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73-592: The Elephant 6 Recording Company is a loosely defined musical collective from the United States. Notable bands associated with the collective include The Apples in Stereo , Beulah , Circulatory System , Elf Power , The Minders , Neutral Milk Hotel , of Montreal , and The Olivia Tremor Control . Although bands in Elephant 6 explore many different genres , they have a shared interest in psychedelic pop of

146-654: A DJ store owned by Michael Lachowski of Pylon, opened in 1998; the store became an important part of the burgeoning dance music scene that produced Danger Mouse , Phungus and DJ 43 . Athens is near the Blue Ridge Mountains area of North Georgia; this is an important region in the development of several varieties of folk music, including the Appalachian bluegrass style and the Piedmont blues . North Georgia's bluegrass heritage can be traced back to

219-632: A band called the Synthetic Flying Machine. While in Athens, the group began collaborating with New York musician Julian Koster . In 1993, the Synthetic Flying Machine evolved into a band called the Olivia Tremor Control , and the band gained local attention for their psychedelic sound, which was in contrast to the prevalent grunge sound of the 1990s. In the 1990s, bands joined Elephant 6 through invitation. Inspired by

292-409: A career boost. Pylon (band) , founded in 1979, was an American new wave/post-punk band from Athens, Georgia , United States. The band's danceable sound, a blend of new wave , post-punk , jangle pop , alternative rock and funk rock , influenced the Athens music scene and the 1980s American pop underground. AllMusic wrote that Pylon's "role as elder statesmen of the alternative rock explosion

365-593: A chapter devoted to Doc and Lucy Barnes of Athens. Athens' modern contributions to the field of bluegrass include the Packway Handle Band and BlueBilly Grit . Athens' local country scene has never been as significant as the profusion of indie rock bands; however, modern Athens rock takes many elements from the folk, bluegrass and country traditions, including such bands as the Normaltown Flyers . The band Drive-By Truckers , Power Play, and

438-589: A communal compound in Athens. In 2012, the official Elephant 6 website read: "A collective, a label ... a cult? Elephant 6 may be all of these things or none of these depending on your point of view. And we're certainly not going to try to define what it is now!" Elephant 6 originated in Ruston, Louisiana , in the late 1980s. The name was occasionally used to denote home recordings made by four high school friends: Bill Doss , Will Cullen Hart , Jeff Mangum , and Robert Schneider . These recordings were circulated between

511-498: A counterpoint to the idealism of Athens, GA: Inside/Out and shows the progress of the town from the viewpoint of director Thomas Bauer and The Rodney Kings, showing the rise of bands like Reptar and New Madrid in the 2010 scene, to later disintegration of bands, and ends with the closing of Go Bar on New Year's 2019. Andrew N. Shearer of Gonzoriffic cited it as a great follow up to the film in his podcast, and Flagpole similarly noted it as being of significance, saying "It provides

584-474: A local Athens soul-food eatery), R.E.M. had become one of the world's biggest rock bands. The band's style went through many evolutions but originally had a jangle pop sound and harmonies often compared to folk–rock band The Byrds ; singer and songwriter Michael Stipe is known for obscure, allusive lyrics delivered in a monotonous drone. The success of R.E.M. and The B–52's brought attention from major labels and music media to Athens, and many local bands received

657-646: A musical level it's too soon to say. I mean, I don't want to say definitively that I don't want to make music again, but on a musical level there's no way to come to terms with the loss." The Olivia Tremor Control continued making music, and in 2017 Schneider confirmed he was producing unfinished recordings. Today, the Elephant 6 collective still exists, albeit on a much smaller scale. Bands like Elf Power and of Montreal continue to record music, and many bands have moved onto Elephant 6 offshoot labels such as Orange Twin Records and Cloud Recordings . Elephant 6 bands explore

730-608: A pretty realistic impression of a particular time and place, without attempting to glamorize or mythologize itself." In August 2020, it was included in Athens-Clarke County Library 's archive of works of importance. Athens was the home of Robert Prince , a long time Athens musician, when he wrote the music and created the sound effects for early computer and video games, including the Commander Keen series, Wolfenstein 3D and Doom . Athens

803-572: A series of singles, EPs and albums that made R.E.M. the top underground band in the country, finally breaking into the mainstream with 1987's " The One I Love " and " It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) ." By 1991's Out of Time album, which featured vocals by Kate Pierson of The B–52's —and its acclaimed follow–up Automatic for the People (named after the motto of Weaver D's,

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876-929: A silhouette puppet show in conjunction with a five-person band that plays a variety of Latin American musical styles in a multicultural theme. Local Athens musicians have been supportive of Latin music and there have been collaborative efforts between prominent Athens musicians and Latin Music artists. Art Rosenbaum helped to produce Beto Cacao's album, Undocorridos . There have also been collaborative efforts between Will Cullen Hart from The Elephant 6 Recording Company , Pylon's Vanessa Briscoe Hay and Athens Tango Project. Athens has been home to several notable acts, including Kishi Bashi , Dead Confederate , Futurebirds , Reptar , The Whigs , New Madrid, of Montreal, Perpetual Groove , Phosphorescent and Lera Lynn . In 2017 Kindercore Records revamped as Kindercore Vinyl , which

949-521: A used record store on Jackson Street, and its proprietor, William Orten Carlton, commonly known as Ort , were among the institutional figures that made the Athens music scene possible. Ort has an excellent memory for rock trivia, which served him well in running the store. Perhaps more importantly, his off-the-wall sense of humor and warmly iconoclastic personality (and his thrift-sale wardrobe) were regularly on display at parties, gigs and musical venues around town. A final element in creating and sustaining

1022-639: A variety of music genres , including indie rock , synth-pop , and twee pop . A common interest for nearly every associated band, however, is psychedelic pop of the 1960s. Bands such as the Beach Boys , the Beatles , and the Zombies are important influences for Elephant 6 groups like the Apples in Stereo , Beulah , and the Olivia Tremor Control . Elephant 6's de facto leader Robert Schneider notes

1095-542: A wide range of musical expression, allowing for immediate and enduring growth, however loose the association." The collective has influenced many indie rock bands, including Arcade Fire , Franz Ferdinand , and Tame Impala . Chris Chu of the Canadian band the Morning Benders said: "Elephant 6 was the gateway for me. They seemed to be bridging that tradition from the 60s to a more modern, more indie approach. It

1168-450: Is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared. The concept is distinct from that of a traditional band in that musical collectives allow for flexibility in their rosters, and members are free to rotate in and out of the line-up. Collectives may exist in almost any genre of music, although they have been especially prominent in indie rock and hip hop . A musical collective

1241-496: Is an inside look at the DIY scene of the town, featuring concerts and footage from 2010 to 2019. It was originally started as a project for WUOG. It is a semi-update of the 1980s film Athens, GA: Inside/Out and features interviews and performances by Reptar , New Madrid , Nana Grizol , John Fernandes of Elephant 6 Collective, David Barbe , Gordon Lamb of Flagpole Magazine, Nate Mitchell of Wuxtry Records and many more. It serves as

1314-683: Is distinct from a musicians collective , such as the London Musicians Collective , which is an organization with more general aims and larger membership. Music of Athens, Georgia Athens became a center for music in the region during the Civil War and gained further fame in the early twentieth century with the founding of the Morton Theatre , which was a major touring destination for African American performers. The city's local rock music scene can be traced to

1387-406: Is happening now. But we're all just so happy." The Olivia Tremor Control reunited in 2009, and Mangum returned to the public eye with solo concerts over the next few years. On July 30, 2012, Doss died from a reported aneurysm . His death came as a shock to the collective, and stalled nearly all recordings at the time. Schneider said: "I can't say what it means for the Elephant 6 or the Apples ... On

1460-731: Is one of the few vinyl pressing plants in the United States. Kindercore has pressed for artists such as Sufjan Stevens , Cindy Wilson , and Willie Nelson . There have been a few documentaries released about this era. The 2018 documentary, Athens Rising: The Sicyon Project: Volume One , presents stories about the arts in Athens and features several acts from this era, including Athens Tango Project, Dimmen, Potted Plant, Half Acid, Linqua Franqa, Scooterbabe, Cinemechanica, Waitress, Blue Bodies, A. Mack, Joe Shadowy Peeples, The YOD, Follow Forever, KXNG BLANCO, Caulfield, WesdaRuler, Murk Daddy Flex, Jay Gonzalez (Drive-By Truckers) and Calico Vision. The 2020 documentary, Athens, Georgia: Over/Under ,

1533-912: Is unassailable". They released three albums, three singles and an Ep during their on and off again career. Much of their early material along with rarities was reissued by New West Records as part of a boxset titled ‘’Box’’. The boxset also includes a 200-page hardcover book with new interviews with the surviving members of the band and testimonies from members of R.E.M. , The B-52's , Gang of Four , The Bongos , Mission of Burma , Sleater-Kinney , Beat Happening , and Sonic Youth , and others. Other 1980s local bands with nationwide alternative followings included Love Tractor , Oh-OK , with Michael Stipe's sister Lynda Stipe , vocalist Linda Hopper (later of Magnapop ) and future solo performer Matthew Sweet , Dreams So Real . The members of R.E.M. have remained fixtures in Athens as they have also become international stars, helping out local performers like Vic Chesnutt ,

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1606-698: The Accidentals , who are regionally known. The Georgia Bulldogs baseball team who play at Foley Field feature organist Matthew Kaminski (musician) . The earliest music in North Georgia , including what is now Athens, was that of the Native Americans of the area, principally the Creek and the Cherokee . Athens was officially chartered in 1806, and began growing rapidly near the middle of

1679-668: The Athens Symphony Orchestra , Athens Choral Society (founded in 1971), Athens Youth Symphony and the Athens Folk Music and Dance Society . The Athens Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1978 as a firmly non-profit, strictly volunteer organization, conducted by Albert Ligotti of the University of Georgia. The first performance came in 1979; the Orchestra now has two regular performances, one in

1752-663: The Chickasaw Mudd Puppies and Jack Logan . The Elephant 6 Collective , a group of like-minded indie bands, gained limited nationwide exposure starting in the mid-1990s with the rise of Neutral Milk Hotel , Elf Power and Olivia Tremor Control . The same period saw the Kindercore Records roster find critical acclaim, including the bands Sunshine Fix , Masters of the Hemisphere , Japancakes , Love Tractor, Gresham Disco and Of Montreal . Candy,

1825-560: The Holman Autry Band , have done much in recent years to make country rock a major part of Athens' musical identity. Recent bands such as The Broken String Band have emerged influenced by the folk rock genre. The rapper Bubba Sparxxx , originally from South Georgia, has also helped diversify Athens' country heritage, by adding a rural image and elements of country music to his Dirty South style of hip hop music . Folk artists and singer-songwriters have always flourished in

1898-527: The Surrealist Manifestos , members of the collective issued their own manifesto in small hand-drawn catalogs, found within early releases. According to Schneider: "We wanted [to find] these little pockets of people in different cities who listened to Pavement and the Beach Boys and were recording on 4-tracks." Schneider notes that another way a band may join is by simply having a similar sound. He uses Beulah as an example, and in reference to

1971-498: The 1950s, with live music at Allen's Hamburgers in Normaltown . International attention came in the 1970s when The B–52's began releasing the first of several best-selling recordings. Athens-based rock bands have performed in a wide array of styles, and the city has never had a characteristic style of rock; most of the bands have been united only in their quirky and iconoclastic image. Music author Richie Unterberger describes

2044-489: The 1960s, with particular influence from bands such as the Beach Boys , the Beatles , and the Zombies . Their music sometimes features intentionally low fidelity production and experimental recording techniques. The collective started in Ruston, Louisiana in the late 1980s. The name was occasionally used to denote the home recordings made by four high school friends: Bill Doss , Will Cullen Hart , Jeff Mangum , and Robert Schneider . After high school, Schneider formed

2117-470: The 1970s, including The B-52's. In the late 1970s, the 40 Watt Club became a well-known regional attraction for music fans. The early 1980s saw a host of new bands and venues appear, including the Uptown Lounge in 1984, while the city's musical subculture became more diversified. LSD , a hallucinogenic drug, was widely used in the college music scene in this era. With the local industry's growth in

2190-564: The 1980s, the 40 Watt Club moved to a larger space, and in 1989 the landmark Georgia Theatre was reopened as a music venue. Studio 1093, was established in the Boulevard neighborhood by recording engineer, Jim Hawkins who had designed the studio for Capricorn Records in Macon, GA. Studio 1093 was rented to R.E.M. and remained an Athens staple until 2018 playing host to both established musicians and those just starting out. Ort's Oldies ,

2263-428: The 1990s. Noel Murray and Marcus Gilmer of The A.V. Club note the difficulty in defining the exact parameters of the collective due to the multitude of associated acts. Each act has their own unique sound, and musicians are often members of multiple bands. This problem is compounded by the fact that members will sometimes obfuscate the truth, such as misleading a Rolling Stone reporter into believing they lived in

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2336-412: The 19th century, when bluegrass was a nascent style throughout Appalachia and North Georgia was home to major fiddling contests, beginning in the 1880s. A 1983 recording expedition by Art and Margo Rosenbaum documented the continued existence of many forms of folk music, including work songs, string bands, African American hymns and spirituals , banjo tunes and unaccompanied ballads; the collection includes

2409-582: The 19th century. By the time of the American Civil War in the 1860s, the city was an important part of musical life in Georgia. The war accelerated the development of the city's musical importance, as Athens was largely spared widespread destruction while the larger city of Atlanta took a long time to recover. Major touring acts like the Dixie Family and The Slomans visited Athens during

2482-575: The Aereoplane Over the Sea , saying it "is the culmination of everything the [Elephant 6] collective was about in the mid-'90s: distinctive, ragged, catchy records ripped straight from their makers' veins." Many bands associated with the collective were formed during this period, and Athens became a major hub city. Elf Power , of Montreal , and Doss' solo project the Sunshine Fix were among

2555-418: The Apples in Stereo; Doss, Hart, and Mangum formed the Olivia Tremor Control; and Mangum independently formed Neutral Milk Hotel. These three bands would serve as the basis for Elephant 6, and soon, many other bands joined. Athens, Georgia , and Denver, Colorado , became major hub cities, and the mid-to-late 1990s represented the peak years of activity for the collective. Due to the confluence of new bands and

2628-442: The Athens atmosphere, albeit, as mentioned, not as significantly as pop and rock. Some of Athens' most notable solo singer-songwriter performers are Vic Chesnutt, Corey Smith , T. Graham Brown , John Berry , Patterson Hood , along with younger, emerging musicians like Thayer Sarrano and T. Hardy Morris. Athens also has an Irish band community representing several Irish folk bands such as The Green Flag Band . Athens also

2701-453: The Athens musical culture was the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art . The great majority of Athens' musicians and their fan base were associated with the University's liberal arts curriculum, and the School of Art, rather than the music department, was the area where the creative and musical alliances that later defined the scene began forming in the 1970s. Michael Stipe of R.E.M.

2774-824: The Hugh Hodgson School of Music operate the Georgia Brass Quintet and Georgia Woodwind Quintet. Student institutions include the ARCO Chamber Orchestra, Men's and Women's Glee Clubs , several concert choirs, jazz bands, and brass and woodwind ensembles, the Redcoat Marching Band , the University Philharmonia and a Symphony Orchestra. The University of Georgia also has multiple a cappella groups, including With Someone Else's Money, Noteworthy, and

2847-610: The Normaltown Flyers, and Dixie Grease. Allen's Hamburgers, where the Normaltown Flyers were the house band for many years, opened in 1955 on Prince Avenue and closed there in 2004. Bars like The Last Resort (currently the Last Resort Grille restaurant) opened in the 1960s, beginning the local club scene just as some bands were beginning to gain some regional fame for Athens. Many members of Athens's most prominent later bands became locally renowned starting in

2920-804: The UGA Performing Arts Center, home to the Ramsey Concert Hall and the Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. Monroe Morton 's Morton Theater became a major part of the city's African American community in the early 20th century; it claims to be the only theater from that era remaining in operation. Athens is home to the summer music festival Athfest , the Athens Popfest and the late spring Athens Human Rights Festival and North Georgia Folk Festival . The college radio station WUOG (90.5 FM),

2993-496: The Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle features recording techniques such as tape manipulation and sound collages . Schneider notes his hatred of both indie music and modern pop music, and said that his vision for Elephant 6 is a "perfect pop world," untarnished by commercial interests. Several journalists regard Elephant 6 as an important underground music movement, and a key contributor to

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3066-413: The album, they discussed new ideas, which in turn facilitated a need to make more music. The following year, Koster and Nesey Gallons organized the "Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour," a short concert tour that featured fifteen artists and ten Elephant 6 bands. Koster said "Elephant 6 is back," and added: "Somehow, everything's happening for us now. I don't know why we were ever interrupted, and why all this

3139-429: The alternative rock and indie rock explosion in the 1990s. Lee M. Shook Jr. of Paste wrote: "The Elephant 6 Recording Company would raise the bar for wide-scale countercultural activity and underground pop art—both musical, visual and otherwise—well into the 21st century." Tom Murphy of Westword expanded on this statement, by writing: "It became a movement of sorts because the music was so accessible and inclusive of

3212-462: The band's sound, he said: "This is a kindred spirit. This is Elephant 6." Schneider created a record label called the Elephant 6 Recording Company as a vehicle for the Apples music, and in 1993, the first recording released on the label was an extended play titled Tidal Wave . Around this time, Mangum left the Olivia Tremor Control, and became a vagabond. While living in Seattle , Mangum released

3285-544: The beginning of the 20th century, when the corner of Lumpkin and Washington Streets became a major center for the city's black culture. This area was known as the Hot Corner , and was owned by a number of black professional businesses, as well as many performance spaces and a renowned opera house in the Morton Building that hosted such national figures as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington . The Morton Theater

3358-572: The city's musical opportunities grew with the foundation of venues and institutions. This period has been called the Normaltown River of Music , and included long-time local performers like Mad Dog Melton as well as Brian Burke, Davis Causey and Randall Bramblett , many of whom later worked with Gregg Allman , Sea Level and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band . The most influential local bands to emerge from this period included

3431-620: The club and future member of the band Pylon . Other major music venues in the city include the Georgia Theater , a converted cinema that hosted both local and touring performers. The Theater burned down in June 2009, but has been fully remodeled into a state of the art music venue reopening in early August 2011), the Caledonia Lounge, the historic Foundry Music Venue (which was originally built in 1850 as an iron foundry), and

3504-425: The dissolution of Neutral Milk Hotel and the Olivia Tremor Control, the collective stagnated in activity in the early 2000s. A brief resurgence in the late 2000s ended with the death of Doss, and in recent years the collective has remained relatively dormant. Journalists have described Elephant 6 as an important underground music movement, and a key contributor to the emergence of alternative rock and indie rock in

3577-446: The first Athens band to achieve national prominence, their popularity was soon eclipsed by R.E.M.. The future members of R.E.M. moved to Athens to work and/or attend the University of Georgia, including bassist Mike Mills and former drummer Bill Berry . The group began performing as R.E.M. in 1980. They became locally prominent, and released a single, " Radio Free Europe ", that was a major college rock hit. Their popularity grew with

3650-406: The four friends graduated high school, they dispersed to different cities in the United States, but continued to mail tapes to each other. Schneider moved to Denver, Colorado and formed a band called the Apples in 1992 with Jim McIntyre , Hilarie Sidney and Chris Parfitt . Doss, Hart, and Mangum moved to Athens, Georgia . The three were drawn to the city's burgeoning music scene , and played in

3723-421: The four of them, and they did not seek approval from record labels or fanzines . Musician Laura Carter said: "They were just 13-year-old boys yelling, 'Fuck your mama,' and bashing on the drums as hard as they can. It was just kids having fun, and they would fill up a whole cassette tape with this." When the group decided to create an imaginary label for their music, Hart came up with the name Elephant 6. When

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3796-482: The greatest amount of activity for the collective. The three main bands associated with Elephant 6 at the time–the Apples in Stereo, the Olivia Tremor Control, and Neutral Milk Hotel–grew in popularity, and each respectively released a notable album: Fun Trick Noisemaker , Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle , and In the Aeroplane Over the Sea . The A.V. Club wrote highly of In

3869-644: The larger bands allowed the smaller bands to open for them. Denver was the smaller of the two hub cities. In addition to the Apples in Stereo, the major bands from Denver were the Minders , Dressy Bessy , and McIntyre's solo project Von Hemmling . The main draw for Elephant 6 bands in Denver was Pet Sounds Studio , a recording studio Schneider built in McIntyre's house. Many Elephant 6 albums were recorded at Pet Sounds, and were produced by Schneider. In addition to

3942-554: The low-power (100.7) FM WPPP-LP and the free weekly Flagpole are the city's most prominent modern music media. Athens has never produced a major local label like many similar indie rock towns; the most important label of the 1970s and 1980s was DB Records , based out of Atlanta, though jangle pop pioneers Kindercore Records and Wuxtry Records were also Athens-based. Athens is home to long-running indie label Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records , which has been operating consistently since 1999. Local music institutions include

4015-417: The members of the Olivia Tremor Control wanted to record their own solo music. Beulah member Pat Noel said many bands were dismayed at how journalists would " pigeonhole " them to the collective. "We kind of made a conscious decision to distance ourselves a little bit from the whole thing." Schneider took a break from producing albums, and the final album to be affixed with the Elephant 6 Recording Company logo

4088-554: The more notable Athens based groups. of Montreal frontperson Kevin Barnes said: "The heyday, most of the late 1990s, everyone was involved in each others lives, and we would collaborate more, have dinners where everyone would make something." Schneider compares this period to the Summer of Love , and said the driving force for many of the bands was "out-weirding [their] neighbor" with their music. Elephant 6 bands would tour with each other,

4161-460: The most famous musical products of Athens in the 1980s, when both bands launched a string of hits. The B–52's formed after a St. Valentine's Day party in 1977. The members had little musical knowledge, but performed new wave music with a cheeky and humorous image and sound. They were known for their campy thrift store fashion, and their unusual and eye-catching music videos for hits like " Rock Lobster " and " Love Shack ". Though The B–52's were

4234-577: The particular influence of the Beach Boys' unfinished album Smile , calling it the " Holy Grail " for many members of the collective. He notes how he and other members were obsessed with Beach Boys albums, and attempted to create the type of music they felt would have been included in Smile . Most Elephant 6 members are anti-consumerism and possess a DIY ethic . Their music sometimes features intentionally low quality production, and bands may experiment with unique recording methods; for example, Music from

4307-484: The residents was Bob Cole , born in 1868 to a musically active family. Cole would later become a pioneer in African American theater, known for works like the 1898 musical A Trip to Coontown and the song La Hoola Boola . African American industry, churches and other institutions grew rapidly in prominence through the end of the 19th century. The city's African American community was well established by

4380-417: The song " Everything Is " on Cher Doll Records in 1994, and was the first member of the collective to have their music released on a mainstream label, although the release was not directly affiliated with the Elephant 6 collective and did not feature the Elephant 6 logo. Mangum released the song under the name Neutral Milk Hotel. The Apples were later known as the Apples in Stereo . The mid-to-late 1990s saw

4453-601: The summer and one in the winter, and has also done shows for young people, pops concerts and Christmas concerts. In 1996, the Athens Symphony moved into its modern home, the Classic Center Theatre in downtown Athens. The University of Georgia's Athens campus has long been an important part of local music. Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter and performer "Whispering" Bill Anderson attended UGA and used to play guitar around campus. The faculty of

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4526-422: The time the Elephant 6 thing was getting out of hand, and we started seeing all of these bands that had little Elephant 6 logos on them all over the place" said Spillane. Bands began to tour more often, and the members had less time to interact with each other. Additionally, Neutral Milk Hotel and the Olivia Tremor Control went on hiatus. Mangum became reclusive as he struggled to cope with his newfound stardom, while

4599-526: The town as an unlikely center for musical development, as a "sleepy [place where] it's difficult to imagine anyone working up a sweat, let alone playing rock music." The contributions of Athens to rock , country music , and bluegrass have earned it the nickname "the Liverpool of the South", and the city is known as one of the American birthplaces for both modern alternative rock and new wave music. Athens

4672-723: The two main hub cities, Elephant 6 bands began forming in various cities in the United States, such as the Essex Green and the Ladybug Transistor in Brooklyn , and Beulah in San Francisco . In the early 2000s, Elephant 6 stagnated in activity. Neutral Milk Hotel member and the Gerbils frontman Scott Spillane identifies the sudden uptick of bands across the country as an important factor to this period. "At

4745-495: The war; the Dixie Family, a prominent touring group, performed disastrously, according to local newspapers, who said that the highlight of the performance came from four local African American musicians, and the Dixie Family had absconded with the concert's proceeds, which had been promised to the local Ladies Aid Society. In the 1870s, the city was almost half African American, and local black-owned industry flourished; among

4818-426: Was Cul-De-Sacs and Dead Ends by the Minders in 1999. The collective slowly dissipated, although bands like the Apples in Stereo, Elf Power, and of Montreal continued making music throughout the 2000s. The collective was relatively dormant until the release of New Magnetic Wonder , a 2007 album by the Apples in Stereo. New Magnetic Wonder featured all four of the collective's originating members. While recording

4891-505: Was a spot in Memorial Park in Athens, which became an important performance space after local musician Terry "Mad Dog" Melton and his group began playing there in 1958. The Canteen later hosted local Motown / beach legends The Jesters , who have continued to perform from 1964 to the present. Later in the 1960s and into the 1970s, locally prominent bands gradually changed from primarily cover bands to more well rounded groups, while

4964-653: Was an art major (although he did not graduate), and the Art School incubated other major figures such as all four of the members of Pylon were art students there including Curtis Crowe , founding member and drummer for Pylon (band) . The cinematographer for the documentary film Athens GA: Inside/Out was James Herbert , an art school professor. Herbert went on to direct music videos for various Athens bands including 14 for R.E.M. Rock photographer, Jason Thrasher has documented many Athens musicians in his 2017 book, Athens Potluck. The B–52's and R.E.M. became by far

5037-474: Was exactly what I was looking for, a new take on that stuff." In 2022 a documentary was released called A Future History Of: The Elephant 6 Recording Co. On RottenTomatoes the film currently has a 100% positive review rate. The official Elephant 6 website lists forty-seven acts associated with the collective, although Shook Jr. reports there are more than fifty. Among the collective's more notable acts include: Musical collective Musical collective

5110-463: Was home to the first and most famous college music scene in the country, beginning in the 1970s. Athens' local music is based primarily in the small downtown area of the northern part of the town. The nightclub 40 Watt Club is among the most famous indie rock venues on the East Coast; the club opened on Halloween in 1978, with a band called Strictly American featuring Curtis Crowe, founder of

5183-649: Was once relegated to the fringes of Athens music, but has become a much larger part of the music scene. Latin events hosted in Athens include the LatinxFest, Argentina Food, Wine and Culture Festival, Milonga Tropical, and regular Latin Night events presented by Athens Latin, hosted by rotating venues. Notable performers include Beto Cacao, Grogus, Incatepec, Athens Tango Project , Quiabo De Chapeu, and Bichos Vivos. Musicians have also presented Latin music through stage play performances such as Lupita's Revenge,

5256-533: Was one of the preeminent venues in the city in the early 20th century, and is the only such theater to survive to the present, though it was not in operation for many years, until re-opening in 1993. In the 1950s, the city's musical life consisted primarily of dances at local venues like the American Legion Hall and the YMCA , where popular bandleaders included most famously Jimmy Dorsey . The Canteen

5329-474: Was the launching point for some nationally recognized contemporary Christian music artists including Mark Heard , who started playing while a student at the University of Georgia, and the Vigilantes of Love . A Latin music scene has emerged since 2019 with a diverse array of different musical styles that include bossa nova , samba , salsa music , and tango . According to Flagpole Magazine Latin music

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