Friday, April 17, 2009

86 - Esoteric Champions of Atlanta Postpunk


Here is the download:
86 - Part One (Incl. Closely Guarded Secret and Minutes In A Day)
86 - Part Two (Incl. Provocation)
86 - Part Three (Incl. Way To Go and Singles/Comp. Tracks)
86 - Part Four (Incl. Live at the Metroplex - 1987)

Here is the listing:
1-7: Closely Guarded Secret
8-13: Minutes In A Day
14-25: Provocation
26-34: Way To Go (Live at the Metroplex in 1986)
35-36: "Useless/Behind My Back" 1983 Single
37: "Man Overhead" from Twilight Records Compilation
38: "Inside" from Youth Culture Single
39-49: Live at the Metroplex in 1987

This post has been a long time coming, but I like to be as complete as possible in my coverage of bands on this blog, so I spent a long time connecting the gaps of their discography in my collection, and then procrastinating based on the amount of workload involved in a post such as this. I would like to graciously thank Rob Easterday for the Closely Guarded Secret and Way To Go albums, and Kim from Pineal Ventana for the soundboard recording of the show from 1987, and a certain unnamed friend of the band for some other bits and pieces included here. My intention is for this blog to really be a central gathering point for all these bands and their music (which has been out of print for years or decades) to be available for everyone to enjoy, and people like Kim and Rob really help so much in achieving this. Many thanks.

I only knew of 86 as a classic Atlanta postpunk band from the 688/Metroplex era circa 1983-1988, and would always see their Closely Guarded Secret and Minutes In A Day albums in record bins around town, but otherwise had no knowledge of them. Eventually I purchased Provocation and Minutes In A Day so I could hear what they were all about, but for some reason by that time the Closely Guarded Secret album all of a sudden became difficult to find. I never even made the connection that Mac McNeilly was the same drummer for The Jesus Lizard, among so many others, was also the drummer for 86. Yet another story of a local drummer taking the world by storm ala Kyle Spence and Gerhard Fuchs.



Listening to their music, they seem to be great guys and a great band of the era, in a family along with Honor Role or even a Mission of Burma. Definitely knew what they were doing, and some really professional drumming. I can see how Mac helped made Jesus Lizard what they were. I also liked how every member sang in the band, and seemed very democratic and diverse in their approach. Personally I lean towards the "Way To Go" Live album as my favorite of their recordings, as their music seems to translate better in a live setting and you can get a better picture of what they were about. I'm sure they played some amazing shows, but you really don't hear much about them outside the people in Atlanta who were around at the time. There is hardly anything on the interweb about them, and only a Myspace page and some Youtube videos to give any further glimpses into who they were. I did find this article about them in Trouser Press:

Like Honor Role, 86 was one of the few mid-'80s Southern indie bands immune to jangle-pop obsessions. Melodrama and juvenilia plagued its records, but, for the time and place, the Atlanta trio was worth noting.

Firmly rooted in collegiate post-punk, Closely Guarded Secret contains lots of new wave fallout and youthful squirreliness. Well-played but anonymous, the seven-song mini-LP is simple but enjoyable. Despite lame vocals, Ken Schenck's choppy, early-U2-ish guitar playing saves the ship. And is that a Police influence on "No Answer"?
The artier Minutes in a Day is less redolent of the rehearsal room. Mac McNeilly has matured into a tricky, hard-hitting drummer. Schenck loosens the reigns and cranks up the squawk. The dark title track is a guilty pleasure of edgy rhythms and reverb.
The final studio album dispenses with some of the amateurish tendencies of prior work. Max Koshewa's newly fattened bass thickens the previously anemic bottom end. Confident, louder compositions allow Schenck to squiggle all over the place. His solos weave a crooked, luminous path as the rhythm section locks into position. Still, the album suffers from whiny, Anglo-fixated vocals, clichéd lyrics (advice: don't print 'em) and overt politeness.
86 was reportedly one hell of a live act. To capitalize on that, its label issued Way to Go, a limited, farewell attempt to capture the onstage experience.
After 86 bit the dust, McNeilly picked up a bass and played in Phantom 309, who split an EP with Shenck's next project, the Sun Also Rises. Mac later reclaimed his drum throne for a long stint with the Jesus Lizard, netting his original group some posthumous notoriety.

Here is a video from their Myspace page, just to give you an idea what it was all about, or maybe give you a nice rush of nostalgia for those good old days:

Ken Schenck


Max Koshewa


Mac McNeilly

61 comments:

  1. Mac, along with Greg Psomas (DDT), was a huge influence on me as a wee drummer. I tried to hit as hard as Mac and as fast as Greg and failed miserably.

    86 was a tornado of psych-pop live, and I'll never forget watching Ken and Mac and Max go at it in vivo. Great, great band.

    Thanks so much for posting this.

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  2. I though that the 1986 Metroplex show was the last for them? Can you shed a little light on that 1987 recording? Thanks!

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    1. Their last show was April 1988, not 1986. I saw over 30 shows by 86 from 1983-until the end.

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  3. I am definitely not the expert on 86, but maybe someone can give us the full story. Several songs from their last show are posted on Youtube, so we can hopefully get to the bottom of this.

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  4. Actually the last show was Metroplx march 88, recorded in full 24 trck molile. Youtube has lots of new posts of audio from the metal tapes made for us after the show synched with video and effects. I give you guys the full story later. Ken

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  5. Hey Ken - thanks for clearing it up. I hope that last show can somehow see the light of day, maybe a limited CD/DVD release perhaps?

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  6. P.S. - I hope you liked the post I did. If you have any additions, corrections, or other please send me an email and I will follow-up. jejoyce77@hotmail.com

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  7. The post is amazing and thanks. Sent you an email too. Those involved in the CD/DVD construction hope to have it for public consumption soon.

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  8. Great article! Sorry I'm so late to the party, though--woulda been nice to give a shout-out to the infamous Kenneth Brim Schenck!

    If you ever get this, I miss yas, old friend.

    --Jimit

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  9. Thank you for posting this. I was ripping all my 86 records to mp3 and came across this looking for cover images. You saved me a lot of time! I agree with what was said above. In the south in the mid-80s, 86 stood out from all the R.E.M. wannabes. I got to see them a couple of times and they were a hot live band.

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  10. Hey Thomas - I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I wish I had been able to see 86, and thought that they were possibly involved in the Metroplex reunion that happened a little while back at the Masquerade, but I wasn't in town for the show. Maybe if Mac is winding down his work with Jesus Lizard, he can do a quick 86 show somewhere. That would be excellent.

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  11. Saw them on the Student center @ G.T. IN 80 something. Many times @ 688, Plex..
    Thanks for putting those albums for down load..

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  12. Thanks Robert - supposedly there is rumor of a CD reissue (box set?) of all the albums, which would be awesome. I would love to get pristine recordings of these.

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  13. Holy shit, I remembered "Behind My Back" from my childhood. Now I'm a musician too, and that haunting guitar playing a nonstop open-second is one of those instances of an unspoken influence having a major ripple effect. Thanks for this.

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    1. Know this is a late reply but that means so much!

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  14. Hey anonymous sender - I'm glad you were able to find this music here, as it can be pretty difficult to find these days in stores. 86 was one of those bands whose legacy is not widely known, which is really a shame in Atlanta because they were one of the greatest bands this town has ever produced. Hopefully the word will spread as time goes on, especially if the albums get reissued one day.

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  15. Thanks so much for the post. I loved 86. They were loud and arty and rockin and just perfect. A great band and great guys.
    Hey Ken - I hope life is treating you well.

    Tara from Morgantown, then RVA, now Oregon!

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    1. Hey Tara. Glad you found this space. I'm OK. I reckon. I can be reached at kshank9@gmail.com same goes for anyone likes tis spot!

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    2. Hey Tara. Late response as well. I am doing adequately.

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  16. I first saw 86 perform on the steps of Ga Tech student center in 1985 and was transfixed (and missed the class I was headed to). Never missed a show at the Metroplex, White Star, Dugout... after that. Went to see them in Greenville, SC at the start of the Provocation tour. Saw the final show at the Metroplex - where the hell were all those people at the previous shows?

    Amazing band. They were really cool people as well as incredible musicians. I really miss 86 playing live. So glad I got see so many times.

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    1. Really! I was working at Frijoleros and people said d to me why'd ya break up and I'd say where the He'll were You?

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  17. I saw them in 88 or 89 opening for the Fluid who were out supporting their newly released "Clear Black Paper" on Sub Pop.

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  18. Amazing live band, they were a huge favorite every time they played in Richmond. Thanks for the post.

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  19. I saw 86 at a little basement club in Raleigh, NC called the Fallout Shelter probably around 1985 or 1986? Completely blown away. Scrape my jaw off the floor stunned. I had never heard of them before. A friend afterwards bought Minutes In A Day, and that got plenty of turntable time. I've always wanted my own copy, and on a whim searched for them on Youtube, and found the song Minutes In A Day. I posted it on facebook, and a (different) friend responded with the link to this page. Very cool stuff.

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    1. That was '86, Geoff. Elizabeth Gregory was booking FS that year, and she introduced me to the band. They were amazing. Something inside me woke up that night and my will was galvanized to play music. Ken helped me navigate his rig (3 delays???), and was very encouraging to a gushing 18 year old. I never missed a show after that. :-)

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  20. Thanks Geoff - I wish I was old enough to see them myself. Maybe they'll do a one off show in Atlanta one day.

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  21. I sure hope we do a one off show-Mac and Max are up fer it-Jim and Brian-you're both right. The Hagstrom Impala was prewired for a 3rd pickup, so I put one in. Thus making a Corvette. Thanks all y'all for writing in. Love to hear about that 3 disc compilation. Running out of royalty $$$ hanging with the Kardashians. Ha ha. Later-K

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    1. Saw a Pressure Boys reunion last year and would probably travel anywhere on earth to see another 86 show! Thanks for the amazing music.

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  22. Geoff- I remember seeing 86 in Raleigh also...I have an extra copy of Minutes in a Day if you still want a copy and in Raleigh...
    stereophobic66@hotmail.com

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  23. I had a friend from Raleigh who asked me to rip Closely and Minutes and I definitely fell for the band pretty quick. Thanks for quick access--I snagged the vinyl when I could find it, but this is way easier and won't degrade the stuff more from excess playing!

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    1. I saw them for the first time at the Metroplex. Went to Wax n Facts the next day and waited for them to unlock the door. I bought "Minutes In A Day" and commenced to play it 4 million times. I wore that vinyl out. I believe to this day that 86 might very well be the best product to come out of Atlanta and I am aware that there is quite a list of eligibles for that honor.

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  24. ...from Atlanta. Shouldn't have posted that while so tired.

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  25. on a separate note, can anyone tell me: "That makes mankind seem like/???"
    What on earth that next line is?

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  26. My first 86 show was also the Ga Tech one in 85. It was a life-changing experience. I had a big crush on Mac McNeilly.

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  27. Hey FangsFirst - I finally got a copy of Closely Guarded Secret recently, so I can cross that off the list. I thought I heard talk from Mac that they would play a show sometime, but nothing more than that.

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  28. I saw 86 several times in Greensboro an they were the loudest band in the world.

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  29. I saw 86 live at a club I can't remember the name in something like 1986-87. It changed my life and I've been looking for their music since. I had them on vinyl once a long time ago. If any members of 86 ever read this, your music was, and is, everything to me. Thanks for making for a memorable youth!

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    1. Late response. But Hell yes we appreciate it's it.

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  30. This is an awesome post. I have been looking for downloads for 86 forever.
    I saw them for the first time in 80something at the Metroplex. I was floored by them. I thought I played drums until I saw Mac playing this little kit. He beat it into submission. changed me forever.

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    1. Late response, but He'll yes we appreciate your listening.

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  31. Thanks so much for the great post! Grew up in San Diego so never saw them live, a guy I knew that had moved from Florida to SD turned me on to them in the mid 80's. Decades later I remember hearing a cool band with a number for a name and spent far too long searching on the internet. When is the re-issue CD coming out?

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  32. A vastly underrated band, a tremendous live act, and sweet guys to boot. Really, the albums need to be remastered and re-released. What IS the hold-up? Should we start a petition?

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  33. I bought the Minutes In A Day Record in high school in Virginia Beach, just because the cover looked cool. I loved it!! But I was never able to find out who was 86 and where from until recently finding this site. Ironically, I own a small Record Shop and I played the 86 record in the shop today for a youngster and directed him to this site.
    I think the shoegaze movement of the late 80s and early 90s needs to be re-mapped. I no longer think it started with My Bloody Valentine, Catherine Wheel, and Lush in the UK. I think it started in Atlanta with 86!
    Cheers and Thanks Again

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  34. I was born in '91, so 86 was defunct by then, and anyway I'm from Western New York. So basically, I know nothing of the Atlanta music scene. However, I was a fan of Mac Mcneilly's drumming, and I knew he had played in a group called 86. So I Googled "Mac Mcneilly 86" and this site came up in the results. I am glad I checked it out because I got to learn about and listen to an incredible band I wouldn't have found otherwise. I love Ken Schenck's guitar style and Max Koshewa's bass sound. Mac Mcneilly's insane, hard hitting drumming holds it all together, and really stands out. Thank you for putting this site together.

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  35. I found both my Minutes In A Day and Provocation vinyls this weekend in my parent's basement. And then I found this....thanks for the post. Gotta get my record player out. Those Metroplex nights were the best!

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  36. Please Ken are you guys going to re-unite? Loved seeing you in Rochester, NY back many moons.... Jazzberry's and Backstreets. I just bought a copy of WAY TO GO after looking for it all this time. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

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  37. These guys used to open for EVERYBODY and usually blew the opening band right out of the water! Of course, the openers appreciated the fact that everyone was excited when they came out. Never caught them at the Metroplex. Seems I always saw them in larger venues. That Reverb was Amazing in a Large Hall.

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  38. Easily my favorite Atlanta band form the 80's.....saw them innumerable times at 688, including a memorable show they played on my birthday opening for the Jesus and Mary Chain, who split in a whine after about 3 songs! Matt Scott

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  39. Can anyone shed some light on the tracklisting of the Way To Go album? Discogs says there's 10 tracks but only 9 appear on the post. I also did some more digging and found an MP3 of the band's 1984 single on OHP Records, with a song called Youth Culture b/w Inside.

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    1. Way to go: Smash the window, silt, what next?, dildo city, dreamer, stand in fire, pezz, slipping away, behind my back, minutes in a day. Although the sides aren't listed on the LP as to which is first. We always put 'Smash The Window' on first b/c it kills.

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  40. I saw 86 when they came to Rochester, NY a couple of times. Discovered them as I was driving in my car on WITR (RIT radio station) when I heard "Youth Culture" and knew I had to see this band... turned out they were playing in town THAT NIGHT!
    Please re-unite. Would love to see you play live again!!!

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  41. Hey Ken, Still got the Hagstrom you sold me! Where the hell is is Gary Held? Tricia

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    1. Trish. Get in touch. kshank9@gmail.com
      I thought I gave be you that pretty guitar 🤣🎸

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  42. I was with a band called The Inn. We used to tour with 86.

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  43. nice to read some background. Just found Provocation at a local record store.

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  44. Saw 86 at 688 on a rare night off in ATL c1985 and was totally blown away. They were my favorite band from the southlands and like us were tragically neglected in the REM maelstrom. Happily post WA I briefly played with the late so great Owsley in The Wilderness and got to open for them ~1987 in NOLA at Jimmy’s. What a thrill and what great guys. I bought every record they had that night to supplement my Useless 45 and cherish them all. Sadly still smarting from the WA breakup, I recognized the signs that they were closer to the end than to the beginning... Awesomeness!!!

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  45. I saw them at The Chimes in Baton Rouge at some point in 1987. They were just fantastic - loads of sound coming from a three piece. My (then) girlfriend Jenni interviewed them on KLSU, then we all walked over together to the Chimes for the show. I remember Max explaining to me how some of the members of the B-52s were gay, I had no idea. Super nice guys. They signed a couple records for us, both of which Jenni got in our divorce 10 years ago unfortunately. But all three of them (in the band) were happy to be in Louisiana and happy to be performing, and were LOUD and amazing. We needed more bands like this at the time. Very underrated. Smile was my favorite song by 86...

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  46. I saw one of those Pressure Boys reunion shows, too. I saw 86 a few times in Greensboro and Winston-Salem back in the mid-80s.

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  47. Pressure Boys were great. Loved playing with them. Trish F please get in touch with me. kshank9@gmail.com.Or anybody else from that wonderful period of time.


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