Pylon (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Pylon

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Img_size = 300px
Img_capt = Pylon performing at AthFest 2005 in Athens, Georgia, USA, June 24, 2005.
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Athens, Georgia, United States
Genre = New Wave, Art rock, Punk rock, dance music
Years_active = 1978-1983, 1989-1991, 2004-current
Label = DB Records
Associated_acts = Supercluster The New Sound of Numbers
URL =
Current_members = Randall Bewley Michael Lachowski Curtis Crowe Vanessa Briscoe Hay
Past_members =

Pylon is a rock band from Athens, Georgia, USA. Their most important work was done between 1979 and 1983. They were highly influential among new wave bands. They are also considered one of the seminal groups of the Athens music scene where their influence has been pervasive. The band R.E.M. is an especially notable example of a group influenced by Pylon, and covered the song "Crazy" as the b-side of their single, "Wendell Gee". Their music includes punk rock elements, but might also be counted as dance music.

History

All four members of Pylon were art students at the University of Georgia in Athens. Guitarist Randall Bewley and bass guitarist Michael Lachowski began playing music and attempting to form a band in 1978. They practiced in a studio in downtown Athens which Lachowski rented from Curtis Crowe, upstairs from the university newspaper offices (the current location of the Grill). The room was lit by a single 40-watt lightbulb, so the band referred to it as the "40 Watt Club." Crowe soon joined the band as a drummer. On February 14, 1979 the three held auditions for a singer. Vanessa Briscoe (now Vanessa Briscoe Hay) was chosen.

Pylon played their first live show at a party in March 1979. Members of The B-52's attended Pylon's third show. Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the B-52's were particularly supportive and helped promote Pylon's music in New York City. Soon Pylon opened for Gang of Four in New York. Pylon's debut single, "Cool," appeared on DB Records in early 1980, and received many positive critical reviews. From 1980 to 1983 Pylon toured parts of the U.S., Canada, and the UK, playing with groups including the B-52's, Gang of Four, Mission of Burma, Love Tractor, R.E.M., the Talking Heads, and U2. Pylon was the opening act for the first part of U2's first U.S. tour. At that time the members of Pylon were beginning to feel that playing together was becoming less fun and more like a business. They decided to break up the band in 1983.

With some help from the members of R.E.M., Pylon's reputation as one of the great underground bands of the new wave era was solidified in 1987. When Rolling Stone named R.E.M. "America's Best Band" in November 1987, R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry said, "We're not the best rock 'n' roll band in America." Pylon, he said, was the best.

With the encouragement of R.E.M. and others, Pylon reunited in 1989 to open for the final leg of R.E.M.'s "Green" tour. They recorded another LP in 1990, played several more shows including the South by Southwest Festival in 1990 and 1991, and finally broke up again in 1991. Pylon came out of retirement again in 2004, and played their first set in more than a decade in August 2004 at the then fledgling Little King's Shuffle Club. Pylon also played a New Years Eve show that year at the "40 Watt Club", and headlined the first night the Athens music festival, AthFest, in June 2005. In 2006, they recorded a so far, untelevised segment for "Pancake Mountain". On April 4, 2007, they performed an impromptu show at Little King's to announce the reissue of "Gyrate" on DFA Records is called "Gyrate Plus" and was released on October 16, 2007. DFA Records plan to reissue "Chomp" in 2008.

Members

* Randall Bewley (guitar)
* Michael Lachowski (bass guitar)
* Curtis Crowe (drums)
* Vanessa Briscoe Hay (vocals)

Discography

* "Cool/Dub" 7" single (Caution Records 1979)
* "Gyrate" LP (Db recs, Armageddon 1980)
* "Pylon !!" EP (Db recs, Armageddon 1980)
* "Crazy/M-Train" 7" single (Db recs 1981)
* "Beep/Altitude" 7" single (Db recs 1982)
* "Four Minutes/Beep/Altitude EP (Db recs 1982)
* "Chomp" LP (Db recs 1983)
* "Hits" LP/CD (Db recs 1988)
* "Chain" LP/CD (Sky records 1990)
* "Gyrate Plus" CD (DFA Records 2007)

External links

* [http://wearepylon.com/ Pylon official web site]
* [http://pylon.tch3.com/ PARTY ZONE: a tribute to Pylon]
* [http://pylon.pyrzqxgl.com/ Pylon unofficial web site]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:p9x8b5n4tsq4 AllMusic entry on Pylon]
* [http://www.myspace.com/wearepylon Pylon MySpace web page]
* [http://www.wellroundedradio.net/pylon Interview with Pylon on Well-Rounded Radio]
* [http://chelsea-zine.livejournal.com/18579.html Interview with Vanessa Briscoe Hay on Chelsea Zine (in spanish)]
* [http://www.dfarecords.com/ DFA records official website]