My Athens Georgia Getaway

What I did on my Fall vacation in Athens, GA

This tale will be of the disjointed variety. It'll have more joints than a Chinese plate spinner. Most everything I write has yellow bus jointed issues anyway. I made sure to jot down this and that from my recent trip to Athens, GA during the week of my stay. Problem is that I'm just getting around to doing the editing today so my memory ain't as fresh as it use to be coupled with the fact that I've been on the debauchery and witchcraft and everything wild express the past few weeks as I've traipsed across the country and part of the way back..

Ah, but Athens, GA. What a wonderful little city. Full of history and music, pixies and gnomes, characters and caricatures. A mighty fine town full of mighty fine folks.

The mightiest of the mighty fine, JennB put me up at her beautiful casa in the woods. Here's what my temporary office looked like from Jenn's new deck. Pretty damn sporty, eh?:

Fall had begun to fall in Athens supplying the town with beautiful colors that, hopefully, took the Athenian mind off of the serious lack of water affecting GA.

Jenn's got some great art work in her home:

I arrived on a Monday and was promptly dispatched downtown to start my alcohol training. But first a base of very fine pizza was applied to the stomach lining at Little Italy Pizzeria.

Then next door to have a drink at.... shit.... I think it was The Roadhouse. DBT and Slobberbone playing on the juke box. Roadhouse is where the nights usually ended.

I like the night life. I like to boogie. And boogie you can in downtown Athens. Much time was spent at Cutters, a fine establishment that played DBT and Slobberbone songs on their jukebox.

Cutters Pub, 120 E Clayton St, Athens, GA on Yahoo! Local

As I've cataloged my adventures and done the research on some of the folks I met, I am bit awed and quite a bit bothered by this insistent thought, "What in the world did my drunk as say to some of these notable folks". Whiskey don't make you do a thing, it just let's you. Eff' that, Jameson had me by the balls on a couple of occasions and I'm certain that I could prove in a court of law that my reasoning ability had been kidnapped by a sweet golden slightly viscous liquid captured in a green glass glory holder.... and PBR.

I was forced to do a chipmunk (we men call it a oil slick)... and Jager shooters (half Jager half Redbull. Talk about oxymoron) but my true love remains Jamesons.

Here's the crew from night #2. That's Jenn, Jayne, Shayne and the tall mofo is Bo Bedingfield.

Bo has committed to name his next album after the title popped out of my mouth during a conversation about necrobeastialty: "Dead Dog Fuckers of Yore" (TM, C, R, LMNOP, etc by ME). Since Bedingfield writes all pretty and serious (I effing love all of his music and Talk Show may be my favorite song of the past couple of years) and if he won't run with that piece of freakin genius then I'm going to Cooley with it. It seems more his style anyway. Best make a decision, Bo!

Jayne and I entered into several conversations of the greatness of The Drams. Jubilee remains a favorite for both Jayne and I.

They there's Shame... I mean, Shayne. Here's a picture of Jenn and Shayne on Halloween. Shayne is the one dressed like a bag of cocaine and the sign that says "Will Work for Lohan". Really, not much else needs to be said about Shayne, but I'm going to any way.

Shayne knows how to verbally eff a person up and that's something I appreciate and am not too inept at myself. Within 5 minutes of our meeting Shayne looks at me and states "You know who to play this game don't you?". My answer "Yes.... Yes I do". Then it was on.

Her verbal ass raping of a 'ginger haired hippy' who happened to request a cigarette was a thing of hilarity. She almost made the guy cry. Never mind that Shayne's frock of locks is far closer to ginger than Mary Ann.

Shaynes pretty cool for a WASP with a Jewish streak. You know, as far as chicks like that go.

Friday night had Jenn, Shayne in I in not too rare form. We barn stormed bars up and downtown Athens, GA.

Final stop was the hallowed 40 Watt. I declined to take my camera out that night because, usually the most fun occurs sans photo gadget.

Once inside Shayne insists I view the greenroom where Curt Cobain signed the wall. This is the same greenroom featured in DBT's DVD Live at the 40 Watt.

I told Shayne before entering that Curt's autograph was supposedly cut out of the wall per the Live at the 40 Watt DVD.

Ignoring me completely as Shayne is want to do, we march through the back stage maze acting like we owned 40% of the 40 Watt.

We arrive at the greenroom door and Shayne slings it open and enters. There sits Brooke Waggoner and her band.

The band is huddled together on the couch with a camera man sitting in a chair. An obvious rock-u-mentary being conducted. I'm sure that the post show coitus was creating the money shot scene as the band members relived the experience of playing in front of a crowd... well, people... at the hallowed of hallowed, The 40 Watt. Just as that golden moment was going to be captured by 1 and 0s, we enter and Shayne waves an arm at me and states, "This is Jason... He has a blog".

The camera man swings the camera in my direction and I slur, "Howdy, I'm Jason. I have a blog".

Seemed to be all the explanation those frightened souls needed.

We have a little meet and great, check out the wall (Cobain's name had been cut out... I think.... It was kinda dark and all of the writing on the wall looked mighty blurry) say our good byes and we are out the door.

So, in short, Shayne and I could be featured in Brooke Waggnor's documentary.

Here's Shayne telling me that I'm a winner. God she thought I was so cool because I live in San Francisco. It was almost embarrassing with all of the fawning and questions. (I have a blog, Shayne. I can delete any contradiction you make in the comments).

Shayne's husband is Todd McBride. Back in the day Todd was in a band called Dashboard Saviors.

Dashboard Saviors: Information and Much More from Answers.com:

"The Dashboard Saviors are an Athens, GA-based roots-rock band consisting of songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Todd McBride, Michael Gibson (guitar), Rob Veal (bass) and John Crist (drums). R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, a longtime champion of the band, produced the Dashboard Saviors' debut album, Kitty. The group's songs often delve into sketches of small-town Southern life, as titles such as 'Coach's Wife' and ''A Trailer's a Trailer' would suggest. "

McBride's uncle was in a country and western band, and early on McBride decided that kind of life was for him. Before the Dashboard Saviors, he was in a group called the La Di Da's, which also consisted of fellow Athens notable Vic Chesnutt. It was through that group that McBride first became acquainted with Peter Buck.

Brent Best has been quoted as saying that Dashboard Saviors were a huge influence on him early on. That right there makes Todd a God.

But Todd is as down to earth as they come. A great guy with whom I had some hilarious conversations.

Todd has a couple of great stories about Andy Griffin. Andy can get a little randy.

Here's Todd's current band:

MySpace.com - Todd McBride & The Cooler Heads - ATHENS, US - Rock - www.myspace.com/thecoolerheads

Middle week I took a few days off from the bar scene to let my liver recover. Jenn had some beautiful Athenian women over for wining and dining. I had the pleasure of hanging out with this crew.

Here's Wendy (from Southern Bitch), Sweet KellyD (The Matadors better half) beautiful Jenn and Kimberly Morgan (EZB's better half).

Lots of fun hanging with these ladies. All y'all are the best.

Highlight of the week was a lunch date with Mr. Patterson Hood.

I drove over to Patterson's house around noon to have morning coffee. First time I've had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca. Patterson has a mighty find mate in Rebecca. She's done an incredible job decorating the Hood casa. It is a really, really, cool house.

First time meeting Ava, too. She shuffles around the corner as we're sipping coffee with her britches around her ankles. I told her that I've been in that position several times myself though usually in the early a.m. I also thought to myself, My that girl looks just like her daddy. What an adorable child. She could be trouble.

Patterson and I had lunch at a nice Indian Buffet on College St

We talked about everything under the sun. Politics taking up good portion of the time.

Patterson and the band are ready to get on the road and rock. He likened the past year to a prize fighter training with one arm tied behind their back then switching to the other arm. I can guarantee that the Home Front tour will be one of the loudest and punkiest tours yet from DBT. Be prepared to have the doors blown off every venue in the States and Eurpoe. DBT is ready to ROCK!

Patterson gave me a copy of the new record. I tried to act all cool but inside I was giggling like a little kid. I'm working on a song by song write up that hopefully will see the light of day in the next week or two.

It's really good, y'all.

Some random recollections:

My sincerest apologies to pretty much all of The Drams and their phones and voice messages. They had to endure a shock and awe campaign by 3 very intoxicated drunk dialers. I just feel so damn nostalgic every time I think about The Drams... and so do others. Sorry dudes.

At one bar I played Wiii for the first time. Bowling I think it was.

There's something in my memory about the Dictatortots.

If you are ever around Jenn's man Matt you have to have him tell you the story of the gnome. This was the funniest story I heard all week (and I heard a shit load of hilarity) and Matt has this story down stone cold.

My final day in Athens Jenn, Matt and I had brunch at The Globe. Great place that you should definitely visit if you ever find yourself in Athens.

The Globe - Esquire:

"A decade-long territory war has been waged over rights to this downtown bar. In the late nineties, it was every grad student's go-to spot. Pipes were smoked, Foucault was quoted, professorial teets suckled upon."

Here are some random pics of Athens.

School Kids Records: Athens GA:

"In the heart of downtown Athens, is Schoolkids Records, just steps from the infamous Georgia Theatre and 40 Watt club. If these venues could speak, they would sit on your porch, and tell you stories till the cow jumped over the moon as you sip on a cold glass of sweet tea. There have been many towns that have influenced music, but none like Athens, GA."

Welcome to Wuxtry

Probably a lot that I missed in this post. Sometimes it is hard to blog and travel.

Much thanks and love to JennB for putting me up and putting up with me. Jayne, Shayne, Bo, Todd and the rest... You guys are a fine collection of individuals. I'm very glad to know you all.

Thanks, Athens, GA!

Update: Via JennB

Patton Oswalt on living in Athens, GA:

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