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Life is But a Dream - Tales From the AthensRockShow

Posted on 01/06/2010 by Daniel Peiken  | 

Well if you saw my article in the November issue of Playgrounds Magazine then you read about Vic Chesnutt (www.vicchesnutt.com). I mentioned that, for me, seeing Vic play live was as close to church as I get, I also advised everyone to go and see him perform. If you didn’t take my advice then you’re too late. Vic Chesnutt passed away on Christmas Day 2009. He overdosed on muscle relaxants that sent him into a coma, he wasn’t found for two days and died two days after that. His family is accepting donations to help pay for his hospital bills at kristinhersh.cashmusic.org. Vic left us enough music that we will never forget him. He sang with beauty and shame in his voice, he had a forked tongue and didn’t care if he offended anyone with his lyrics. The world will learn of his talent as other musicians start covering his songs. Widespread Panic, R.E.M., Cracker, Garbage, the Smashing Pumpkins, Soul Asylum and Madonna have already done so.

I’ve written about many of the bands in this article already but they’re worth mentioning again. I’ve composed a list of my favorite Athens bands of the last ten years. Since I started with a musician that you will never see play live again, I’ll continue with that unfortunate thought and tell you about some great bands that just don’t play very often. Some have broken up, some are busy doing other things, most of the players are still around.

I am lucky enough to say that I’ve seen the Glands perform live a few times. They’ve played a handful of times last decade but not nearly enough. When they play all of Athens’ elite come to see them. They sound like the Kinks when they were groovy, the Beatles during their LSD phase, and Elvis Costello without the whining. They sing like they have nothing to prove. Lead singer Ross Shapiro runs Schoolkids Records for many years now, maybe working in a record store gives you some sort of understanding of music, thru osmosis. It only hurts when I laugh. Two of their shows are posted in the archive at www.SouthernShelter.com.

The Star Room Boys broke up just as I was making myself at home in Athens, but most of the players stayed in town and luckily I’ve been able to see them perform many times. They sing with a Georgia twang about whiskey drenched evenings, being alone and depressed, broken hearts, and bars and stones. They remind me of the beer soaked – sticky floors at the end of a sold out show at the 40 Watt Club. Dave Marr handles the vocals and boy does he know how to sing, he’s like a punk rock cowboy with a velvet voice. Marr along with John Neff and Phillip McArdle are the main players. Now Neff plays with the Drive By Truckers but when he’s in town, he also plays with the Chasers, the Wydelles, Lona, Barbara Cue, and more. Phillip McArdle plays in the Wydelles and the Chasers but we just lost him to California. Another band that I don’t get to see anymore is Southern Bitch (www.myspace.com/southernbitch). Adam and Wendy Musick are the backbone of this band. And yes, Adam was born ‘Adam Musick’ and he is one of the most talented guitar players I have ever heard. There aren’t friendlier people on this earth then the Musicks. They recently relocated to their family farm up north, I hope those pigs and donkeys are loving the tunes that the Musick’s make.

I recently wrote about the Masters of the Hemisphere (www.myspace.com/mastersofthehemisphere) and I can’t write an article about my favorite Athens bands without mentioning them again. Some of their songs are silly and “cartoony” – about dogs, frogs and girls. But they don’t take themselves too seriously so the songs work. The lyrics may be colorful and silly the but the musicianship cannot be hidden. Their songs may be unimportant in the whole scheme of things but the band shouldn’t be forgotten. Members have moved all over the country but have been known to lurk around the Caledonia Lounge every few years.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned Now It’s Overhead (www.nowitsoverhead.com) but that‘s only because they don‘t play very often. Andy LeMaster fronts this band when he is in town, he co-owns Chase Park Transduction studios with David Barbe. He’s performed,produced, and engineered many recordings on the Saddle Creek Label, including records by Bright Eyes and Azure Ray. They make beautiful sounds together with clock like timing, sweet sounds of heartache and despair, hollering out to the heavens. Michael Stipe of REM sings on a few songs on their last album. Clay Leverett (Lona, Chasers) plays drums and helps with vocals and two members of the Summerbirds in the Cellar play keyboards and guitars. The Summerbirds called Athens home for a few years but they recently broke up, you can still hear them at www.myspace.com/summerbirds. When they played they blew me away, I never missed a show. I even ran out of a Drive By Trucker show at the Georgia Theatre once to high tail it to the 40 Watt Club to catch their act. I ran back to the theatre to finish with the Truckers of course.

Speaking of the Drive By Truckers (www.drivebytruckers.com) I‘ve got lots to say about them but I won‘t even try to start here because I have too much to say. I could write a novel about their music and the concerts that I’ve seen. I’ll let my pictures speak for themselves but I will tell you that the band is made up of Patterson Hood (www.PattersonHood.com), Mike Cooley, Brad Morgan, Shauna Tucker, John Neff, and Jay Gonzales. Athens is lucky to have more than half the band living here and I’m even luckier to call most of them my friends. When Patterson wants to play but Mike and Shauna are not around he simply gathers up David Barbe and along with Brad, John and Jay perform as the Belvederes or as the Screwtopians with Brad, John, Barbe, and Will Johnson & Scott Danbom of Centro-Matic. Centro-Matic (www.centro-matic.com) is a fantastic band out of Denton, TX. DBT is my favorite band of all, you can go to my website, www.AthensRockShow.com to see photos from almost 100 of their concerts.

David Barbe, of Chase Park Transduction Studios, has his own band called David Barbe & the Quickhooks (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Barbe). Barbe, Jon Mills, Frank McDonnell and Kyle Spence play real slow, if they were riding a bike they’d hit the pavement hard. They play slow so that you can hear their fantastic musicianship and take it all in. They have the confidence to play slow. It’s like they’re playing to the heavens.

Clay Leverett heads up two bands, Lona and the Chasers (www.myspace.com/thechasersband). Lona is made up of (John Neff (DBT), Nick Bielli, Marcus Thompson and Neil Golden, add Dave Gilliard and Phillip McArdle and you have the Chasers. Lona is like the Rolling Stones if Mick was born in South Georgia. They sing boozy, fun Rock’N’Roll. They’re very talented and when they’re tight they’re on fire. They’re like a modern steel train heading straight to the future if they can keep their direction. The Chasers are admittedly a country band and always a great time. With a pickle in the middle and some mustard on top. The Wydelles (www.thewydelles.com) are Bo Bedingfield, John Neff, Phillip McArdle, Brandon Reynolds and Clay Leverett on drums. They have been quietly earning respect and fans in our town. Bo is much more talented then he knows but I think he’s realizing it now. He’s the worlds tallest drummer, and he’s a true gentleman. Just sit back, listen and enjoy the music. Bo sings and writes like John Prine and Jackson Browne. The future of the Wydelles is uncertain since McArdle moved out west. Bo wrote a song about him called San Diego – check it out at www.SouthernShelter.com (search Bo Bedingfield).

The Arcs (www.myspace.com/thearcsrock) have been playing together as a band for less than five years but they’re already an Athens classic. I love songs about Rock’N’Roll, radios, and the feeling we get from listening to music. They sing those songs and give me that feeling every time. They respect the music and pay attention to the audience, they play about four times a year, and they make sure every show is a special event.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned Don Chambers and GOAT (www.donchambersmusic.com) as much as I should. GOAT has an ever changing line up but usually includes Jim Wilson, Matt “Pistol” Stoessel, and Brandon McDearis. The most obvious comparison for Don is Tom Waits but I won’t mention that. Don is an original and a great man. He sounds like he’s shouting outside the freak tent at a circus sideshow. His songs are filled with irony, rust and rock. Dark swampy songs about family vacations gone wrong. Jim Wilson plays his “caddiladder” which is made up of his finely tuned wooden ladder with specific hubcaps attached (usually). Don wails in one of his songs…“I wanna walk home singing”…and I do after every Don Chambers show.

Check out Boo Ray at www.booraylive.com or you can just keep an eye out for him at the CMA’s. I first ran into him at a Lona / David Barbe show at the 40 Watt Club on February 25, 2004. At first I didn’t get him, tall, lanky, cowboy want-to-be, he seemed to know many of my friends but he didn’t make any sort of impression me. That didn’t stop us from having a brief conversation where he handed me his newest CD. I took his self-title album home and fell in love with it. I played it hundreds of times over the next four years. My wife got hooked and we shared it with family, friends, and in-laws. I never saw or heard anything from Boo until he splashed back in town in 2008 and he’s been lighting it on fire ever since. He sold over 10,000 copies of his first album out of the trunk of his car, do yourself a favor and order Bad News Travels Fast and save Boo Ray some gas.

Three of Athens most talented singers are women, Kaitlin Jones, Kimberly Morgan and Betsy Franck. You’ve heard it here before, Kaitlin Jones & the County Fair (www.myspace.com/kaolinjones) sings like she’s old country. Imagine Lorretta Lynn and Patsy Cline sharing a meal at the Waffle House, singin’ songs about their stack of pancakes, hash browns and grits. They’re that good. A few times a year we get to see Kimberly Morgan & the Everloving Band (www.myspace.com/kimberlymorganandtheeverlovinband). Kimberly is happy to share stories about heritage and family. She’s got a warm and nurturing voice, and sings cute songs about gambling’and bein’a good woman. She writes songs that should be handed down from generation to generation in a Linda Rondstadt sort of way. Betsy Franck & the Bareknuckle Band pound out the blues. Betsy’s got a powerful voice and sings songs about powerful women. I’ve heard her do Aretha Franklin proud and I’ve heard her sound like she’d fit right in on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Catch these lovely ladies if you ever get the chance.

The Whigs (www.thewhigs.com) will be huge this decade. The Whigs are an extremely talented three-piece garage rock band, that sings intelligent songs that will grab you. Their songs are so well written that I find myself wondering why no one else ever put those words to music before. After their show you’ll wanna be their friend. Parker holds his guitar up high like a prisoner guards his food, occasionally tempting the drums like a bullfighter tempts his bull. Tim Deaux marches along like he’s in the marching band and Julian Dorio keeps the beat. Before it’s all over you realize you’ve been jumping up and down to the music for an hour. The Whigs have had lots of well earned success in the latter part of the decade. Likewise, Dead Confederate (www.deadconfederate.com) are made up of a bunch of friends who have known each other for years and played in other bands together. They regrouped as Dead Confederate and have found great success. These are the guys that I want watchin’my back if I’m ever in a fight. They’re a bunch of good ole boys who seem like they would kill to defend their own. Their shows build up with intensity until it explodes like a car accident, black and white flashing lights, sounds, noises, screaming. One song is written from the perspective of a rat.

Athens old timers Bloodkin (www.Bloodkin.net) have become a favorite of mine this year. I’ve seen them play at least ten times in the last three years but only this year have they become a ‘destination’ band for me, now I won’t miss them. Daniel Hutchens and Eric Carter have been playing together since they were children. They moved to Athens over 23 years ago and formed Bloodkin. They have been tearing it up every since. William Tonks plays an important role with them as well as almost every other band mentioned in this article. Daniel is a word-slinger, he throws them at you like a whip, over and over again. Some songs are dusty, whiskey-driven, dirtroad-takin’ songs about love, history, heritage, and heartache.

Some songs are about being at rock bottom written while still there. Their new album, Baby, They Told Us We Would Rise Again is truly a work of art. “My Name is Alice” takes you from below the bottom and “Little Margarita” shows you how good life can be. Every song is a novel. Widespread Panic has been playing their song “Can’t Get High” since their beginning. Another of Tonk’s bands is the Workhorses of the Entertainment and Recreational Industry (www.myspace.com/weri). Ben Reynolds, formerly of the Chickasaw Mudd Puppies, takes center stage, Rob Keller plays stand up bass and sings like Neil Young. When these guys share the stage they create a natural sound like a guitar pickin’ circle at a family re-union in the country. You’re guaranteed a good meal, they’ll satisfy your musical craving. Tonks sings about taking life easy, his covers will teach you about other great singer songwriters. He’s also been playing with Barbara Cue (www.myspace.com/bbcue) since 1997, along with Widespread Panic’s Todd Nance on drums and John Neff, Jon Mills, and Crumpy Edwards. These guys are musical craftsmen who sing songs that are perfect for riding down the road in the back of a pick up truck with the wind blowing thru your hair and a cold High Life in your hand. Just sayin’.

I believe that every member of Still Small Voice and the Joyful Noise (www.myspace.com/stillsmallvoiceandthejoyfulnoise) has worked at the 40 Watt Club at some time. Chip McKenzie writes sweet, haunting songs that will creep up on you, when you start to realize how good his lyrics are you are already hooked. Elf Power (www.elfpower.com) is another band like that. Andrew Rieger writes otherworldly, beautiful songs that paint very colorful scenes. The bands if full of horns, guitars, harmonies and sounds that may hold the answers to the universe. Five Eight (www.fiveeight.com) is different and they’ll be the first ones to tell you that. Mike Mantione isn’t afraid to sing about his past to get his point across. Their songs are happy and mad, fun and depressed, heavy and hard, nurturing and hateful, loud and loud. They seem like they’re always playing on some sort of inside joke. They let you know that it’s OK to be nutz. Their shows are full of laughter, energy, and sweat, and they’re always a real good time. Timi Conley (www.rowyourboatrecords.com/timi-index.htm) is like that too – always a good time. He’s at his craziest when he plays with Jay Rodgers and Andrew Hamner in Kite to the Moon (www.kitetothemoon.com). He’s a hoot to see solo, outrageous as Ziggy Stardust, charming in Abbey Road, and he shines in Pigs on the Wing.

Instrumental band A.Armada (www.myspace.com/aarmada) is a machine, they perform with military precision and play with intense power and energy. The show will be over before you know it and you won’t believe what you just witnessed. Imagine if Mozart had a band in the 1970’s this is what he might sound like. Similar but different is Maserati (www.myspace.com/maseratirocks). The first time I saw them at the 40 Watt I was hooked. Late last year their drummer, Jerry Fuchs, died in an accident involving a freight elevator in NYC. Their previous drummer died when he was hit by a car while riding his bike in 2005. Hopefully they will find a way to continue to play their music. Powers (www.myspace.com/byyrpowerscombined) appeared to me one hot AthFest night in 2009. The four members performed on the floor in the center of the 40 Watt Club completely surrounded by fans all eager to have a look. These bands may play the loudest music that your ears can handle without ear plugs. They are that tight and play that clean. I hope to see all these bands again real soon.

I wish Nic Goodson and his band, Sleepy Horses (www.sleepyhorses.net), would play more often. They blew into town during a dust storm few years ago, played a few shows, gathered a few fans then came divorce and a suicide attempt. A couple more years have passed and things are better for Nic. He’s newly married and he’s enjoying life and playing music again. I saw him perform a solo show during AthFest 2008 which has become one of my favorite shows of the decade. It was 100+ degrees outside, he was playing inside the Cathedral-like, air-conditioned space at Cine (www.athenscine.com). He pulled out his guitar and filled the room with swirling sounds and guitar feedback. He just takes off and takes you with him, then he brings you back down and sets you up for the next song (hopefully it’s not his last one). It’s like he’s playing for the angels without looking like he‘s trying too hard. I left this show in tears. It was 3:00 on a Sunday afternoon. Another band that has brought tears to my eyes is Summer Hymns (www.myspace.com/summerhymns). My friend Zachary Gresham puts on his sailor’s cap and leads this band of pirates. They sound like the Flaming Lips if they were fronted by Neil Young. Zach’s songs are funny and sweet and accidentally romantic. His beautiful lyrics make you think, his words flow and fall like feathers sometimes overlapping themselves as they lay. Not those pretty, fluffy white feathers but the brightly colored rainbow kind you find in the hobby shop. In one of my favorite songs he simply sings “Cock-A-Doodle-Doo“ over and over and over until it all makes sense. At least it did to me.

Other bands to watch out for are the Modern Skirts (www.modernskirts.com). These guys sing beautiful, poppy songs for young girls to love and young men to follow them to the shows. They sound like the early Beatles or a very young Billy Joel. Nate Nelson (www.natenelsonmusic.com) is a young man, he often plays with his friend, Cortright. What do you expect a kid to do growing up in a music town like Athens? Pick up a guitar before grade school and start performing for your friends and schoolmates. He did that for years and now he‘s playing in the clubs. He sings on his tippie toes, his mom still comes to his shows and he has rockstar hair. You will hear from Allison Weiss (www.allisonw.com) over the next decade. She’s a very talented singer songwriter who sounds a lot like Lisa Loeb but has her own stories to tell. Does Lisa sing about Unicorns and Marshmallows? I don’t think so. If you like Widespread Panic, the Grateful Dead, the Doors or Ben Harper you should check out Lionz (www.lionz.org). My good friend Jefferson Taffet has been leading this band of animals for many years now and this year they are finally “Breaking Out Of The Zoo”. That’s the name of their new album and it’s coming out in 2010. Marc Cunningham and his Burning Angels (www.myspace.com/burningangels09) are making huge waves here in Athens. They’ll be bringing their brand of Americana / Country-Rock, to your town soon.

Rock’N’Roll doesn’t have to hurt, but I can’t live without it. All of my photos are at www.AthensRockShow.com. All of my videos are at www.youtube.com/athensdaniel. Check out www.AthensHome.com for real estate in Athens. I’d love to hear your comments about my photos and ramblings, email me at dpeiken@hotmail.com. See you at the Rock Show!

Tagged: daniel peiken, athensrockshow, bloodkin, drive by truckers, rem, five eight, still small voice, lona, chasers