About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2011)
f DENISE DOMIZI wo decades ago, when Athens was not yet coming down from the bingfc of an era that put the city and its music on the national pop culture radar, the under ground rock scene was thriving. A recent art school graduate from Massachusetts named Timi Conley drove south in a rusty 1979 Toyota Corolla seeking a place for his college band to take off in a new direction. His first stop was Athens, and from here he planned to spend some time in Austin. After arriving in Athens, Conley ran out of gas—and never left. A few months later, Conley's bandmates, bassist Dave Domizi and his brother, drummer Scott Domizi, also made the migration from Massachusetts to Georgia. The three rented a small house in Five Points that Dave says was "just close enough to code to legally rent." A few weeks later, in the summer of 1991, Fuzzy Sprouts plugged in and played their first Athens show in the depths of Club Fred, a gritty, basement punk club below Fred di Toronto's Pizzeria. While the zappy, psychedelic funk-rock didn't quite call in the masses at first, it did catch the ear of Club Fred booking agent Ripley Keller, and it wasn't long before the guys were regulars. Opening for Athens hard- rock favorites such as Hayride and Lagerhead, Fuzzy Sprouts quickly became a familiar name throughout the underground club circuit and earned the band its rightful place in the local scene. "Athens gave our music, and us as players, a chance to grow," says Dave. "We learned how to use spatulas to pay the rent, how to survive on the road, sleep in vans and on floors, and how to score killer deals at thrift stores." Conley and the Domizis spent their days working jobs as restaurant kitchen staff, tele marketers and any other work they could find to pay the bills while they fostered their craft. Conley notes that even in their day jobs, they were able to soak up inspiration that affected the development of their sound. "We came to Athens and got dishwashing jobs listening to James Brown and George Clinton," says Conley, "We were from New England—it ain't got that soul like here... We got gritty and scrappy and added that to the fluff." Over the next 10 years, Conley, Dave Domizi, guitarist/vocalist Michael Wegner— who joined the band in 1993—and a rota tion of drummers including Scott Domizi, Scott Nutt, Tim Payne and Seth Hendershot, released three independent albums: Hey Buddy (1996), Live & Sassy Picture Show (1999) and Liquid Light (2000). Fuzzy Sprouts played numerous shows locally, toured often and quickly became known for their miscellany of onstage pranks and stunts, including highwire tricks and assorted pyrotechnics. Among their list of show memories are a flaming birthday cake, live llamas, a sold-out show in which patrons of Atomic Music Hall drank the bar out of beer, and an event referred to simply as The Naked Party. "If you have to ask," says Conley, "you weren't there." Fast-forward 20 years from that first fate ful night at Club Fred, and the building that once held Fred di Toronto's Pizzeria is now home to Chelsea's Gentleman's Club. Several classic venues—The High Hat, Tasty World and Atomic Music Hall—have all fallen to the way- side. The downtown area has seen dozens of openings, closings, facelifts and changes, but the Sprouts are still banking on one certain fact: the kids love to party. Although the band called it quits in 2001, after 10 years of full-time recording, touring and painting the town with hard rockin' party tunes, they have yet to fully conclude their career. Members of the band have continued to collaborate in several other local projects, including Abbey Road Live, The Magictones, Cosmic Charlie, Conley's own project Kite to the Moon and Wegner's group Whisper Kiss. The Sprouts are also known for their sporadic reunion shows—the last of which Dave jok ingly calls the "17th annual farewell concert." Now, in honor of their 20th anniversary as a part of the Athens music scene, Fuzzy Sprouts are hosting a special reunion show in the newly re-opened Georgia Theatre. As a band renowned for their tricks and shenanigans, it's hard to envision what the guys might have up their sleeves on such a momentous date. Though Conley, Dave Domizi, Wegner and Hendershot are all now fathers of children aged three to nine, do not expect a tame or toned-down performance. "The Georgia Theatre, being so brand-new and unspoiled, makes one wish to defile it in some glorious fashion befitting its grand majesty," Conley says. After 20 years on the scene, it's unlikely that Fuzzy Sprouts will ever really change their partying ways—and we're OK with that. Carrie Dagenhard - WHO: Fuzzy Sprouts, Hayride WHERE: Georgia Theatre WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10,9 p.m. HOW MUCH: $10 v ----- > { Coll to book your next appointment with Amanda, Brandi, Catie, Chlreen, Dayna, Jenny, Joseph, Kandice, Kristin } (706) 395-1500 • 1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy, Suite 309 I Located In the Markets at Epps Bridge shopping center a few stores down from Trader Joe's AMPLE PARKING AVAILABLE 10% OFF Tattoo or Body piercing WWW.AMER1CANCLASSICTATT00.NET 1035a Baxter St. 706-543-7628 ^ BAR Upcoming Events: SAT-9/10- opening at 9am UGA vs. S. Carolina £■§ $3 BLOODY AAARY BAR Serving BBQ, hot dogs,| sausages and chips Watch the Braves on 4 big screen TVs v $1 High Life drafts during the games vs Phillies • Wed. 9/7 at 7:05 pm vs NY Mets - Thurs. 9/8 at 4:10 pm vs Cardinals - Fri..9/9 at 8:15 pm vs Cardinals • Sat. 9/10 at 7:15 pm MONDAYS: ADULT TRIVIA 9 to 11pm $20 tab for winning team $10 tab for 2nd place TUESDAY: MOVIE NIGHT Sept 6 at 8 pm m. Chaddyshack NOW SERVING: Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs Polish & Italian Sausages Miss Vickie’s Chips 254 W. Clayton Street Athens. GA 30601 • 9 1 . 6< •'« < cr >6( SEPTEMBER 7. 2011 • FLAGPOLE.COM 17
