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MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
Welcome back, my friends. Here's this week's roundup of
news, happenings and other Athens music hoo-ha. So, dig in
and enjoy. Stab your fork below...
A Spaniard in the Works: Long-dormant Athens band King of
Prussia spent some time in the studio recently working on a
new full-length. Member Brandon Hanick has been living in
Barcelona, Spain for the past year, but he flew into Sea Note
Recording Studios in Myrtle Beach, SC for the two-week ses
sion. That's really all there is to report concerning this, so
maybe there'll be more news soon. For those who have no
idea what I'm talking about, please see www.myspace.com/
wearekingofprussia.
Well, Finally: Athens band Spring Tigers will finally see the
release of its debut EP on Oct. 20 via San Francisco label
Bright Antenna. The new-ish label, best known as the U.S.
home of UK band The Wombats, inked a deal with Spring
Tigers several months ago. The band's basic sound of Brit-
poppy tunefulness is pretty well preserved on the recording but
also features a high-gloss finish that will render the songs as
new experiences to anyone who has seen the band live. It's a
shiny, shiny, shiny record. The band spent loads of time tweak
ing these recordings and has plans to tour in support of the
six-song EP this fall. Congrats, guys. Also, tell your label to
add your name to its website. I mean, what the hell? For more
info, please see www.myspace.com/springtigers.
Get Them Again for the First Time: B1U Mallonee has re-
released, in physical form no less, his 2006 album Permafrost
and his 2008 EP lower case. You can sample the tracks
from Permafrost over at Mallonee's Works (in) Progress
Administration site but, frustratingly, there's no indication
as to which songs are from that record. But head to www.
myspace.com/worksprogressadministration and listen anyway.
Everything there is well worth your time. As always, Mallonee
is constantly booking shows and traveling. Currently, he's seek
ing house, church and cafe shows. You know, low-cost non-
traditional venues. If you've got one or a line on one, give him
a shout at Volmail@aol.com.
Total Hearsay: Athens ex-pat Robert Gunn (An Epic at Best)
has returned briefly from his new home in France, Gabe
Vodicka (Long Legged Woman, Erutrevo) is intermittently in
town from the West Coast, and Roy Coughlin (Some Animal) is
back briefly from San Francisco. The three are currently writing
and recording a new record inside the space formerly known
as CM House, which hosted the punk rock dreams of a bil
lion Athens youth only a few years ago. The three have been
writing separately and, as yet, have no real idea of what the
project will sound like but have tried to assure me it will sound
nothing like their other bands. It's like 2004 alt over again!
The trio hopes to have something for the listening public by
November.
You're Gonna Make Me Love You: DJ Kurt Wood and 0)
Mahogany will spin records at a Northern Soul dance party
on Sunday, Sept. 13 at Ben s Bikes (670 W. Broad Street). It
goes without saying that this often-argued genre is safe in the
hands of these two. Doors open at 9 p.m. Not a bad way to
sweat off Saturday night, you know.
V Yer Boo: Athens songwriter Boo Ray, who has been spend
ing an awful lot of time in Los Angeles, will play the 40 Watt
on Wednesday, Sept. 9 with Clay Leverett, Mark Cunningham,
Workhorses of the Entertainment/ Recreational Industry
and Still, Small Voice and the Joyful Noise. He'll play again
on Monday, Sept 14 at Tasty World with Fire Zuave. Boo
Ray's newest record, Bad Hews Travels Fast, was recorded
throughout the past 18 months with half the sessions taking
place in L.A. and the other half in Athens. An impressive list
of sidemen accompanied him, too, including David Blackmon,
William Tonks, Jordan
Shapiro (Shooter Jennings),
Steve Feronne (Tom Petty
& the Heartbreakers) and
many more. He uses the term
"hillbilly' to describe his
harmonies, and there is a
distinctive celebratory wail
to his mandolin-driven tunes
that I find simultaneously
invigorating and familiar. You
can read a full record review
on p. 18. In other news,
Boo Ray and Athens/Atlanta
rapper Big John Bourbon
are recording tracks with DJ
Chrisis and have plans to
release something by the turn
of 2010. For sound samples,
etc., please see www.reverb-
nation, com/boo ray.
Keeper of the Beats: Athens
jazz hounds Squat will reunite
briefly with drummer Dwayne
Holloway, who 1. *t the
band in 2001. Holloway also
did time with several other
Athens combos and, in 1999,
represented Athens with
Jazz Studies professor Steve Dancz at the World Sacred Music
Festival in India. Holloway currently resides in Philadelphia.
You can catch the band with Holloway on Thursday, Sept. 10 at
the Melting Point here in Athens, where they'll play with Kinky
Waikiki, and Saturday, Sept 19 at Bhojanic in Decatur.
Merger Time: Athens hip-hop monster Tommy Valentine has
teamed up with Bobby Stamps (business partner and manager
of Bubba Sparxxx) to form Mean Mic Entertainment. The new
venture plans to host a weekly hip-hop series at the New Earth
Music Halt The events will feature the turntable skills of DJ
Tune, be hosted by Elite tha Showstoppa, feature a weekly
competition of some kind and then host a feature performer.
The pair has plans for a weekly, streaming Internet show, too.
The first event from this newly formed partnership will happen
Friday, Sept. 18 at New Earth.
I Can See the Theatre from Here: George McConnell (ex-Wide-
spread Panic) has a new band together and will play No Where
Bar on Thursday, Sept. 17. Brad Downs & the Poor Bastard
Souls are also on the bilL Lately, McConnell has steadily
released a series of "virtual 45s' which, as one would imagine,
are two-track digital singles complete with both "a" and "b"
sides. Check them out over at www.georgemcconnell.com
Gordon Lamb threatsarxlpromises@ftagpole.com
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