The blog's been too quiet for too long, but Stinky and I have been working behind the scenes on Georgia Week. We discovered that we both lived in Atlanta around the same time, and share fond (if fuzzy) memories of local bands and musicians. One of our mutual favorites is The Tombstones, an Atlanta institution fronted by Stevie Tombstone, who still performs as Stevie T. (or did until the coronavirus put a stop to live music).Back when I first started sparkin' with the woman who would become my wife, she introduced me to the 1988 mini-LP Preachin', Prayin', Guitar Playin' -- the Tombstones' only release during their lifetime. There's a posthumous CD called Twang From The Grave, a digital monument to the Tombstones. Stiv Bators was a Tombstones fan, and Stiv's version of "Nobody" appeared on his Last Race CD.
Georgia has been in the news frequently in the past few months, sometimes for good reasons and other times not. I've lived more than half my life here, and have seen some musicians rise to international fame while others (often just as talented and deserving) have struggled to break out of the local scene. There will be some of both here in the next week or so.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/012y7kwfznrkm83/The_T0mbst0ne%2524_%2526_%2524tevie_T0mbstone%2524_Best.zip/file
ReplyDeleteYou know I moved there late 79/early 80. I lived in a seedy hotel...brass elevator and an operator in a velvet suit and a strip club in the basement...the Moulin Rouge. Hung out at the 688 club and the Agora. Hung around Little Five Points. Used to like a band called Moral Hazard. Hung out with the Wankers whose singer went on to be in the Producers, I think it was. I lived later in LA in a building near Grauman's Chinese called the Nirvana. I was in the elevator when I was moving in and this endowed chick got in the elevator behind me. I asked what floor she wanted. She told me and I pressed the button. The elevator didn't move. She stuck those righteous milk bags in my back as she banged on the door. I asked if those forty fours were loaded and she laughed and said yes. As I looked at her I realized it was Keenan the bartender from the 688 Club and former girlfriend of Chris, singer of the Wankers. Small world. I left Atlanta around 82 although playing the chitlin circuit brought me back at least once a month. Saw the Clash at the Fox. Was cool.
ReplyDeleteI moved to Georgia in 1983. They said it was safe to come on down, because you were already gone. Just kidding...
DeleteI only made it to 688 once, and the only hotel I knew of that had a strip club in the basement was the infamous Clermont Lounge on Ponce.
For years I have said that I saw the Circle Jerks at the 688 club, but today's research tells me that it was at the Metroplex on December 16, 1987. My other notables were the Ramones at the Buckhead Roxy and the Replacements at the same spot. (My now wife fell asleep at the Replacements show)
ReplyDeleteI never made it to the Metroplex. My wife hung out there and at Backstreets (back in the day when RuPaul was a local). She said Megadeth and Suicidal Tendencies played the Metroplex so frequently, she thought they were local bands. I've fallen asleep at a few shows, but I was too excited to see the Mats (once with Bob, once with Slim, and once on Paul and Tommy's reunion tour.)
DeleteThe Mrs. and I went to Backstreet a couple of times and it was always an adventure. Still have my 'membership' card. Back in the day you did the trifecta - Backstreet, the Clermont Lounge and the Chamber.
ReplyDeleteYou rascal, you! Don't forget The Cove, which is where bar patrons, servers and bartenders went after the other clubs closed. I think they stayed open until 5am. My missus and I had an apartment a few miles up Monroe Drive from The Cove. In the wee hours we were sometimes awakened by the sound of a drunken driver crashing into the telephone pole outside our duplex.
DeleteI don't remember the name of the bar in Little Five Points where I saw Evan Johns & The H-Bombs, but I'll never forget that show. It was one of the best I've ever seen and that includes The Ramones, The Stray Cats, J, Geils Band, Led Zeppelin, & The Who! - Stinky
ReplyDeleteIt was probably The Star Bar, The Point or the Little Five Points Pub. The other venue in L5P (the Variety Playhouse) had theater seating.
DeleteThe Star Bar was a former bank building. They put an Elvis shrine in the bank vault. The Point and the L5P Pub were a few doors down from Wax N Facts.
I moved to Atlanta from the Jersey Shore (Asbury Park) in 85. I thought I died and went to heaven, the cheap rent, the women, the music. Shared an apartment with a bunch of work-mates, then team-mates. 688 club, got arrested in the Varsity Park lot after a show there (The Bodeans), spent 3 nights in the downtown Atlanta city jail, scary shite. Moved in with my wife to be, off of North Highland by the Carter Center. Used to love Little 5 Points. Then it was time to buy a house and it was off to the Burbs which was then the country in 89. Cheers to you Stinky, RugbyLad
ReplyDeleteSounds familiar: the first apartment the wife and I shared was at the corner of North Ave. and North Highland, kitty corner from Manuel's. Then we moved to Lindbergh (not far from the Moonshadow Saloon), and finally to Monroe Drive. Bought a house in the burbs not long before Smith's Olde Bar opened, but I could walk to Fat Matt's and see the Mighty Fine Slabs.
DeleteStinky's planning Jersey Week next; so stick around, RugbyLad!