Sam Mixon talks about his early affinity for music, taking piano lessons, and teaching himself how to play drums, guitar, and the bass guitar. He remembers how working as a DJ for the local radio station and selling records in his father's store…
Andrew Rieger talks about becoming a music fan at a young age, his first band, and starting the band Elf Power when he moved to Athens, Georgia for school. He talks about choosing to do home versus in-studio recordings, collaborating briefly with…
Frank MacDonell talks about growing up in the suburbs, taking guitar lessons, forming his high school band, Aftermath, and getting his first Les Paul guitar. MacDonell working for a real estate company after graduating high school, and getting…
Creston Spiers was born in Monroe, Louisiana. He studied orchestra and performance percussion at John Hopkins University and later moved to Athens. Spiers played guitar and drums in the bands Weasel Stick and Harvey Milk. In this interview, Spiers…
Peter Alvanos grew up playing the drums and guitar in Charleston, South Carolina. He went to college in Charleston and played drums in the band, Lines Thicken. After his pursuit of acting in New York, Alvanos moved to Athens, Georgia where he toured…
Kevin Sweeney grew up in Marietta, Georgia. After high school, Sweeney moved to Athens, Georgia where he formed his first band, Window Pane. Sweeney later played guitar in other bands such as A-Ditch and Hayride, and toured with Sunshine Fix. In this…
Edwards was born in Florida, where her first introduction to music was her father’s love of jazz. In high school, Edwards played the guitar and occasionally sang in a small band. Edwards eventually moved to Athens in the early 1980’s where she played…
Rowe grew up in New Jersey around the 1970s. He grew up listening to artists such as Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Rowe learned how to drum as a teenager and later moved to Athens to attend the University of Georgia. While in Athens, Rowe toured…
Dave Marr grew up in Chicago, Illinois in the late 1970s and early 1980s. As a teenager, Marr had an interest in punk-rock which inspired him to learn guitar and played for the band Mantis after high school. Marr later worked as a DJ for WNUR,…
Jill Carnes grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, where her mother encouraged her to pursue the arts. In the 1980s, Carnes moved to Athens, Georgia where she worked as a dishwasher at The Grill and was introduced to local musicians. During this…
Paul Trudeau grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. He later came to Athens in 1988. Paul was interested in drumming growing up and played in a band called Basix as a kid. Upon moving to Athens, Trudeau recorded and toured with the band Hetch Hetchy.…
Cucchiaro was born in New York and grew up playing various horn and percussion instruments for his school’s Drum and Bugle Corp. After graduating high school, Cucchiaro moved to Athens, Georgia after fellow musician Julian Koster, where they both…
Robbie Cucchiaro was born in New York and grew up playing various horn and percussion instruments for his school’s Drum and Bugle Corp. After graduating high school, Cucchiaro moved to Athens, Georgia after fellow musician Julian Koster, where they…
Jason Griffin grew up in Columbus, Georgia during the 1980’s. As a child, Griffin played the drums and skateboarded with other kids in his community. In high school, Griffin played for many bands including Beluga and Straight Youth. Later Griffin…
Alan Flurry grew up in Savannah, Georgia. In high school, he moved to Athens, Georgia and has played as the drummer for many Athens bands since, including Mr. Right Now, SNAIL, and for the David Marr Album. In addition to drumming, Flurry is a writer…
In 1985, Curtiss Pernice moved to Athens, Georgia from New York. There, Pernice lived with Ted Hafer, and eventually came to start the band Porn Orchard with Hafer and Sam Mixon, which lasted from 1985-1992. In this interview, Pernice talks about the…
Deonna Mann moved to Athens, GA as a young adult and got involved in art and music. She is best known for her 1990s experimental performances with local bands. In her interview, she discusses her puppet shows, art exhibitions, and performing with…
Bielle grew up in Roswell, Georgia. He learned how to play the guitar and bass as an adolescent and came to Athens in 1979 where he later played bass and sang with the heavy-metal band Hayride. After the breakup of Hayride in the mid-1990s, Bielle…
During college at Fitchburg State University, Ken Starratt gained an interest in the variety of music of the 1970s. Starratt came to Athens in the mid-1970s where he became involved in the Athens music scene. Starratt played the guitar in many bands…
Pat Shields grew up in Athens, Georgia, as his father was the recreational director of the city. Shields, as a teenager, grew up playing folk music and has worked at many cultural institutions in areas including Keyser, Virginia and Australia.…
Rick Stanziale grew up in Athens, Georgia during the 1980s, during which he was an avid skateboarder. Stanziale later joined his first band, The Problem Children during the late 1980s. James Greer was also involved in the skating scene and punk rock…
Patrick Ferguson grew up in Columbus, Georgia, where he was exposed to a number of punk rock bands. When Ferguson moved to Athens, Georgia to attend UGA, he played in a variety of bands including Five-Eight, Southern Bitch, and Teenage Math Lab. In…
Vernon Thornsberry was born and raised in New Orleans. He taught himself to paint and play several instruments. He moved to Athens, GA in 1986 where he has become a local legend and familiar face, especially around The Grit and Jittery Joe’s. During…
Daniel Horowitz grew up in Norway during the 1960s, before he moved to Athens where he spent his teenage years. Horowitz has played as a guitarist and bass player for many bands including The Reasonable Men, Five Eight, and Klezmer Local 42. Daniel…
Chris McKay was born and raised in Camden, South Carolina. He began playing music at an early age and joined his first band when he was sixteen. He moved to Athens, Georgia in the early 1990s and played in numerous bands including Q-Sign, Tanjent,…
Ballard Lesemann was born in 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina. He played drums from an early age, and he joined his first band when he was thirteen. Lesemann moved to Athens, Georgia to attend college at the University of Georgia; however, he left…
Ben Spraker was born in Atlanta, and moved to Athens in 1990 to attend the University of Georgia. Spraker has played as the guitarist and songwriter for many bands including Ancient Odis, The Arcs, NSM, and Don Condescending. In this interview,…
Todd McBride grew up in Griffin, Georgia and attended Gordon State College, and the University of Georgia. He was a singer and guitarist in multiple bands including Random Factor, the La-Di-Da’s, Liquor Cabinet, and The Dashboard Saviors. In this…
Gordon Lamb moved to Athens, Georgia and began his studies at the University of Georgia in 1989. He taught himself guitar and currently writes for Flagpole magazine In his interview, Lamb shares his experiences of the Athens music scene while playing…
Bob Fernandaz was born in Germany and came to Athens in 1977 nearing the end of high school. Fernandez plays the drums and guitar and has played in many bands including Flaming Chopsticks, The Fit, Stellas Fellas, Three Walls Downs, and the Star Room…
Daniel Ray began playing music at the age of four, switching from violin to drums, then guitar. While taking guitar lessons, he started writing his own songs. After graduating high school in Iowa, he moved to Athens to form a rock band. In his…
Jason Richardson was born in Waynesboro, Georgia. Richardson is a drummer and has played in bands such as Exit 86, Savagists, and Mandible Rider. In this interview, Richardson discusses performing and touring with various bands, and the differences…
Velena Vego is from Atlanta, GA and moved to Athens to pursue success in her sister’s girl band, Mystery Date. After the band broke up, she worked for R.E.M. and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’. She finds her work in booking shows for The 40 Watt CLub, the…
Joe Willey is a long-time Athens resident and a multi-instrumentalist who has played banjo, guitar, and fiddle on solo projects and in collaboration with other Athens musicians. He currently operates under his music project “Joe Willey and the Movin’…
Antoon Speters was born in the Netherlands and raised in Salt Lake City. He started playing music and singing at a young age with friends. During his time in Utah he played and toured the western US and Canada with multiple groups before moving to…
Susan Staley was born and raised in Indiana and moved to Athens in 1992 where she quickly found community within Athens’ folk and old time music scenes. In this interview she talks about her experiences with music in Athens, which include playing…
Dick Daniels was raised on jazz music and chose trombone as his first instrument, followed by guitar and later electric bass. He attended Rutgers University where he joined a band called Redwood Trunk and took a music theory class before picking up…
John Evans grew up in Blairsville, Georgia, surrounded by the sounds of country, bluegrass, and rock and roll. His start in music was on the electric guitar, trying to emulate the sounds of Van Halen and popular 90s grunge rock, and then entered the…
