I remember standing outside the 40 watt in Athens, Ga listening to their bus rumble thinking I was going to play and tour too forever. The guy slappin that stand up base was awesome. Blew my hair back. Weird and good...that was a long time ago. LOL
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Misc Weirdo Music
- Thread starter setxwx
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lol
Athens? Ever catch REM before they blew up in 1987? Like back in the “Fables of The Reconstruction” time?
Yes, I moved there in 86. Was around them a lot being in bands, mutual friends and working around town. Peter Bucks wife Barrie (now x) owned the 40 Watt where we played a lot. Lots of good times and memories (sure some vacant memories too. lol) I loved REM. One of my best music memories was at the Uptown Lounge. Michael was there with the Indigo Girls when they were just getting going sort of. I sat on the floor right at the stage when they did Kid Fears. My skin melted. I knew then I had to learn to play guitar and wanted to perform as well. Nothing does stuff to your soul like music...Will never understand it but it never goes away. Melts my heart just typing this and thinking about all of those times. Oh another memory: One time when I was a newbie and playing a solo thing at a restaurant/bar they came in. I believe it was Michael, Bill and Mike...I got way in my head and completely forgot how to even play. It was like I never played ever. Fingers wouldn't work! I was like, surely I'm not going to sit here by myself and think I can even play and sing my stupid stuff to REM. Gosh, the memories and weirdness in that town. My son lives there now and Is a musician and I wonder if he could ever come close to the wild fun interesting things I did. I don't even want to know. LOL. I could on and on..
I would give anything to go back to that moment in time and rewind 100 times. Special. You could have heard a pin drop.
Spread Heads
That is awesome as hell.
I introduced so many people to REM. I got into them around 1985. I had gotten a bootleg cassette of some of their stuff and was amazed at how they told stories with their music. I’m so grateful to have had them as a part of my teenage years. Odd thing to note, but Alton Brown, the TV chef, was the cinematographer on the video for “Losing My Religion”.
I know right. We are lucky. It would have been so easy for them to not have went mainstream since they were more alternative. Like you, people had to be turned on to them at the beginning. Now Peter, I read is worth 50m. They were smart and worked hard. Amazing what they did. Such nice guys too (Michael was the least...strange and elusive a bit) but always hung out supporting other bands and such. They would come to our shows too. I just remembered that Barrie and I would trade dresses on show nights when we played. I dressed and looked like Patsy Cline so coming up with those outfits was interesting. So Barrie and crowd would dress the part as well. It was like this weird country come to town at the 40 Watt. Wild for those days in that town. Novelty. I wore this awesome outfit of hers the night we opened for David Allen Coe at the Georgia Theater. She was beautiful. Sucks to not have more pictures but cell phones were not even a thang. LOL. It's crazy how things stick with you for the rest of your life. Michael said one night " Peace is not something that just comes to you, you have to work for it". He was right. Do you play?
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One of my favorite metal bands.. They are just mega-godly:
Sorry for the abrupt change.. I am a huge REM fan as well, especially the IRS era. Also great personal stories there wildabout...
Don't say sorry for the change. All music and people's taste is interesting. Actually, my first thought when I played it, was another memory. LOL.
Just tell me to stop. LOL. Okay, so one night at the 2nd location of the 40 Watt, there was a band playing, hard core stuff like your video (the kind that contributed to my hearing loss now). Small dark nasty place. LOUD! The ghoulish were out. There was a shelter at the front entrance. Wee hours in the morning, everyone is on another planet by that point. Here comes this old convertible car like 50 something Chevy busting up under the shelter. It was like a scene from a zombie movie. Tons of people started crawling out. They literally looked like they were crawling out of a grave. Pale, dirty, tripping, and oh so entertaining. Funny how things stick in the memory. Peter Buck use to drive a hearse all around. LOL. Those were the days....Thanks for sharing.
cd2play
Member
The REM band makes me lose my religion
Since we all feelin' a little edgy..
tractor girl
Member
Fun story. I was still a teenager and got in to this show. I grew up in a sheltered home and was just getting into punk rock about this time. I saw the name Widespread Panic and was like dope.. this band is gonna kick serious ass! LOLOL. I excused myself after the third song.
I'm with ya on that! Liked them, nice fellows, especially Big Dave but it wasn't my favorite stuff. They went on to do good things though and got quite a following. Even though I loved to hippie dance and liked all kinds of music, just never really became a spread head junkie. Technical good but not so exciting I guess I would say. I bet being sheltered and all you did find some exciting bands to see? Do you remember who? Love your profile name.Fun story. I was still a teenager and got in to this show. I grew up in a sheltered home and was just getting into punk rock about this time. I saw the name Widespread Panic and was like dope.. this band is gonna kick serious ass! LOLOL. I excused myself after the third song.
tractor girl
Member
...you did find some exciting bands to see? Do you remember who? Love your profile name.
Thanks! Yeah my very first show was actually Fetchin Bones at the GATH I think in 1989 or so. Also got to see Pylon there and at the washington st 40 watt on new years night 1990. I was such a shy scared girl back then... but Pylon got me dancing for the first time in my life.
I liked 5-8, Roosevelt, A Mercy Union, Vomit Thrower, Nerve Clinic, Radio Tahiti, and lots more local bands.
Are you still doing music?
Oh wow! What a trip down memory lane! Fetchin Bones. Wow. I'm starting to forget all the bands. B 52's, Hillbilly Frankenstein, Love Tractor, The Primates, Tattooed Dogs, Skin Pops, NRBQ, The BBQ killers. So many more and freinds in them but I can't even think of their names now. LOL. What fun though.
Moved there to go to school and got in to music and that was all she wrote. What a crazy life. Said I would never leave. But did. LOL
I don't do music. Haven't taken my guitar out of the case in 8 months. Left Athens in 94 with my musician husband, moved to the woods, had babies, started farming. Went from being total social butterfly to living like a pilgrim. LOL. My hubby even sold all of his guitars and we just changed everything. We did start back music after awhile. He started back with the band but I never did. Just played and wrote music in the woods mostly. Gave guitar lessons. I was actually thinking a couple of days ago that I should make time to play, then pulled a muscle in my chest and so much for that? I am though soon.
Do you play? Where were your fav places to eat?
The Primate boys is who got me in to music in the first place. So long ago. Great people and lots of memories all throughout and many bands.
I do. Not as much now, but my buddy I and still get together and play.
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