Happy Memorial Day

Have a happy and SAFE Memorial Day, guys. We'll be back to the Flagpole Athens Music Awards tomorrow.

Flagpole Music Awards: Cover Art

THE DEADLINE TO VOTE HAS BEEN MOVED TO FRIDAY, JUNE 4TH!

Since this is a complete write-in category for the Flagpole Athens Music Awards, I thought I'd take the liberty of gathering a few of my favorite covers from the past year for you. If you're interested in any more that I may not have listed here, check out our buddies at Athensmusic.net for more releases from the year.

GIFT HORSE (personal fave...)

Casper & the Cookies

JUSTIN EVANS

KILLICK

Flagpole Music Awards: Solo Performer

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

Sometimes, all you need is yourself. The following nominees have all played with other musicians but its their talents as solo artists that have gotten them noticed this go round. Whether it's too cute pop or smooth and soulful jazz, these guys know how to get your attention. Vote for your faves before FRIDAY.

MADELINE ADAMS
She's got a beautiful voice and a very calm aura about her that draws you into both her music and her personality. Watching her perform is an almost spiritual experience, her angelic ways will captivate and amaze.

RANDALL BRAMBLETT
The guy who never got his due, Randall Bramblett has been making music for longer than most of the other nominees have been alive. But his vast experience and killer musical chops make him quite modern and nimble indeed. It's no secret that we're huge fans here on AMJ...

MATT KURZ ONE
We've mentioned the awesomeness of Matt Kurz's unconventional one man band approach but there's always room for more fawning, right? Consider this a warning: Matt Kurz will rock you 'til you roll.

THAYER SARRANO
Ghostly and haunting, Thayer is capable of making an entire room go quiet and pay attention to her. It's a rare gift, especially in rowdy Athens, but if anyone can do it, Thayer can.

ALLISON WEISS
You've heard of her. If you haven't, you soon will. She's the queen of self-promotion, putting her graphic design talent together with cute ballads that'll have you humming. She's high profile and that's the way she likes it.

Weekly Show Picks

Sure, the students are mostly gone and the local haunts are looking a lot more empty than normal but there's still life in Athens! Check out this week's show picks, chock full of Flagpole Athens Music Awards nominees. Check 'em out before and after you vote!

TONIGHT

40 Watt

The Hold Steady

Twin Tigers

Tasty World Uptown

Aminal

Dodd Ferrelle

THURSDAY

40 Watt

Chase 56

The District Attorneys

Caledonia 

Love Tractor

Michael Guthrie Band

Romanenko

FRIDAY

Farm 255

Big Eyed Beans from Venus

Gimme Hendrix

Timmy Tumble

Little Kings

Maximum Busy Muscle

The Nice Machine

Rorshak

SATURDAY

Athica

Box Devils

The Subliminator

Tunabunny

Caledonia

Abandon the Earth Mission

Creepy

LeMaster

Go Bar

The Agenda

Matt Kurz One

Twin Powers and Immuzikation

MONDAY

Cine

Jazz Jam Session with Sonny Got Blue

Flagpole Music Awards: Best Live Band

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

I cannot stress the importance of live performance. Sure, your band can tweak its sound to hell and back in the studio but if you suck live then....well...maybe you should just be a studio project, okay? The following nominees rock our faces off constantly. Vote for your favorite before FRIDAY!

MATT KURZ ONE
Let me explain in the simplest way possible what it is like to watch Matt Kurz play: OH MY GOD. He uses his left foot to play bass, his right to play kick drum, his arms alternate between drumming and strumming and he sings real nice too. Good grief, someone give this kid a medal.

MUSIC TAPES
If you ever wondered what a television, banjo, harmonica, cluster**** of sound would look like, look no further than Music Tapes. Weird, wild, wonderous, and at times, magnificent.

'POWERS
WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! I'VE GOT EARPLUGS IN. WHAT?! YEAH, 'POWERS IS LOUD BUT DON'T THEY PUT ON AN AWESOME SHOW?

QUIET HOOVES
I love watching these guys. Never the same show twice. Lots of instrument switching and general debauchery done right. A collective of some of the hardest working/partying people in Athens, Quiet Hooves is always a good bet.

REPTAR
Yes, they are currently the most over-buzzed band in Athens but there's a good reason for it: Reptar = fun. Sure, they break floors and cause all sorts of mass chaos but you'll be having a damn good time during the show, that's for certain.

Happy Birthday To Us! Again!

Yes, ladies and gentlefolk, today marks the 2nd anniversary of the founding of this here site we call AthensMusicJunkie. And I just thought that the first year of AMJ was crazy! Our second year went places that I think none of us expected but we all enjoyed.

Let's talk about some of our R.E.M. adventures. There was the surprise appearance from Bill Berry at the Baseball Project show, the incredible release party for Olympia, and the ever-amusing AMJ/REMHQ mutual fawning fest which led to me finally acquiring the domain name Athensmusicjunkie.com!

Heck, in honor of the boys' thirtieth anniversary, we redid the site's banner and got to announce the official REM30 party! And while at WUOG, we got the very incredible honor of coordinating five hours of R.E.M. music on April 5th where we got to introduce the world to "Throw Those Trolls Away."  We're still a bit mind-boggled to say the very least.

Year 2 was an adventure in the non-REM realm too. I had the pleasure of introducing Widespread Panic's John Bell on the first day of Music Business classes. Our Athfest coverage was done mostly by YOU thanks to the many emails and photos that were sent in. I got roped into presenting at the Flagpole awards, a very humorous story in itself.

We saw a ton of shows and heard many records. Our good friends Ziona Kocher (bless your overworked heart) and Sofia Perea (best. intern. ever) gave their opinions and views. You guys got involved too, joining our Twitter feeds, Facebook page, and warring it out in the comments section. We started updating five days a week like a real site and your support has meant a lot.

We had some rough times too. We lost the Theatre and I had to write far too many obituaries for dear friends and fellow Athenians. I hope and pray that I can get through this year without having to write any...

I had a lot of personal growth as a writer/editor as well. I learned a few hard lessons about sources and trustworthy info, I battled off what seems to be my own personal heckler, and I learned to just let some things go. They don't teach this stuff in J-school. You have to get knocked around a bit. It helps to remember that AMJ is a couple of part-time writers and a host of characters that do this for the love (cause I sure can't live on this money!!).

We bid farewell to a lot of major places in my life. I've had to move on from my beloved Sound of the City at WUOG and the grind at UGA. And for now, I've temporarily moved from Athens. But I hope to be back soon.

Yeah, it's been a wild and crazy year. Thank you. I love what I do and I speak for all the AMJ staff when I say that we could not have done any of it without you. Your love, support, random comments, and emails keep us going. I don't know what this next year holds but I expect that when May 25th, 2011 rolls around, that birthday post will be spectacular indeed.

Have a slice of birthday cake for us!

Jordan Stepp
Editor/Creator/Narrator
ATHENSMUSICJUNKIE

Flagpole Music Awards: Hip-Hop

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

The hip-hop scene in Athens may not be as big as the one a few miles up the road in ATL but it's a strong one nonetheless. The following noms spit rhymes and create beats that will make your head spin. Make sure you vote for your favorite one before May 28th, aka FRIDAY. Now, on with the show.

DEAF JUDGES
A heavy favorite and the most recognizable name on the list, Deaf Judges bring the heat and the attitude, making everything a bit playful while doing so. Plus, they're offering up their EP for free.

REDKLAY
You should know RedKlay by now but if you don't, go out, find one of the shows, and get ready to have your mind warped by one hell of a performance.

SHOWTIME
Featuring Elite tha Showstoppa, Showtime is always a crowd pleaser. There's a little bit of George Clinton thrown in there, I think, but you should check out Showtime for yourself.

SON1
I seem to recall this mixtape making the rounds in Athens and causing a big stir in the hip-hop/rap community. Turns out it was SON1. Everyone I've talked to seems really fond of Son1, so chances are you will be too.

VALENTINE AND WEST
AH! A super duo! YES! Take the incredible talent of Laura West and smash it together with leading man about town Tommy Valentine and you get an act worthy of being the best in Hip-hop.

Flagpole Music Awards: Americana

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

To those who are wondering, there is a fine line between Country and Americana. Sometimes those lines get blurred a bit but the following nominees leave no doubt as to where they belong: the top. Check out these guys and vote for your favorite before this FRIDAY.

FUTUREBIRDS
Drawing a little bit of influence from the actual Byrds, the Futurebirds throw together americana and a bit of atmospheric shoegazing to create a very memorable and very interesting group of songs.

HOPE FOR AGOLDENSUMMER
The lovely ladies and gents from Hope are a bit of an Athens staple nowdays, recognizable across genres as one of Athens' greatest groups. They sound equally cheerful and heartbroken but the music is always sweet.

PACKWAY HANDLE BAND
What are they gonna do now? The same thing they do every night, Pinky! Try to take over the world! And the boys with the single mic and fast flying funny lyrics may just succeed.

SEA OF DOGS
"Smile and mean it." Okey dokey. Rustic charm is the key phrase for this folky group. It's actually hard not to smile when listening to the Dogs. Give them a listen and I think you'll agree.

TIMBER
A member of the Cowboy Angel music network, Timber adds a bit of country rock kick to their Americana tunings. Heartfelt and gritty, Timber takes the genre and cranks it up to eleven.

Flagpole Music Awards: Country/Southern Rock

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

One of the worst kept secrets in Athens is the thriving Country music scene we've got. There's a small collective of bands that you'll find all playing together on the same bills around town, building each other up and challenging expectations. The nominees for best Country/Southern Rock this year are the cream of the crop so pick your favorite and VOTE BEFORE FRIDAY!!

BETSY FRANCK AND THE BARE KNUCKLE BAND
A little bit country and a little bit blues, Franck has put together an impressive group of musicians to compliment her soulful voice. They're the type of band you can just listen to for hours on end.

CLAY LEVERETT AND FRIENDS
Clay is one of those personalities about town that you just have to experience to understand. The friends may change according to the day (and number of drinks) but it's always worth listening to Clay's work. Link goes to The Chasers.

KAITLIN JONES AND THE COUNTY FAIR
If you take the best of country's leading women, add in the mournful nature of Appalachian twang, and let it sit for a minute, you get Jones and the Fair. A winner from previous years, it's a good bet that they might win again.

RADIOLUCENT
These kids always manage to draw a passionate crowd wherever they go. It's not often that you see a "country" band with that kind of following but with Radiolucent, the enthusiasm matches the quality tunes.

VIGILANTES OF LOVE
I think I have stated my absolute adoration for the VoL and all things Bill Mallonee before, but let me state it again. The best group of songwriters in Athens, of any genre, right here.

Flagpole Music Awards: Punk

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

What are you lookin' at?! Oh. The nominees for Best Athens Punk group? Ok, I can respect that. You see, these guys have enough guts, power chords, and attitude to be the best of the best. So check out the links, listen a bit, then click on this link before May 28th to vote for your favorite.

THE AGENDA!
Everything! Ends! In! Exclamation! Points! Seriously though, it doesn't get much better than the Agenda. Loud. Short. Dance yer arse off. That's what it's all about, right?

AMERICAN CHEESEBURGER
These guys are aggressive as hell. So much so that I'd put them in hardcore before punk, but to each his own, I suppose. Expect a lot of screaming and drums that will nearly kill you with their ferocity.

COP DOPE
I have no real clue what the term "grindcore" means but it seemingly applies to Cop Dope. Guitar takes center stage here, thrashing and pounding you until your ears bleed. RAWK!

DEAD DOG
Dead Dog is very much alive, thank you. They'll do flips for you and have this neat little trick of playing actual music. It's a mix of punk, rock, and more rock.

WITCHES
Must. Resist. "Spell." Joke..... argh! In all seriousness though, this group gives me hope for the future of rock. Not so much punk as just straight-forward indie rock but I'll let that slide.

Stuff to Do This Weekend in Athens

Alas, my dear Athenians, I am still parted from you but you should go out this weekend and have massive amounts of fun in my stead. As the above poster states, Widespread Panic's Dirty Side Down, which is awesome by the way, is coming out and there's an awesome listening party that you can go to. Details on the graphic above.

Also of note, our buddy Randall Bramblett is having his cd release show at the Melting Point tonight! The Meantime is a collection of his bits and pieces from over the years, all showcased in glorious piano and very spare accompaniment. It's just Randall in all his songwriting glory, so go check it out.

Another friend of the blog, Chris McKay, will be with his buddies in a Ziggy Stardust tribute band at New Earth on Friday. They all get REALLY into it, plenty of fun to watch.

Three of the four bands playing on Saturday at Farm 255 are nominated for Flagpole awards so that might be worth checking out if you're still undecided on who to vote for.

Anyway, I'm gonna go get ready for my lil bro's graduation. I'll see you on Monday with more Flagpole nominees!

Flagpole Music Awards: Metal

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

You can't handle this nasty mess of awesome that is the Metal category of the Flagpole Awards. From the drone to the noise to the hardcore and beyond, Athens has metal down pretty well if you ask me. Pick your favorite method of hearing loss and vote before May 28th!

HELMSMEN

The band formally known as Peachs in case you were wondering. They claim Sabbath as a major influence and I'm highly inclined to agree from what I've heard. 

HOT BREATH

They have a song called "Mauled by a Bear" that honestly sounds like the band is being mauled to death by a bear. Hard, loud, and a lot more uptempo than you would expect.

MAXIMUM BUSY MUSCLE

Metal with a melody, MBM specializes in the start-stop-start uptempo and lighter side of metal. This trio likes to get tunes stuck in your head at an ear splitting volume. 

SAVAGIST

Lots of hair makes for good head-banging, right? Well, these death metal heads certainly put on a show, screaming and yelling their lungs out in the ways that hurt so good.

UTAH

Ok, any metal band that lists Gonzo Journalism as an influence is ok by my book. Utah sounds like a bunch of machine guns aiming directly at your head. Terrifying and awesome. 

Flagpole Music Awards: Experimental

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

They're creepy, incredibly kooky, mysterious and somewhat spooky. The experimental crowd aren't exactly the type that can be defined by labels. We use "experimental" as code for "I dunno what the hell to call that". It's not everyone's cup of tea but this year's nominees are the best in what they do. So give one of them your vote before May 28th!

BUBBLY MOMMY GUN
Win for best weird name. But you ought to see the videos these guys come out with. Even if experimental music flies far to close to odd for you, the pairing works its own special magic to create something that is, at least, interesting.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
You really ought to know these guys. By far the most pop-oriented and easy to understand of the experimental nominees, CS released an incredible album last year after a long silence. You'll always find some unexpected instrument or melody from CS.

THE DREAM SCENE
You really ought to look at their myspace link above. Dream Scene is such a visually oriented band that to separate the eye from the ear would be a crime. The music is pretty, trance-inducing, and perfectly suited to what they want to show.

KILLICK
Very art oriented. His music slithers and slides and transforms into something quite unrecognizable from anything that has come before. He wields an incredible instrument called the h'arpeggione which is his main unit of creation. Interesting...

TUNABUNNY
Our favorite WUOG surprises, the bunnies released a special single this year that is EIGHTEEN MINUTES LONG. Mostly female (except Scott!), they really hit the rhythms hard and have tinges of Pylon lineage floating around in there.

Flagpole Music Awards: Pop

Pop in Athens isn't that straight forward. It tends to have a twist of some kind attached. These nominees can certainly all fit into the Pop category but most could easily switch categories (and in the case of ViS, have!). Remember to vote for your favorite popstars before May 28th! And now, without further ado...

GRAPE SODA
Kinda awesome that a band with this name is in the Pop category. Grape Soda has had a great year that included creating the soundtrack to one very epic LOST video. These jokers are always a lot of fun to go see and they can usually be found with a crowd behind them.

NANA GRIZOL
Theo has a very gentle voice that will soothe you to rest when you pop in one of his discs. I can't tell you that the music won't startle you from time to time (it gets bombastic!) but if you're into clever little ditties and songs that come straight from the heart, Nana Grizol is just wacky and cute enough for you.

QUIET HOOVES
I'll be honest and say I haven't given the Hooves a lot of attention. But they've got a cute, disjointed and happy feeling to their music. It's like being at a tribal show College radio friendly but I see this collective of musicians spiralling into larger numbers a la Dark Meat. Fun to chant to.

SUPERCLUSTER
Not sure why these guys aren't in the experimental category instead but pop fits too. With a band that includes half of Athens in it, the Cluster is full of talented folk with a passion for unusual sound. Sometimes boppy, sometimes poppy, always worth a listen or two.

VENICE IS SINKING
I was beginning to wonder what category our friends in ViS would end up under this year. We've done a lot of talking about the band here, at Flagpole, and on WUOG so I think I'll let this cd review give you a sense of their sound. Look for a review of their new release sometime soon here on AMJ!

Flagpole Music Awards: Rock

There's definitely a certain sound to all the rock noms for the Flagpole Music awards this year. The worlds psychedelic, grunge, and shoegaze rule the roost. But each of the nominees has their own takes and ways of delivery. Some more melodic, some more psychotic, but all are oh-so-good.
Don't forget to vote here before May 28th!

BAMBARA
I know these guys, love these guys and the way that they have just continued to improve their take on punk-shoegaze is inspiring. If nothing else, download their free album and listen as the drums just pound in your skull.

GIFT HORSE
Haunting and incredibly powerful shoegaze/grunge rock. If you're ever walking down a dark corridor at night and feeling the walls close in on you, this is the band that would be your soundtrack. There's a tightness to the ethereal music that makes you uncomfortable in all the right ways. (Also, GH is my not so secret pick for best album art this year!)

PRIDE PARADE
LOUD LOUD LOUD. ROCK ROCK ROCK. The loudest band on the list, Pride Parade will blow your face off, nicely slap it back on for you, and then twist your insides until your face falls off again. Go see them live. Wear earplugs.

TWIN TIGERS
I played the semi-psychedelic "Red Fox Run" on WUOG enough to wear a groove in the freakin' cd. They're not as noisy as Bambara, dynamic as Gift Horse, or just plain loud as Pride Parade but they have the best melodies of anyone in the rock category this year.

THE WHIGS
Some are calling them the next big band outta Athens. If their latest release In the Dark is any indication, the down and dirty garage radio rockers will soon be conquering the world.

Flagpole Music Awards: Jam

Jam bands from Athens. It may have all started with the rise of Widespread Panic but it sure isn't slowing down. If anything, Athens has enough jam bands to throw it's own little festival of fun. Tye-dye and jorts for everyone! I kid, I kid. Actually, jam is more than just the fashion. Ask any jam fan and you'll find it's more about the culture and, of course, the music. Don't forget to pick your favorite from the list below and vote for 'em before May 28th!

FREE LUNCH
This trio could honestly bill itself as a hardcore jazz trio and it would still fit but "jam" works well too. The band has a nice mix of jazz, grunge funk, and jam to make one tasty meal.

THE INCREDIBLE SANDWICH
Another edibley named band, IS has made some major traction in getting their name out in and around Athens. Voted Upstart of the Year last year, the 'wich is jam with some classical training.

MAMA'S LOVE
It only takes a glance at the band's influence list to suss out exactly what they sound like. They're very slick, very listenable, and very much jam.

PERPETUAL GROOVE
A much beloved local jam band, P-Groove as they are also known, are one of this year's Athfest headliners. I've heard the phrase "trance arena rock" thrown around about these guys and it fits like a groovy glove.

SUMILAN
I'll admit, I had NO clue who these guys were. They're not so much jam as a really awesome funk/ambient group. I hear a lot of reggae in there too but that just  might be me.

Flagpole Music Awards: Cover Band

As the nerds in the above picture can surely attest, paying tribute to the bands that inspire and amuse you is one of the most fun things you can do as a fan. This year's nominees for Best Athens Cover Band take playing well-known material to the next level and make it more than karaoke, they make it art. Be sure to vote before May 28th! And now, onto the show!

ABBEY ROAD LIVE!
I can't even begin to remember how many times I've seen these guys play but it's been a ton. They're good. Oh so good. Harmonies just drip out of the speakers and the giant rabble rousing version of "Hey Jude" is not to be missed.

LOS MEESFITS
What's awesome about this idea is the fact that the guy in charge of this band had been joking about the concept for years. One day, a friend puts the name on a show flier and they basically have to put up or shut up. The result is punk with a Latin flair and a bunch of fake facial hair for the fans.

PIGS ON THE WING
There's epic. There's really epic. And then there's Pigs on the Wing. You haven't seen a show like this one in a long time. If ever. Pink would be proud.

POWERLOAD
Bon Scott era AC/DC. My memories of this band are sweaty, exhilarating, and exhausting. I'm currently having a flashback to the last time I saw them and watching two very well known Athens musicians bang their heads like adolescent boys hyped up on Red Bull.

THE WHOM
One man tornado Matt Kurz is already pretty epic when playing his solo sets, using his foot to play bass, playing drums, guitar, and singing all at the same time. Throw in the monsters of rock that are the WHO and you'll get a stellar show.

Flagpole Music Awards: Electronic

I sat on the award selection panel last year and can tell you that half the battle is not figuring out who to nominate, it's what categories there are. This year, the panel split Electronic/DJ, creating a category for both on their own. Electronic is a strange beast but one that is capable of many variations and a lot of style. The following nominees have style to spare so make sure you vote for your favorite before May 28th!

ABANDON THE EARTH MISSION

I remember playing these guys on WUOG and loving them. These guys put on one hell of a show and are led by respected scene veteran Josh McKay. There's a lot of space within the ambient music that the melodies find interesting ways through.

AMAN AMUN

Essentially Brian McGaw's project for awesome, AA manages to incorporate trip-hop and house music into this melded experience that is different for each person, just as McGaw likes it.

MAPS AND TRANSIT

Wins my award for best band name I hadn't heard yet. And then I heard the band's mix of electronic and roots/folk. Yes. Banjos and loops can coexist quite well if you can manage them like M&T.

PRIZMATIC SPRAY

Jace was not born for this time. He was born in the past and lives in the future. And the music of Prizmatic Spray should be on every video game EVAR. Chiptune? More like increditune.

T'N'T

Part DJ Triz, part t8r(tot), this act is electronic, sure, but there's hip-hop, funk-fusion, dub-step, crunk, and just about every other "just get moving" kind of sound here. Epic duo. 

Flagpole Music Awards: World

Ya know, Athens is home to more than just your typical rock/pop/folk acts. It also has a vibrant collection of artists specializing in beats, rhythms, and song stylings that are not your typical fare. World music offers different flavors of music for all different walks of life and these guys are no exception. Don't forget that voting ends May 28th! Without further ado, here are your nominees for 2010 Best Local World Music.

DUBCONSCIOUS

Champions for various causes such as free speech and going green, Dubconscious is one of the most recognizable names on this year's list. The band is well respected in the dub/reggae circle and lays down one hell of a mellow groove.

GROGUS

Leans way more to the jazzy side with a rich blend of reggae and Latin influences. It's really not surprising seeing as how the group is an offshoot of Carl Lindberg's Squat. Also of note? Grogus has won Flagpole awards for both Best Jazz and Best World artists.

INCATEPEC

If you're more into the music of the Southern hemisphere on our side of the planet, look no further than Incatepec. This band takes the best of Cuba, South America, and Latin music and combines it with the skill and slick licks from jazz. 

LOKSHEN KUGEL

Apparently yiddish for "noodle pudding," Lokshen Kugel is a klezmer band continuing a long tradition of Eastern European dance tunes. The band has a fondness for both "Eye of the Tiger" and the color green. Just thought you ought to know.

OUR NEW SILENCE

Probably the most unique act on our list, ONS is a collective of familiar names and musicians from this area who take music from the Javasounds Indonesia music series and remix it. Members hail from bands like hope for agoldensummer, Abandon the Earth Mission, Tuatara, and a few University of Georgia folk are in the mix too. 

Sorry for getting sick and putting us behind but stay tuned tomorrow for Electronic and Jam categories!

Flagpole Music Awards: DJ

So you're the type that hangs out at Go Bar from dusk til dawn or used to hit up every dance club in town until you boogie oogie oogied your way to a hip displacement. No worries. Your dancing days aren't over as long as you've got these guys to provide you with a great soundtrack. Here are the 2010 nominees for Best Local DJ! Don't forget that voting closes May 28th!

DJRX

Brian Gonzalez's DJ name probably has a lot to do with the fact that he attended UGA's pharmacy school. And if you want to move, this guy sure does have your prescription. With a background in trance, backbeat, and hard house, DJRX has a pretty nifty bag of tricks at his disposal.

GRAVE ROBBERS

Couldn't really find much on GraveRobbers besides this Live Review from Flagpole and the above link. If you've got any more info, please, lemme know!

Update from Anon:
Hey Jordan! DJ Graverobbers is Winston Parker. He deejays a lot over at Go Bar, sometimes alongside Twin Powers. I think he also had a DJ duo with Kim Kirby called Sports for a minute and he's been apart of the Daft Punk tribute too. And he's in Abandon the Earth Mission. And HEY, he's a former wuogger.. used to be an exec!

IMMUZIKATION

In the world of creative mashups, Immuzikation knows how to pair 'em right. We're talking MGMT/Daft Punk/The Doors or Feist/Burial. Some djs may be fine with just a few crossfades but Immuzikation makes creative collision an art.

MAHOGANY

If you want the funk, the soul, and the R&B, you'll want Mahogany. Going old school is way cool if you're not into all the trance stuff. 

OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS

No, not the Capote novel, the DJs. Described as Ghettotech/Afro-beat, OVOR has made an appearance or two on ol' WUOG, spinning some great grooves and making anyone listening just say "Wow."

Unforeseen Chaos...

...has prevented us from continuing our series on the Flagpole Music Award Nominees for a moment. Jordan is really sick and I am dealing with end of semester insanity, so we haven't had a chance to get everything organized, unfortunately. We're terribly sorry, and promise to have things back up and as they should be as soon as physically possible. But don't worry! We'll be back on schedule in no time. While you're waiting, here are some videos from the winners of last year's Flagpole Music Awards.

Pop - Modern Skirts

Solo - Madeline


Music Video - Hope For Agoldensummer "4th Night"

Flagpole Music Awards: Jazz

(Graphic/Ziona Kocher)

Ok, let's kick this joker off with the smoothest of the smooth and the best of the best in Jazz. This year's nominees for the 2010 Flagpole Local Music Awards showcase the variety and technical power that the jazz genre provides. A lot of familiar faces, or should we say tunes, pop up here. Maybe you'll find someone new to latch on to. Remember, voting ends May 28th!

KENOSHA KID
We just profiled this great act for our New Addiction feature this week so of course we're glad to see the group get nominated. If you want more info, check out the post we did on Tuesday!

ODD TRIO
A bit more on the rock and jam side of blues, Odd Trio claims it is odd due to Brian Smith's habit of playing bass parts on his guitar. Rounding out the trio are Mark Gilley on sax and Todd Mueller on drums. You can usually find these guys at Flicker and Little Kings.

SONNY GOT BLUE
If you've ever gotten out of a film at Cine one Monday night and heard the sweet improvisational jazz floating from the CineLab, that was probably Sonny Got Blue. Their talents are heavy on the improv, allowing passersby with instruments to jump in and out of their compositions which can range from classic jazz to more modern beats.

MARTY WINKLER
I'll go ahead and cop to being a Marty fan. Ever since I heard her perform with Randall Bramblett, I've been hooked. She's got a sultry voice that will stroke your soul like velvet fingertips slowly tracing circles on your back.


RAND LINES TRIO
One of the more recognizable names in town, RLT is straight up smooth piano based jazz and then turns on a dime to reveal a beating jazz drum of a heart. Regardless of you musical tastes, RLT will make your heart skip a beat or two.

Come back tomorrow when we look at the nominees for DJ and World.

VOTE OR DIE: 2010 Flagpole Music Awards!

Yes folks, it's that time of year again! Time to vote for the 2010 Flagpole Athens Music Awards!

Maybe you were nominated. Maybe you're seeking sweet, sweet revenge. Regardless, this is your chance to make a difference in the Athens music scene and help some of your favorite bands gain bragging rights for the year.

Starting tomorrow, we'll be updating AthensMusicJunkie every day with short profiles of the bands nominated in each category. Since there are 20 categories and we have less than 20 days to do this, some days will have more than one FMA post.

Are we insane for doing this? Probably. But we had such a fun time last year and such great feedback that we figured we'd do it again!As for our regular content, no worries. The weekly show picks and important news briefs will still be around.

WE KICK OFF TOMORROW WITH THE NOMINEES FOR JAZZ!

Weekly Show Picks

Wowzers. From all reports, the town is essentially empty this week. Howabout you run wild for a bit and enjoy the extra space by checking out some of the great shows happening this week?

WEDNESDAY

Go Bar

Twin Powers

Farm 255

Rand Lines Trio

THURSDAY

Farm 255

Kenosha Kid

Hotel Indigo

Ken Will Morton

Melting Point

John Keane & Nathan Sheppard

Little Kings

Damien Churchwell

Fire Zuave

The Omens

FRIDAY

Caledonia

Gordon Lamb's Birthday Party!!

Black Balloon

A Jet Pack Operation

La Chansons

The Gold Party

Nuci's Space

The Agenda

Battle for Peace

WildKard

Rialto Room/Hotel Indigo

Crane

The Warm Fuzzies

SATURDAY

40 Watt

Hi Hi Hi

(aka Jason NeSmith and Brian Poole doing Paul McCartney stuff)

Melting Point

Chris McKay & the Critical Darlings

Michael Guthrie Band

Vinyl Strangers

VFW

David Prince

MONDAY

Caledonia

Arbouretum

Pontiak

Yaal Hush

New Addiction: Kenosha Kid

Kenosha Kid is one of those Athens bands that always seems to be playing a gig somewhere but rarely gets the recognition deserved from such a schedule. The group centers around Dan Nettles, the main composer/bandleader/guitarist. Dan's a native native Athenian and has spent much of his time playing in jazz groups about town. He went off to study in Boston for a bit but soon returned back home and has since been creating some incredible jazz.


Jazz, unfortunately, is one of my weaker spots in the soundscape that is my musical collection but I loved Kenosha Kid from the first time I heard them strike up. The sounds this band makes are immediately catchy and are fantastic to listen to when you're in need of a good background song. KK is pretty hard to slap a label on as well. Think part pop, part funk, and part old school jazz. They've also got quite an eye when it comes to promotional posters.


Kenosha Kid is probably best known for their soundtrack to Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill, Jr. It's an interesting take on a once silent film. The guitar work is sharp and certainly boogie worthy, punctuated by the occasional trumpet and wind ensemble. Fine drum work and a lively beat give the old film a new, modern life. 







Kenosha Kid is playing Farm 255 on Thursday.

Hey, Hey, Hey, What's Going On...

Normally, I'd be writing this post from a red chair inside WUOG, tucked in a corner of one of the downtown coffee shops, or from my desk on Dearing Street. But instead, I'm writing in the corner of my childhood bedroom about three hours away from Athens.

You see, I've never really explicitly stated this on the blog, but until Saturday, I was a student at the University of Georgia, majoring in Newspapers (brilliant, I know) and Music Business (again, wise economic choice). I had a steady student-job that unfortunately expired when my time at the University did. While I'm still writing for Flagpole, I am, for all intents and purposes, now unemployed.

Now why am I telling you all this? Well, there once was an Athens, GA based blog that I loved to read. About two years after I started reading it, the person posting informed us that he had actually moved away from Athens a year prior and had been re-using posts. I felt utterly betrayed and I've sworn to not do the same thing to anyone who stumbles across AthensMusicJunkie.

Since I'm now jobless, I've had to move temporarily from Athens to my parents' house. I'm one of the lucky ones getting out without a drop of debt to my name. But I live in an attic, listen to music, and blog. Talk about your unflattering stereotypes! 

I'm searching for a job that will lead me back to Athens eventually. But I have kept in mind a solid piece of advice from a dear mentor: "Don't marry yourself to one place." In this climate, it's hard to see where anyone will end up so I'm keeping my options open...

But damn, I love AthensMusicJunkie. This site began almost two years ago as an online diary and now look at it! Some 530 Twitter followers, 425 Facebook Fans, and many, many links exchanged. Featured in Conde Nast Traveller (with The Whigs), Rolling Stone Germany (R.E.M./Minus 5), The Village Voice (Pylon)....Never in a million years did I think we could go this far. And the best part? WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN!

What will change on AthensMusicJunkie? Honestly, not much. Until my Youtube account becomes un-hacked there won't be any new videos regardless. I plan on going back to Athens constantly for shows so there will be reviews. Technology is grand so I can still give you cd reviews, interviews, and news briefs. The only thing missing will be the weirdo day to day random happenings that I so enjoy.

See, I worked out this plan on the off case all of my dreams came true and some band was dumb enough to take me on tour and write/blog/video/photograph it a la Bill Flanagan. Besides taking over the music journalism world, having a hand in band management has been a serious interest of mine. But the new blog plan involves a lot more research, a few more appearances from our awesome friends Ziona and Sofia as well as some well versed Athenians, and way more album reviews. 

Long story short: I've moved temporarily, I will be back. AMJ will continue and be better than ever. I love this blog WAY too much to let it go right now. Thanks for your time, patience, and support. 

So PLEASE keep sending in your stories, PR pitches, and everything else to athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. 

Signed,

Jordan Stepp

Editor in Chief

AthensMusicJunkie

Athens Music News Roundup

RIP TASTY WORLD

According to Murphy's facebook update, Tasty World will be no more as of July. Or should I say Tasty World Uptown? The venue has undergone a lot of changes in the past year and a half. No word on what's happening to the space or the former TW downstairs Magnolias.

Ever wanted the Modern Skirts to play a house party for you? Or how about getting them to record a special version of "Yugo" just for you? Well, the boys have set up a Kickstarter fund for their new album and are offering quite a few goodies for anyone who ponies up a little cash.

Seriously, if you haven't seen the webisodes the Drive-By Truckers have been putting up, you need to. These guys get how to stay in touch.

Speakin of the Truckers, they are going to appear on the Adult Swim show Squidbillies alongside Widespread Panic. Lookit at the cartoony band!

I have some relatives and good friends up in Nashville. The flooding there is absolutely horrific. Paste Magazine has listed some of the benefit concerts that will help ease the suffering up there.

Rumors are floating around about Athens making a bid for the financially unstable Georgia Music Hall of Fame. I realize this is hypothetical but if it does make it to Athens, I can haz job? I promise to curate the hell outta that thing....

Um, my AthensMusicJunkie youtube account was hacked. So far the bastard hasn't taken down any of the videos but I am beyond livid at this point. If anyone has any Google/Youtube connections that can help, I'd be much in your debt.

And on a personal note, I'm graduating from UGA this Saturday. How this will impact the blog will be explained on Monday when things aren't so crazy. AMJ isn't going anywhere, no worries...

40 Nights of Rock and Roll

It's only day four of forty and the guys are already getting into fights with poorly placed furniture. A stream of cursing is coming across the line of my conference call with Scott Sloan and Steve LaBate, the two slightly crazed souls who are on a trip of epic rock proportions. The sleep deprived gentlemen are on a mission from God...or the devil....whoever is in charge of the ROCK. The marathon is called 40 Nights of Rock and Roll. If they survive, it'll be a miracle.

The deal is this: 40 consecutive nights of 40 different bands in 40 different venues. LaBate, Senior Contributing Writer at Paste, and Sloan, director of Inside Jones, are making their way across America in search of the spirit of rock 'n' roll. Has the genre finally bit the dust or are there little lights of hope hidden in the corners of dusty houses and hole in the wall bars? It's a question they're aiming to answer by watching and interviewing a whole slew of bands, from Sigur Ros to Third Eye Blind and everyone in between.

So who are they most excited about talking to? Believe it or not: RATT. But LaBate and Sloan have been lining up interviews and shows to document left and right. The duo are also fellow Grady College of Journalism grads and after some ribbing about my major (Newspapers, yay) they began explaining their plans for the Athens portion of their trip.

Instead of heading to a legendary venue like the 40 Watt, Sloan and LaBate are hitting the Secret Squirrel during their time in Athens. The Squirrel is one of the worst kept secrets as far as Athens house parties go. It's legendary in its own right. But house parties are what the duo consider essential for making Athens the nutty little music town it is. This SUNDAY, they'll be talking to the super-buzzy Reptar, Bubbly Mommy Gun, and Future Islands.

Many other Athenian bands will pop up in this great rock and roll adventure. After kicking off with the Whigs on their first night and the stop at the SS, the guys are scheduled to talk to of Montreal and the Drive-By Truckers. But plans change and random encounters with rock have already made their way into the musical journey.

And when it's all over?

"We're gonna sleep for 40 days."

Now THAT is rock 'n' roll.

The Athens Office is Running Late...

...so I'm taking over for a second while she gets a real post together.

A few weeks back, our good friend and YouTube extraordinaire Tony sent us this fantastic clip of a bunch of kids doing R.E.M.'s "Stand" dance during a PE class. Now let me tell ya, we never did anything this cool (or ridiculously silly) during my elementary school phys. ed. class, but I really wish we did. And I know, R.E.M. again, but seriously. Those kids are really cute.

Weekly Show Picks

Finals are almost over. Soon the students will be gone and Athens will slow to a crawl. That doesn't mean that the music will though. Check out what's coming up this week.

WEDNESDAY

Tasty World Uptown

Beachcomber

(Semi Circle

Qurious

Caledonia

Cinco de Mayo!!

Los Meesfits

La Suegra

Shitty Candy and the Circus Peanuts

So It Goes

THURSDAY

Hotel Indigo

Derrick Southerland

Melting Point

Nashville A&R Talent Expo

FRIDAY

40 Watt

Barbez

Venice is Sinking

Hope for agoldensummer

Gnat's Landing

Nathan Sheppard

Melting Point

Death on Two Wheels

Dirty Guv'nahs

SATURDAY

Caledonia

Brave New Citizen

Guam High

Nuclear Spring

Spring Tigers

283 Bar

Kuroma

MONDAY

Flicker

Aquaserge

Shmouser

The Visitations

Athens Memories For Sale...

It's the Wall o' Random Stuff at the AthensMusicJunkie office.

As I've mentioned here before, I sometimes get some really cool stuff from people who know that I'm into Athens music history. I'm not exactly a collector but I've got a thing or two that I'm really proud of. Mostly it's stuff that I've got an emotional tie to: a poster from my first R.E.M. show, the setlist from the last Pylon show, a few posters that I snatched from various gigs I've seen.... I'm not usually the type to scrounge around eBay.

But around there are some hardcore collectors out there. Monday afternoon found me with some spare time on my hands so I decided to check out just what's up for sale on eBay that came from our fair town. So put on your bidding caps folks and listen to the Auctioneer....

First up is a Pylon 7", coming from Portland, Oregon to the tune of $45. Now this is a beaut, here folks. 

Man, I would spin the hell outta this thing. Look at the design! I'm guessing it's some of Lachowski's work...

Or maybe you want something a bit more happy and shiny? Like an RIAA Platinum Award for R.E.M.'s Document?  Pretty cool and all but it doesn't beat having it addressed to your own station like WUOG's. 

College radio for the win!

Ok, ok. You want something a bit more offbeat. I gotcha. Hold on just a sec, lemme see what we've got back here. You into Love Tractor? Really? Awesome. Cause here is a test pressing of "Themes From Venus." Yup. Rightchere. 

What else...Good grief. Here's a Drive-By Truckers key chain. Some interesting items from the Widespread Panic camp. And a very lonely piece of Side Effects vinyl looking for a loving home. 

So if you see anything else that floats your boat, lemme know. You never know exactly what can pop up online...

The Hairy Oil Situation

Ok, fair warning: The following post has very little to do with Athens music. It does, however, have to do with a few things that Athenians do very well: being bleeding hearts about the environment and doing something about it. We here at AthensMusicJunkie are about as bleeding heart as they come.

If you've seen the news lately, you know that there was a really bad oil spill off the Gulf Coast. According to reports, there is now a 10 day ban on fishing in the Gulf and a class action lawsuit against BP. The damage from these spills is often incalculable. Wildlife gone, fishing and dining industries up in the air...

So here's what we can do about it. Local salon Honey's is holding a panty-hose donation drive. Say what?! Yes. It appears that the combination of panty-hose and hair clippings can actually be used to clean up oil spills.

The drive will send the donated stuff to Matter of Trust to help create hair mats to clean up areas of the spill. Also for any of you in or about Louisiana right now, The National Wildlife Federation is working with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana on ways that people in this area can help clean up the spill.

Before I step off my little soapbox, I'll leave you with two songs that I feel fit this situation pretty well:
A song about a burning river...

And environmental responsibility...