Newspaper Page Text
RADIO, RADIO: "...and radio is in the hands of such a lot
of fools trying to anesthetize the way that you feel” — Elvis
Costello. Yes, recently you found nothing but dead air on your
radio dial at 92.3, WMOQ/The Bridge. Why? I've heard rumors
ranging from financial problems (questionable) to the power
ful, wide-ranging conservative influence of a certain "good old
boy" network (highly probable). The truth? I'm sure all will be
revealed soon, but the only real absolute in this dilemma is that
Athens has lost one of the most diverse radio stations I've ever
heard. Break's over: back
on your heads.
YOUR SATURDAY
AFTERNOON: This
week's Ghostmeat Pre
sents Saturday Afternoon
At The High Hat will fea
ture the inimitable Willie
and The Hand Factory (a
studio project made real,
featuring our very own
Bill Scoggins) and South
Carolina's Drovers Old
Time Medicine Show (not
to be confused with
Chicago's Drovers).
You're probably familiar
with Bill's John-Prine-
with-a-chip-on-his-shoul-
der material, but you
definitely need to stick around for the Drovers, who are to blue-
grass what Neil Armstrong is to the moon, i.e. you won't find
anything else like this happening in Athens. If you or your band
want to get involved, feel free to contact your local Ghostmeat
representatives at 549-9485 or 353-2364.
TRANSMISSION FROM THE HOUSE: The Possibilities have
just finished completion on their latest cassette, Loser Stew,
which, except for "My Stomach's Wall" (recorded at the High
Hat back in February) was completely recorded at their extremely
frightening house over in Norma'town. Bonus points are
awarded to the boys for including their cover of Jimmy Webb's
"I Think We're Gonna Make It Baby." If you want to reach their
web page, you can do so at http://www.athens.net/-spammy/
possib.htm.
FRED LIVES: Fred Schneider's solo album Just Fred will be
available for purchase (i.e. in stores) on April 23rd. As I've told
you in a previous column, the record was recorded by Steve
Albini (gee, I bet they had plenty to talk about), and it also
features members of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (Russell
Simmons), the Didjits (Rick Simms), Tar (Tom), and various mem
bers of Six Finger Satellite and Shadowy Men On A Shadowy
Planet. Actually, much of this record probably sounds dose to
what the pre-record deal B-52's sounded like "back in the day"
(I'm guessing...). My favorite song titles include “Lick," "Ra
dioactive Lady Eyeball," "Bulldozer" and (ahem, BIG ahem)
"Sugar In My Hog." Thank you, and good night.
IT'S ABOUT TIME (or, Sid Griffin might finally get his
due): Although both of these albums sprung out of L.A.'s so-
called "Paisley Underground," neither of them really had any
thing to do with the dippy spirit of that movement. Rather,
Danny & Dusty's The Lost Weekend and the Long Ryders' Two-
Fisted Tales were some of the first rumblings from the West
Coast that were deeply influenced by the whole International
Submarine Band/Flying Burritc Brothers "sound" (y'know, the
inevitable fusing of electric guitars, pedal steels, plaintive vo
cals and a sure nod to tradition along with some real energy).
You're probably familiar with the Long Ryders (especially
their album State Of Our Union), but you're probably not as
well-versed about Danny & Dusty. The Lost Weekend, long lost
to the cut-out bins by the indifference of A&M Records, was
something of a "stupor"-group featuring Dan Stuart and Chris
Cavacas from Green On Red, Steve Wynn and Dennis Duck
from the Dream Syndicate and Sid Griffin, Stephen McCarthy
and Tom Stevens from the Long Ryders. The music? Pretty much
what you'd expect from this group of fellas after a few cold
ones: high, lonesome and
loose.
After several years of un
availability, both ...Weekend
and Two-Fisted Tales are be
ing reissued by Prima Records,
a small label based in England
that has also released two al
bums by Sid Griffin's new
project The Coal Porters, in
addition to a large portion of
the Long Ryders' back catalog (since Island Records never saw
fit to preserve those amazing albums). For more info, contact
Prima Records at P.O. Box 2539, London NW3 6DF, England, or
reach them through the Internet at http://130.159.56J/pd/
SidHome.html. Now, if someone would reissue the Knitters
record....
GET THERE EARLY: Gryphon, a new band 'round these parts,
will be playing their first show at the Atomic Music Hall April 10.
Their two-song cassette (recorded on a four-track in guitarist
Matt McClelland's bed
room) is pretty solid. This
is extremely poppy stuff,
slightly serious, but the
cassette wisely sidesteps
pretension. Most of the
focus here should go on
those vocal harmonies,
which are tight and in
ventive, and might be
this band's saving grace.
This should be interest
ing. For further info,
contact Gryphon c/o
Jimmy James, 270 Cobb
St., Athens, GA 30601;
369-6903.
UNSIGNED
BANDS, TAKE HEED: A
few weeks ago at South
By Southwest, the Ticketmaster Music Showcase (I know, I
know...) began its nationwide search for unsigned bands. Now,
I'd be the first to tell you that they're something of a question
able power structure in the music industry, but you should prob
ably use as many avenues and resources as you can to get your
band out of the endless dayjob/always broke/no beer money
axis. Some of the bands that have benefitted from such a public
ity push include Dishwalla, the Verve Pipe, the Refreshments and,
uh, the Commodores (just kidding). The showcase last year was
full of plenty of industry heavies (Maverick, Polygram, Warner/
Chappell, Geffen, Island), so maybe you should, well, get in
volved. For further info, contact 1-800-800-3232. Good luck.
SON VOLT FANS (yes, you, way out there in
Winterville), listen up: Issue 37 of the Pop Culture Press (out
of Austin, Tex.) features a flexidisc with Son Volt performing
Del Reeves' trucking classic "Looking At Life Through A Wind
shield," along with Southern Culture On The Skids performing
"Merry Christmas Baby." Yes, it rocks. This is just a swell little
monthly (graphically, especially), and they tend to cover every
thing from Blue Mountain, Superchunk, Pere Ubu to Edwyn
Collins (and this particular issue I've just mentioned also con
tains a nice interview with Jay Farrar with answers that go far
beyond the mono-syllabic). To further investigate this publica
tion, you have many avenues: website: http:///monsterbit.com/
pcp.html; address: P.O. Box 150423, Austin, TX 78715-0423;
email: popcultcha@i-knk.net. Happy hunting, kids.
AND FROM RYKODISC: Austin, Tex., transplant Bob Mould
will be releasing a solo album("so!o" as in he played all the in
struments) entitled, ahem, Bob Mould April 30. The record was
recorded in Austin at Cedar Creek and was produced by Mould
(meaning lots of high-end) and, no, there are no plans for a tour
at the moment (although I imagine he'll hit the road with his
trusty 12-string sometime soon). Also, Ryko will re-release the
original Golden Smog EP (that came out on Minneapolis' Crack
pot Records severai years back) titled On Golden Smog. This par
ticular album is all covers (and featured ex-Replacements drum
mer Chris Mars) and is worth your while if only to hear the boys
meander through Cad Company's "Shooting Star" — although
you really should hear Andy LeMaster and I do it.
AND FINALLY: If you have any news or info for Yer Goody,
call me Wednesdays at 549-9523, or write me at P.O. Box 1027,
Athens, GA 30603. In the words of Montgomery Burns, "Push
out the jive; bring in the love."
That's Yer Goody for the week of 4-10-96.
Jason Slatton
n
POOL TABLES • BRAVES BIG SCREEN HQ
n
ypii^
m ■ I lEI ijPl’i'i j 1*1 tj j J1 [ J1J w
240 N.Lumpkln St • Across from the GA Theatre
F
F
sauifoa mva • sinih^vn
Above Big Sh ot Records
r%i
164 E. Clayton St. 54R-7573
WEDNESDAY, APR. 10TH
FREE POOL
ALL NIGHT
NO COVER
THURSDAY, APR. 11TH
NICKEL
A 5 YEAR TRADITION
SIMPLETONS
FRIDAY, APR. 12TH
After Shock
Commotion
with
Virtual Usslii^j mss^ins
SIMPLETONS
SATURDAY, APR. 13TH
FREE POOL 3-9
DISCO
MON DAY-TUESDAY
FREE POO
AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES
IK TO I MI K - 21 TO IIICIVR
April lO, 1996
n