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In the late 1970’s Athens, Georgia was buzzing with a raw but sophisticated music scene. Traditional southern rock had been the Georgia musical export for years before but the turn of the decade began producing new sounds from bands like the B-52’s, REM and Alt Rock luminaries, Pylon.
Before they were a band, Pylon were art-school students at the University of Georgia: four kids invigorated by big ideas about art and creativity and society. Pylon was less a band, however, and more of an art project, which meant they had very specific goals in mind as well as an expiration date. While their time together as a band was short lived (1979-1983), Pylon had a lasting influence on the history of rock and roll. Throughout their brief history, they were able to create influential work that would help foster the post-punk and art-rock scene of the early 80s.. Artists like R.E.M., Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney, Interpol, Deerhunter and many more claim inspiration from the band.
In 1980 the band released its first record, Gyrate and began touring across the country in support of the release. The band would soon develop a following across the country and specifically in the bustling music scene in New York City. One of their earliest gigs was opening for the Gang of Four in the big apple. Following the critical acclaim of their debut release, Pylon went back into the studio. While in the studio they gleefully pulled their songs apart and put them back together in new shapes, revealing a band of self-proclaimed non-musicians who had transformed gradually but noticeably into real musicians. The resulting album, Chomp was barely off the press when Pylon were booked to open a run of dates for a hot new Irish band called U2 (after previously playing two arena shows with them in the month leading to the album release). Most bands would have jumped at the opportunity, but Pylon were skeptical. At a critical point in the life of Pylon, they opted to become a cult band rather than stretch their defining philosophy too far.
“We fully intended Pylon to be an almost seasonal thing that we were gonna do for a minute and then get on with our lives,” says Curtis Crowe, drummer for the band. “But it just never went away. It still doesn’t go away. There’s a new subterranean class of kids that are coming into this kind of music, and they’re just now discovering Pylon. That blows my mind. We didn’t see that coming.”
New West Records is proud to partner with Pylon to reissue Chomp and Gyrate back into the masses. Beautifully remastered from the original audio sources and pressed on vinyl for the first time in over 30 years.
credits
released March 5, 2021
All songs written and performed by Pylon, additional lyrics on Feast On My Heart by Craig Woodall. Published by Pylon Music Two / Administered by BMG Bumblebee (BMI).
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Randy Bewley - Guitar
Curtis Crowe - Drums
Vanessa Biscoe Hay - Vocals
Michael Lachowski - Bass
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Produced by Bruce Baxter, Kevin Dunn & Pylon
Engineer: Bruce Baxter
Art Direction & Label Design: Sean Bourne
Reissue Executive Produced and Supervised by Brady Brock
Audio Restored and Mastered from the Original Tapes by Jason NeSmith — Chase Park Transduction Studios, Athens, GA, 2020
Reissue Creative Direction and Graphics — Michael Lachowski and Henry Owings
Reissue Graphics / Copy Assistant — Vanessa Briscoe Hay
Manufacturing Coordination — Matt Etgen and Caroline Barfield
Vinyl Lacquers — Bob Weston, Chicago Mastering, Chicago, IL ((VINYL VERSION ONLY)))
Pressed — Kindercore Vinyl, Athens, GA ((VINYL VERSION ONLY)))
Pylon Legal — John Seay
SPECIAL THANKS
George Fontaine, Sr, Brady Brock, Matt Etgen, Caroline Barfield and all at New West Records / B-52’s / David Barbe / Bruce Baxter / Danny Beard / All at BMG Bumblebee / Sean Bourne / Paul Butchart / Jeff Calder / Kevin Dunn / Bob Hay / Kate Ingram / Robin Johnson / Jason NeSmith / Robert Molnar / Henry Owings / R.E.M. / Southern Tracks Studios / Vic Varney, and to all our friends, family members, fans, DJs and anyone who helped along the way.
Original Issue Executive Produced by Danny Beard for DB Recs, Released as DB 54, 1980
All songs written and performed by Pylon, additional lyrics on Feast On My Heart by Craig Woodall. Published by Pylon Two Music (BMI) c/o BMG Bumblebee (BMI) administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC Ⓒ & Ⓟ 1980, 2020
The best I've heard from Steve Earle in a while. The songs have a subtler, earthier tone, tastefully rendered in authentic sounding country/blues/bluegrass stylings. 'J.T' reminds of earlier records like 'Feel Alright' or 'Train a Comin'.
Deep grief, love and compassion is felt on the final track, the only composition from Steve, seemingly written for his son. The rest, composed by JT, do confirm what a great songwriter he really was. tideracer
Just a warm, easy listen. The love for the songs is apparent. Takes me back to days spent working on my car in the driveway in SoCal. Hope they do another one cause I'm gonna wear this on out. Aloha beauishere
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Good live album. I love the fans that every time DBT releases anything they compare the old version of the band with the new one. They say the old is better the new is too political….blah blah blah. For me the new version from English Oceans to now is my favorite and their “political stuff” is their best songwriting no question. Ive been a fan since SRO. This band has always been very liberal and political. It’s time fans really research the bands they follow beforehand lmao. Yimmy Kil