FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 A.C. NEWMAN • ADELE • JOE BONAMASSA JOSHUA RADIN • MADELINE • GIFT HORSE CASPER & THE COOKIES • THE RATTLERS DUBCONSCIOUS • KUROMA & MANY MORE! The VINYL REVIVAL ADELE’s BIG NIGHT FAN FUNDED ALBUMS CONfeSSIONS OF A GROUPIE HORSEPLAY WITH BEN KWELLER PLUS! FALLING IN LOVE WITH PAUL RUDD WILLIE NELSON GETS NAKED!! 5)3&&:&"34 "/%8&"3&45*--3&#6*-%*/( HELP THE PEOP/LE& C8OM0E 3HO-M&E"/4 WWW.PNOLA.ORG cover story (14) HORSEPLAY Not that he needed a new direction, but five albums into a celebrated WITH cult-status career, Ben Kweller found one by looking back to where it all began - his Austin, TX roots. BEN KWELLER — Jon Ross (42) Underneath the layers of Nashville’s ‘60s country Willie sound, one man found a gold- Gets mine of Willie Nelson gems. Naked — Alec Wooden (22) 20 year-old British (((44)) pop-singer, Adele, wins As major labels two Grammys this year become less relevant, and produced a criti- Fan bands look to their cally acclaimed debut fans for the big $$$$. album. Funded — Natalie B. David — Nicole Black Confessions of a Groupie (49) A self-proclaimed ‘group- ie’ discloses an abridged version of her adventures with musicians, ball play- ers, & comedians. — Vixen* (53) (60) Is America falling back in Finally admitting your bro- love with Vinyl? Depending mance for Paul Rudd? You’re We Love on who you ask, it never not the only one. really fell out. You, — Alec Wooden — DeMarco Williams Man ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE 3 12 music COLUMNS THE FIRST WORD: 9 A Merger Of Epic Proportions WHAT’S YOUR MUSICSCOPE? 80 Astrology for Musicians 17 SPOTLIGHTS A.C Newman 11 13 Kuroma 12 Joe Bonamassa 13 Ben Kweller 14 Joshua Radin 17 Madeline 18 Gift Horse 20 Dubconscious 21 Adele 22 Casper & The Cookies 25 Zion I 26 20 The Rattlers 27 40 EAR CANDY: Album Reviews 28 UPCOMING RELEASES 31 THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY 34 26 25 THE BUZZ: News & Noise 37 ALSO: TEN QUESTIONS FOR: 40 Irish folk legend Liam Clancy ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MOVIE PREVIEWS: Worth your $9.50? 57 We LOve YOU, MAN: 60 America Keeps Falling For Paul Rudd WhAT YOU See IS WhAT YOU GeT: 62 57 60 Paula Poundstone Returns to Athens FOOD 65 MEALS FOR YOUR BROKE ASS: 65 The Joy of Ramen Noodles ALSO INSIDE: ATHENS LIVE: The Month in Photos 69 FOOD BY OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE CALENDAR OF EVENTS 74 62 ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE 5 B LU R FROM THE EDITORS WHO WE ARE EDITOR’S plaYLIST FROM THE EDITOR OLD OR NEW, 10 SOngs WE CAN’T GET ENOugh OF THIS MONTH The Athens Editor-in-Chief Dear Readers, Blur Magazine Nicole Black WHO WE WHO ARE Nicole Black [email protected] Editor-in-Chief ExecutiveAlec Wooden Editor I have a confession to make. When I first moved to Athens over two years R P.O. Box 7117 ago, I was oblivious to how incredible and diverse the music scene here really LU Executive Editor “Bad Habit” The Rattlers “Sentimental Heart” She & Him is. I assumed this was just another college town (I previously lived in Tempe, Athens, Ga B Ariz.) crammed with too many bands all hoping to “make it big” someday. The Alec Wooden “Opiate” Tool “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” more involved I became in the local music scene, (much in part because of our 30604 [email protected] She & Him Executive Editor, Alec Wooden) the more I realized Athens was more than just “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” “This Is Not A Test” She & Him another small-town southern music scene. I discovered that many of you aren’t Director of Sales The Clash necessarily looking to “make it big,” you’re just looking to share your craft of Main Office “Change Is Hard” She & Him making music with others. Stephen Simmons “Chasing Pavements” Adele (706) 353-7799 [email protected] “I Thought I Saw Your Face Today” “Thunder Kiss ‘65” White Zombie She & Him Not only do we have the most talented and diverse bands right here in Athens; Sales Representatives we also have an amazing tight-knit community in support of local music — “Pink” Aerosmith “Take It Back” She & Him from fans to local businesses and venues, to places like Nuci’s Space — all of Sales Brian Leigh which bring Athens’ music scene full circle. I continue to be impressed and [email protected] “The Waiting” Tom Petty “I Was Made For You” She & Him amazed by the quality of music being produced here. This isn’t just a college (706) 207-9091 “You Really Got A Hold On Me” town. This is the musical and cultural capital of the Southeast and beyond. Adrienne Klein “Falling Slowly” The Swell Season She & Him [email protected] On the cover this month is indie-rocker-turned-country-rocker Ben Kweller. For general comments “Take It Easy” The Eagles and inquiries: “Black Hole” She & Him Raised on dirt roads and honky tonks in small-town Texas, Kweller jumped editorial@ Jim McGahee ship to New York at the age of 19, where he started cranking out albums with athensblur.com [email protected] “Finnegan’s Wake” Dropkick Murphys “Got Me” She & Him inspiring regularity. 2002’s Sha Sha was his first taste of mainstream success, continued with 2004’s On My Way and an eponymous LP in 2006. Kweller’s For advertising Art Director gone back home — literally and ideologically — with his latest Austin, Texas opportunities: produced record, Changing Horses. [email protected] Terry Wilson LOOKING FOR BLUR? TRY HERE: [email protected] Be sure to pick up our next issue of Blur Magazine, where we look at the The Athens Blur 13 Roses Tattoo Farm 255 Pita Pit Magazine issue 6, 40 Watt Club Flora Hydroponics Recycle Scooters evolution of Athens’ music scene. We will also be including a guide to summer Layout Design music festivals not to miss, and so much more! And, as always, send us your copyright©2009 42 Degrees Athens Follet’s Textbook Red Eye Coffee By The Athens Blur Colin Dunlop 5 Points Bottle Shop Exchange School Kids Records comments and suggestions as we approach our one year mark and continue to Magazine, INC. All rights Lily Feinberg ABC Package Georgia Bar Sons of Italy grow into the product we strive to be. reserved. No part of Alibi Saloon Gosford Wine Tasty World this publication may be Editorial Interns Amici’s Italian Café Inoko Express Taqueria La Parrilla Keep reading and rocking, reproduced in whole American Tavern Jittery Joe’s Coffee The Burger & or part in any way Will Hackett Barberitos Jot ‘em Down BBQ Cheesesteak Factory by any means unless Lindsey Lee Barnes & Noble J’s Bottle Shop The Georgia Theater written permission Kristen Lee Beat the Bookstore Kingpin Bowl & Brew The Globe Tavern is received from the Julie McCollum Blind Pig Tavern Lansdowne Road The Grill publisher. Published Erica Schwartz Borders Bookstore Irish Pub The Mercury Lounge monthly except for Broad St. Bar and Grill Lay-Z Shopper The Rye Bar Nicole D. Black each summer issue in Contributing Writers Caledonia Lounge Little Italy The Taco Stand Editor-in-Chief the United States of America and distributed Cheers Package Locos Deli & Pub Transmetropolitan free of charge (limit Jacquie Brasher, Natalie B. Chick Music Mama’s Boy Restaurant Trappeze Pub David, Matt Joiner, Ed Morales, one copy per reader, Ciné Arthaus Theater Mellow Mushroom Village Wine & Spirits each subsequent Jon Ross, Kelly Skinner, PT Copper Creek Melting Point Vision Video Umphress, DeMarco Williams copy is distributed Country Rock Café Modern Age Tobacco Walker’s Pub at a charge of $4.95). Daily Co-Op Moe’s Weaver D’s Postmaster send Depalma’s Musician’s Warehouse Wild Wing Café address changes to The Doc Chey’s Restaurant Nuci’s Space Willy’s Athens Blur Magazine, ON THE COVER: Ben Dos Palmas Oglethorpe Package Wuxtry Records P.O. Box 7117 Kweller, photo courtesy EarthFare Pain & Wonder Tattoo Your Pie Athens, Ga. 30604 of ATO Records FOR MORE LOCATIONS, VISIT ATHENSBLUR.COM 6 ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE 7 B The First Word: one sided debates about all things music LU R AN evil ON THE HORIZON THE FIRST WORD WHY THE TICKETMASTER/LIVenatiON MERGER CAN’T BE ALLOWED hile gearing up for the stretch case, despite winning decisively in the and promotion powers combined with run of his presidential campaign court of public opinion, and proceeded to Ticketmaster’s death grip on the throats in WMay 2008, then-Illinois Senator cancel the 1994 tour in protest. of music venues would allow the new Barack Obama made the following The kicker of the Justice Department’s super-company to essentially set the promise to the American voters: “I will decision? It didn’t dispute Ticketmaster’s ticket market exactly as they please. assure that we will have an Antitrust monopoly on the situation, but claimed If you want to see live music, you’ll Division that is serious about pursuing pay their price. But let’s say you’re not cases.” Ready. Set. Defend your promise, willing (or, in these times, not able). Mr. President. What happens? Show revenue, the most As if he could use anything else on formidable revenue stream for the bands his plate right now (not sure if you’ve of today, has the potential to plummet. heard, but we’re in a recession), Obama Could bands go under? Would whole is suddenly faced with a very disturbing tours be cancelled? Might a venue or two threat to that promise.