Week # 360                                      Rumjungle

August 11, 2017

                                                             Winner:  Tom English, Archdale, NC.  Co-winners:  Andy Johnson,                                                                   Athens, GA;  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Darryl White,                                                                                     Melbourne, AU;  Tim Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Craig Williams,                                                                                 Portland, OR;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, SC;  Steve Fleming,                                                                                     Tourmakeady, IR;  Kenneth  Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Chris Hartstonge,                                                               London, UK.

 

Hint: this band was a local group that consisted of a brother, a sister, a girlfriend of the brother and a drummer who'd played in some Athens bands previously. The core of them, or the first three, were Oconee county residents who attended Oconee County High and played together in bands during that period. They developed quite a following from those Oconee County roots and parlayed that into a successful draw at the 40 Watt on Clayton version 1.0, only to perform their final shows at the Broad Street Watt the summer that we moved to that location. They played a lot of shows at the Watt during its early days, thanks to the fact that they owned a small PA and Paul found it useful to book them rather than pay me for sound services. That situation changed when Doug bought into the Watt in early 1982 and asked me to help them buy their own PA and install it. That led to a trip to Sugar Hill, Georgia and better days for the 40 Watt. Good luck everybody!!

 

 

Week #361                                      Jumper Cables performing "Goin' Down"

August 18, 2017     

                                                            Winner:  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU.  Co-winners:  Tom English,                                                                  Archdale, NC;  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK;  Kip Shepherd,                                                                            Huntsville, AL;  Craig Williams, Portland, OR;  Joel Suttles, Asheville,                                                              NC;  Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;  Steve Fleming, Tourmakeady, IR.

 

Hint: this band was a well-known group from Charleston, SC that came to the Watt on Broad in the summer of '86. They shared the bill with the Land Sharks and put on a very impressive show, as far as I'm aware their only appearance at the 40 Watt. In researching the band for this episode I discovered that the bassist, who's introduced for a solo by the guitarist in this clip, passed away some 5 years ago. Since we didn't get to bid him adieu at the time we'd like to dedicate this episode in his memory, Paul Tucker. We're leaving that part in the clip on purpose so it's acceptable to use that information in formulating your entry. Good luck everybody!!

 

 

Week #362                                      Toy Boat

August 25, 2017

                                                            Winner:  Tom English, Archdale, NC.  Co-winners:  Darryl White,                                                                      Melbourne, AU;  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK;  Kip Shepherd,                                                                        Huntsville, AL;  Steve Fleming, Tourmakeady, IR; Andy Johnson,                                                                      Athens, GA;  Tim Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, AL;                                                                    Craig Williams, Portland, OR;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA.

 

Hint: this was a local band that only performed once at the Watt on Clayton, early in 1983. They may have performed elsewhere in town but if so I'm unaware of it. They aren't widely known and I can't provide more clues than these so this one will help decide who our champion this year is going to be. Good luck everybody!!

 

 

Week #363                                       Will Rambaux & the Delta Hurricanes (Boppin' 88's) performing         September 1, 2017                       "Honey Don't"

 

                                                             Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Tom English,                                                                 Archdale, NC;  Darryl  White, Melbourne, AU;  Andy Johnson,                                                                             Athens, GA;  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Liam  O'Hara, Seneca                                                                     AL; Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Craig                                                                           Williams, Portland, OR

 

Hint: this band came to the Watt on Clayton in late 1982 and as far as I know, played their only show in Athens. The name they used to book the show was not the one they used when they took the stage, however.   Apparently this was a case like the one Phil n' the Blanks encountered when their impact reached an audience large enough to unearth another band with the same name but an attorney to go with it and a copyright to boot. The reason we picked this band for this week's episode is because the name they used when they played our place has a direct connection with the recent weather disaster in Texas. It might take a little digging but if you cross reference my calendar from late '82 with the music archives it will all make perfect sense! We want the name the band used the night of their performance, but to up the ante we'll award 10 points to the first respondent to give us the name the band used to book the show, and 5 points to the second respondent. Good luck everybody!!

 

 

Final Episode of Seventh Year

Week #364                                        REM performing "Hyena"

September 8, 2017                  

                                                              Winner:  Tom English, Archdale, NC.  Co-winners:  Chris                                                                                      Hartstonge, London, UK;  Darryl  White, Melbourne, AU;  Steve                                                                        Fleming, Tourmakeady, IR;  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Tim                                                                          Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;  Liam O'Hara,                                                                        Seneca, AL; Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Craig Williams Portland,                                                                OR

 

Hint: this band played the Watt on Broad Street in January, 1986 as a memorial to a guitarist who had been killed in an auto wreck. We expect everyone in our panel will recognize them, but we don't have a recording of the opening band, which is what we're looking for. The opening band's original name was taken from the call letters of a radio station in central Georgia, whose letters matched the initials of the first names of the 4 band members. That name was later changed to the name the band used for this well-known performance. We want this name, and we're offering a special bonus of ten points each for the names of the two band members who appear behind me in the picture of me at the desk for the Human Rights Festival in 1983. That picture is to the right of this text block.  Here's an extra hint: their first names begin with the same letter. Hope that all makes sense, good luck everybody and thanks for another fun year of playing our little Athens music game!

 

 

Week #365                                         Catheads "Grass"

September 15, 2017

                                                               Winner:  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU.  Co-winners:  Kip Shepherd,                                                                 Huntsville, AL;  Tom English, Archdale, NC;  Chris Hartstonge,                                                                           London, UK;  Tim Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;                                                                 Craig Williams, Portland, OR;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, SC;  Steve                                                                          Fleming, Tourmakeady, IR

 

Hint: this band performed at the Watt on Clayton, version 2.0, on a date unknown. They formed in San Francisco in 1985, and their pedigree included several moderately known bands, including the X-Tals, Love Circus, the Donner Party and the Ophelias. They released two albums, the latter being produced by David Lowery. They also had one of the coolest T-shirts, of which the one I got was my favorite till I wore it out. We've only featured this band once previously, so we're making up for lost time. 

 

 

Week #366                                         Body Electric performing "Bigger Than Both of Us"

September 22, 2017

                                                               Winner:  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU.  Co-winners:  Kip Shepherd,                                                                 Huntsville, AL;  Andy  Johnson, Athens, GA;  Craig Williams,                                                                               Portland, OR;  Tom English, Archdale, NC;  Tim  Abbott, Skipton,                                                                     UK;  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK

 

Hint: this was the band I went to work for when I left the 40 Watt in February, 1990. Four of its members performed in a band that played the Watt while I was there and when I became available they contacted me and voila! We worked together for about two years, mostly performing in NYC and at O'Malley's Tavern in Athens. Three of its members played in the Redcoat Marching Band during their undergraduate days, and that expertise is reflected in the virtuosity displayed in the clip. 

 

 

Week #367                                         Lava Love performing "Precious"

September 29, 2017

                                                               Winner:  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville, AL.  Co-winners:  Andy                                                                                   Johnson, Athens, GA;  Tim        Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Tom English,                                                                   Archdale, NC;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;  Chris Hartstonge,                                                                       London, UK;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Craig Williams,                                                                               Portland, OR

 

Hint: this band was an Atlanta band that played at the Watt on Clayton version 2.0 a couple of times in the late 80's. Their manager was a former Athenian who'd returned to Atlanta and continued his music interests there, returning to Athens to maintain his contacts here. This band was one of those that had a promise of bigger things to come, but that promise went unfulfilled. Before their demise they released two albums, one of which was on Dog Gone records, the label run by Jefferson Holt. Their hit single was produced by none other than Mitch Easter. Good luck everybody!!

 

 

Week #368                                          BANG! performing "Kill It"

October 6, 2017 

                                                                Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Andy                                                                                Johnson, Athens, GA;  Darryl  White, Melbourne, AU;  Tom                                                                                English, Archdale, NC;  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville,  AL;  Kenneth                                                                        Rogers, Atlanta, GA

 

Hint: this was another of the Athens bands that were composed of members from other bands who got together to jam and decided it was a product worth putting in front of an audience. This particular concatenation included three members of one of Athens' most beloved bands backing a front man who wrote the songs and sang lead vocal, and played rhythm guitar. Although their career was relatively  short-lived they left an imprint on the Athens music community. This recording was made at the Watt on Clayton version 1.0 shortly before we moved to the Broad Street location. It was one of the sessions where we set up on Sunday when the Watt was closed and worked till very late doing it live to an empty room till we had something to call a demo tape. Good luck everybody!!

 

 

Week #369                                          Drivin' 'n' Cryin' performing "Amazing Grace/Honeysuckle Blue"

October 13, 2017

                                                                Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Kip                                                                                    Shepherd, Huntsville, AL; Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;  Tom                                                                                English, Archdale, NC;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;                                                                                            Vanessa Hay, Athens, GA;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Kenneth                                                                    Rogers, Atlanta, GA; Tim Abbott, Skipton, UK;  and Craig                                                                                    Williams,  Portland, OR.

 

Hint: this band was self-described  as "ass kicking Southern rock n' roll", hailing from Atlanta although the frontman spent some time in Athens as the houseguest of a member of a very well-known Athens band. They are still at it, including touring Europe with two of the original members who've been a mainstay of the group since its inception in the mid 1980's. Their career has included the release of 16 albums and incessant touring. Good luck everybody!

 

 

Week #370                                           Men in Trees/Turtlebay performing "Rollin' and Tumblin'"

October 20, 2017

                                                                 Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Tom                                                                                 English, Archdale, NC;  Darryl  White, Melbourne, AU;  Kip                                                                                   Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Andy Johnson, Athens,  GA;  Tim                                                                               Abbott, Skipton, UK;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Liam O'Hara,                                                                     Seneca, SC.

 

Hint: this was the first band that I worked with when I came to Athens in April of 1980. They hired me to make a demo tape for them, which we recorded in the old B-52's practice space in the back of the Morton Theater. Later that year I joined the band full-time as their sound man and we worked together until February of 1982, when I left. The Tyrone's fire in January of '82 burned up more than just all our equipment. Since we started Band of the Week back in 2010 we've lost two of the members of this band, and we'd like to dedicate this episode to their memory. 

 

 

Week #371                                           Squalls performing "Night Train"

October 27, 2017

                                                                 Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Tim                                                                                 Abbott,  Skipton, UK;  Andy  Johnson, Athens, GA;  Kip Shepherd,                                                                   Huntsville, AL;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;  Kenneth Rogers,                                                                       Atlanta, GA;  Craig Williams, Portland, OR;  Steve Fleming,                                                                                 Seattle, WA;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, AL;  Tom English, Archdale,                                                                       NC

 

Hint: this band first performed on Halloween at the old Bluebird Cafe in the Morton Theater building, and it became a tradition for them to perform on Halloween after that. This recording was made on the final Halloween show at the 40 Watt Uptown on Broad Street. 

 

 

Week #372                                           Tinsley Ellis & the Heartfixers performing "Cool On It"

November 3, 2017

                                                                 Winner:  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville, AL  Co-winners:  Andy                                                                                   Johnson, Athens, GA;  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK;  Tom                                                                               English, Archdale, NC;  Craig Williams, Portland, OR;  Tim Abbott,                                                                   Skipton, UK;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  the Schilberg Girls,                                                                       Grafton,  WI;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA

 

Hint: this band was arguably Atlanta's best roadhouse blues band throughout the 1980's, and the frontman has gone on to a very distinguished solo career after the band's demise. His discography includes an impressive 16 studio albums, and this clip is the title song from the first of those. It was recorded the month before the Watt on Broad closed its doors for the final time.

 

 

Week #373                                             Bloodkin performing "Led Astray"

November 10, 2017                      

                                                                   Winner:  Tim Abbott, Skipton, UK.  Co-winners:  Andy Johnson,                                                                       Athens, GA;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Tom English,                                                                                     Archdale, NC;  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Chris Hartstonge,                                                                         London, UK;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;  Craig Williams,                                                                               Portland, OR;  Lynn Berndt, Grafton, WI;  Kenneth Rogers,                                                                                 Atlanta, GA

 

Hint: this band appeared in Athens shortly after we returned to our primal roots on Clayton Street in 1987. They developed a loyal following and have enjoyed a lengthy career since, performing as recently as a couple of years ago. Unfortunately one of its members suffered a stroke about a year ago, we hope he's fully recovered by now. 

 

 

Week #374                                            Suicidal Tendencies performing "I Saw Your Mommy"

November 17, 2017                

                                                                  Winner:  Tom English, Archdale, NC.  Co-winners:  Tim Abbott,                                                                        Skipton, UK;  Darryl  White, Melbourne, AU;  Kip Shepherd,                                                                                Huntsville, AL;  Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;   Chris Hartstonge,                                                                          London, UK;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Craig Williams,                                                                                Portland, OR;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, AL;  Steve Fleming, Seattle,                                                                      WA.

 

Hint: this band was one of the several LA-area punk bands that came to play the Classic City in the 1980's, following their formation in 1983. According to Wikipedia they are "often credited as one of the fathers of crossover thrash". They are still active, although the current lineup contains only one original member, the lead singer. They have released 13 studio albums and provided a forum for dozens of musicians, among whom are people who've performed with a host of recognizable music personalities. 

 

 

Week #375                                         Bluesicians performing "Who's Makin' Love"

November 24, 2017              

                                                               Winner:  Tom English, Archdale, NC.  Co-winners:  Tim Abbott,                                                                         Skipton, UK;  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK;  Darryl White,                                                                                 Melbourne, AU;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Craig Williams,                                                                           Portland, OR;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, AL;  Kip Shepherd,                                                                                       Huntsville, AL;  Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;  Kenneth Rogers,                                                                           Atlanta, GA

 

Hint: this was an Athens band that was a regular at Tyrone's in the early days, and played the Watt on Broad only once that I'm aware of.  Its members were accomplished Athens musicians that would generally be characterized as coming from the "old school". I'm afraid I can't remember very many details about them, but the clip should suffice as a testament to their virtuosity with their instruments. 

 

 

Week #376                                             Hillbilly Frankenstein performing "Train I Ride"

December 1, 2017

                                                                   Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Tom                                                                                 English, Archdale, NC;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;  Kip                                                                                   Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Andy                                                                         Johnson, Athens, GA;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, AL;  Steve Fleming,                                                                     Seattle, WA.

 

Hint: this band was composed primarily of members from the first band to take the stage of the 40 Watt Uptown in April of '83. Two of the guitarists came from that band, joined by members of other well-known Athens bands. This grouping performed twice at the Watt on Clayton version 2.0, and this recording was from the first of those. The front man celebrated his birthday yesterday so we're featuring this as a birthday greeting to him, and we're offering five bonus points to everyone who can identify his previous band that was the first to perform on the 40 Watt Uptown stage. 

 

 

Week #377                                             New Riders of the Purple Sage performing "Portland Town"

December 8, 2017

                                                                   Winner:  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU.  Co-winners:  Tim                                                                         Abbott, Skipton, UK; Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;  Tom                                                                             English, Archdale, NC;  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK;  Kip                                                                       Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Craig Williams, Portland, OR;                                                                           Steve  Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Liam O'Hara, Seneca, AL.

 

Hint: the band came to the Watt on Broad around the beginning of 1985 from California, They initially formed in the San Francisco Bay area during the period known as the "Summer of Love", and gained notoriety as the opening band for the Grateful Dead for years. Members of that band also performed with this band, to the point it was almost a revolving door of musicians. During its career, this band released 28 studio and live albums, the most recent being in 2013. Sadly, the front man and guitarist both passed away in 2009. 

 

 

Week #378                                         Barbeque Killers performing "A Dick Song"

December 15, 2017

                                                                   Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Tom                                                                                 English, Archdale, NC;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;  Kip                                                                                   Shepherd, Huntsville, AL;  Andy Johnson, Athens, GA;  Joel                                                                               Suttles, Asheville, NC;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Tim Abbott,                                                                     Skipton,  UK;  Kenneth Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Craig Williams,                                                                             Portland, OR.

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Hint: this was one of the Athens bands that appeared in the film Athens GA: Inside Out and the lead vocalist was featured on the cover of the album. Sadly, she was lost to a drug overdose some years ago. The band toured extensively during the mid 80's, often in company with other hard-edge Athens ensembles. This recording, the only one of the band that I made, was done less than a month before the Watt on Broad closed its doors for the last time. WARNING: clip contains some material that is rated X! 

 

 

Week #379                                             Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns "El Ano Vielo" 

December 22, 2017

                                                                   Winner:  Chris Hartstonge, London, UK.  Co-winners:  Tom                                                                                 English, Archdale, NC;  Darryl White, Melbourne, AU;  Andy                                                                               Johnson, Athens, GA;  Kip Shepherd, Huntsville,  AL;  Kenneth                                                                         Rogers, Atlanta, GA;  Craig Williams, Portland, OR;  Joel Suttles,                                                                     Asheville, NC;  Steve Fleming, Seattle, WA;  Tim Abbott,                                                                                     Skipton, UK.

 

Hint: this band played the Broad Street Watt in late 1984, touring in support of their latest album release which was the sixth of a total of twenty six. Their front man has accumulated numerous accolades over the years, becoming known as the king of Tex-Mex rock n' roll. Known for combining Latin with reggae, the blend became known as "Nuevo Wavo". After touring extensively during the 80's and 90's the front man settled in Puerto Vallarta, where he plays regularly. He is a noted dog lover and has established a non-profit to rescue dogs in need of a home.