Calendar listings are subject to change. Listed prices may be for advance tickets only, and listed times are door times of the given shows. We suggest you call ahead before heading out! Hey bands! Got a calendar listing? Send it to [email protected] and include the following:Name of the Act(s), venue, door time and price.

athens live

seen around town

see your photos here! submit to [email protected]

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

75

PHOTOS BY GEOFF POSS of VIII EAST GRAPHICS, LIZ BOESLER, adrienne klein, NICOLE BLACK

see your pics here! submit to editorial@ athensblur.com

see your pics here! submit to editorial@ athensblur.com

PHOTOS BY SANDRA GALLARDO, GEOFF POSS of VIII EAST GRAPHICS, LIZ BOESLER, ALEC WOODEN, NICOLE BLACK, ADRIENNE KLEIN

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

77

concert shots 1

on the stage 3

2

5 6

7

6

4

7 10

8

Get UNLIMITED Local & Long Distance Calling for only $24.99/mo†!

9 11

see your pics here! submit to editorial@ athensblur.com or let us know when you’re playing! you never know when we’ll show up...

12

SAY NO TO HIGHER PHONE BILLS! UÊ"ÕÀÊ«ÀˆViÊSTARTS LOW AND STAYS LOWSM. Satisfaction Guaranteed < UÊ œÊL՘`iÃ]ʘœÊ…>ÃÏià p ÕÃÌÊÀiˆ>LiÊ«…œ˜iÊÃiÀۈViÊ>ÌÊ>ÊÀiˆ>LiÊ«ÀˆVi

11 14

24

UNLIMITED Local & Long Distance Calling

EASY TO SWITCH, EASY TO SAVE

13

UÊii«ÊޜÕÀÊi݈Ã̈˜}Ê«…œ˜iʘՓLiÀ UÊ6œ˜>}i® works with your existing home phone and high-speed Internet connection UÊÓxÊ*Ài“ˆÕ“Êi>ÌÕÀiÃÊ>ÌʘœÊiÝÌÀ>ÊVœÃÌ° UÊÀiiÊV>ÃÊ̜ÊxÊÃiiVÌÊ ÕÀœ«i>˜ÊVœÕ˜ÌÀˆiÃÊ>˜`ÊV>ÊœÌ…iÀʘÌiÀ˜>̈œ˜>Ê locations for as low as 1 cent per minute v! ^

15

14 Kris Davidson paints during STS9 @ Georgia Theatre (Wes Elkin) Ben Kweller’s band @ 40 Watt (Haleigh Hoffman) STS9 @ Georgia Theatre (Wes Elkin) Bloodkin @ 40 Watt (Nicole Black) Soulja Boy @ Legion Field (Geoff Poss/VIII East Graphics) Backyard Tire Fire @ 40 Watt (Nicole Black) Watson Twins @ 40 Watt (Haleigh Hoffman) Pigs on The Wing: A Pink Floyd Tribute @ Georgia Theatre (Joshua Payne) Ben Kweller @ 40 Watt (Haleigh Hoffman) . Pigs on The Wing: A Pink Floyd Tribute @ Georgia Theatre (Joshua Payne) oulja Boy @ Legion Field (Geoff Poss/VIII East Graphics) The Arcs @ Caledonia Lounge (Daniel Peiken) Twin Tigers/WUOG Prom @ Cine (Alyssa De Hayes) Chairlift @ 40 Watt (Alyssa De Hayes) The Interns @ 40 Watt (Alyssa De Hayes)

$

.99

Per Month

†

SPECIAL OFFER

TRY ONE MONTH

FREE! Call: 1.888.898.4920 See Below For Details

FREE MONTH OFFER ON $24.99 UNLIMITED RESIDENTIAL PLAN ONLY. PLAN FEE WAIVED BUT ALL OTHER CHARGES APPLY. NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. V Free calls to Europe Offer (available only with Unlimited Residential Plan) does not apply to certain call types, such as calls to cell phones, and is limited to Italy, France, Spain, UK and Ireland. Other International rates may vary. See http://vonage.com/intrates for details. Vonage 911 service operates differently than traditional 911. See www.vonage.com/911 for details. High-Speed Internet or Broadband Required. Alarms and other systems may not be compatible. † Rates exclude: broadband service, regulatory and activation fees and certain other charges, equipment, taxes, & shipping. International calls billed per minute. Offer valid in the US only. See Terms of Service for details. < 30-day money back guarantee is refunded for any paid activation fee, 1st month service charge, initial shipping charges and termination fee. Applicable only to first ordered line per account. Available only in the event of timely cancellation for subscribers who have not exceeded 500 minutes of usage and who obtain a valid return authorization number from 1-VONAGE-HELP, and return of equipment in original condition and packaging within 14 days of cancellation. Refund will not include charges for taxes, international usage, payphone calls to Vonage toll free numbers and directory assistance. Offer revocable. ^ Where available. The number transfer process takes approximately 10 business days from the time you confirm your transfer request. ©2009 Vonage.

BLUR MUSICSCOPES

what’s your

Musicscope?

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

by MISS TERIOUS

PISCES

(12/22-01/19) No matter what your significant other says, do not try out to be lead vocalist in a local band. Singing karaoke while intoxicated does not merit you to be the next Celine Dion.

(01/20-02/18) If you’re feeling uninspired to write music this month, try attending a music festival to break the blockage and get your creative flow moving again.

(02/19-03/20) Remember these words, dear Pisces: you’re only as good as your last album. That said, get back in the studio and start recording!

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

(03/21-04/19) You’re feeling more stressed than usual this month. What better way to release your stress then to smash an old, used up instrument onstage.

(04/20-05/20) Don’t let others dissuade you from picking up an instrument they don’t think is suited for you. Follow your instinct and ignore the ridicule.

CANCER

LEO

(06/22-07/22) Make those finishing touches on your EP and get out on the streets of Athens to saturate the town with your music.

(07/23-08/22) You and fellow band members have been contemplating playing a different style of music; now is the time for that musical transition.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

(09/23-10/23) Stop procrastinating. You’re never going to be a rock star sitting on the couch playing “Guitar Hero” all day, dreaming of being in a band.

80

Astrology for Musicians

ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE

(10/24-11/21) A stomach virus causes you to miss an important show. Offer to play a free show to make up for your cancellation and keep fans happy.

(05/21-06/21) Your split personality is really showing this month, and your fellow band members are taking notice — and not in a good way.

VIRGO

(08/23-09/22) An ex shows up at an upcoming gig to try to get back together with you, appearing to be “with you” by staying close to your side, scaring off any potential suitors.

SAGITTARIUS

(11/22-12/21) Finally, someone takes notice of your talent this month. Be humble about the opportunity they present to you or you could blow it.