Whatever happened to the Art In The Dark?
I’ve had these songs ready to post for about a week now. The problem is that I don’t know anything about this band. Before anybody writes to say that’s never stopped me before, let me add that I should know a little about Art In The Dark. I read every issue of Tasty World back when it was still around, I’ve read books about Athens GA music in the eighties and I still don’t know anything about the band. I think I may have even seen them in ’85.
Art In The Dark released a 4-song EP in 1983. The record was produced by Mitch Easters at his Drive-In Studios in January and September of that year. This song is pretty much a textbook example of jangle. The whole record is good, it might’ve been a paisley underground classic if the band had lived in Los Angeles instead of Athens, GA.
The band seems to have changed their name to The Icons for their LP called ART IN THE DARK. The Icons get production credit anyway. The record was recorded by John Keane. The band covered Big Star, there’s another textbook jangle song and a couple other good ones. There is also a fake live song that I won’t force on you.
I think there was another EP in there somewhere but I’ve never seen it. Sometimes, Art In The Dark reminds me of The Connells. They were fairly popular just a few years later, Art In The Dark should’ve stuck around a little longer. I don’t know when the band broke up. Or when they got together either.
So why have Art In The Dark been forgotten? Roger Lyle Brown only mentions them once in his book Party Out Of Bounds, Trouser Press doesn’t mention them at all, Allmusic does but just barely, the RockAthens page has the band member’s names and 3 pictures. There’s no websites for the band or the guys in the band. There was something here but it’s expired. Where'd they go?
Art In The Dark released a 4-song EP in 1983. The record was produced by Mitch Easters at his Drive-In Studios in January and September of that year. This song is pretty much a textbook example of jangle. The whole record is good, it might’ve been a paisley underground classic if the band had lived in Los Angeles instead of Athens, GA.
The band seems to have changed their name to The Icons for their LP called ART IN THE DARK. The Icons get production credit anyway. The record was recorded by John Keane. The band covered Big Star, there’s another textbook jangle song and a couple other good ones. There is also a fake live song that I won’t force on you.
I think there was another EP in there somewhere but I’ve never seen it. Sometimes, Art In The Dark reminds me of The Connells. They were fairly popular just a few years later, Art In The Dark should’ve stuck around a little longer. I don’t know when the band broke up. Or when they got together either.
So why have Art In The Dark been forgotten? Roger Lyle Brown only mentions them once in his book Party Out Of Bounds, Trouser Press doesn’t mention them at all, Allmusic does but just barely, the RockAthens page has the band member’s names and 3 pictures. There’s no websites for the band or the guys in the band. There was something here but it’s expired. Where'd they go?
posted by KS at 4/18/2006 04:14:00 PM
12 Comments:
What Big Star tune?
Speaking of the Athens scene, another mp3 blog I frequent posted up a terrific Method Actors EP from the same era.
"Way Out West"
What blog did the Method Actors? I have been planing on doing something on the Method Actors ever since I started doing A Million Miles Away. Someday...
AFAIK, The Method Actors were the first self contained guitar-n-drums duo.
Post Punk Junk did. The entry is still available, but I can't find a link for some reason. If you go to postpunkjunk.com and use their search engine, you can find it.
I found it, I googled Method Actors and that came up. I like Post Punk Junk, maybe I should go through the archives sometime.
Thanks for remembering Art in the Dark. I left the band and moved to Atlanta. The guys added a second guitarist - Brian Lilje. They played for a while longer in the Southeast, but no more big tours, then we all scattered. The bass player Jack went off the grad school (MFA) and became Hank McCoy and the Dead Ringers. Jack lived in Germany for a while, married, had kids, went back to grad school (JD), and is now an attorney. The drummer Rick became a set dresser, married, had kids, went way out west, and runs a business. The guitarist Tim moved to NYC, became a Buddhist monk, left the order, and moved back to Athens (still there, as of last summer). The second guitarist Brian became a guitar repair guy, moved to Atlanta, married, and has a kid. The manager Kenny married, moved back to Atlanta, became an aviator and runs an aviation business. I moved around, went to grad school, played in an August band in the early 90's (called BLAH!), married, had kids, and make software.
- Sam (keyboards)
OOPS - TYPOS: Should have said, "...went off *to* grad school...," and "...played in an *Augusta* band..." (although BLAH! was arguably august, too).
-Sam
OOPS - TYPOS: Should have said, "...went off *to* grad school...," and "...played in an *Augusta* band..." (although BLAH! was arguably august, too).
-Sam
I thought you were using "august" as a descrition of the band.
Any unreleased Art In The Dark out there?
Any chance of having the 4-song ep uploaded? Sadly, heat damage ruined my copy. I saw them in Charlotte the Easter weekend of 1984. I'm sure I saw more than 100 shows at the "Milestone" (including $3.00 admissions to see REM), but Art In The Dark was the by far the most memorable!
Sure, I'll try to repost it as soon as possible.
You don't happen to have a copy of the 3-song EP that came out after THE ICONS album, do you?
Anybody?
I'm sorry to report that I do not have the 3-song ep. I just signed up, but would be happy to share (should you see anything of interest).
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=113195634&blogID=242078747
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