Refuel - 8 More Bands from Athens and Atlanta

Here is the download: Refuel - 8 More Bands from Athens and Atlanta

I would have to say that this is the quintessential compilation of Athens and Atlanta from the 1993 time period. You have the best these towns put forth that year: Fiddlehead, Bob, The Martians, Harvey Milk, Slumberjack, all contributing several songs including what is basically a complete 7" by each band. Of course there were some more obscure bands on the comp (The Hard Ensemble, The Go Figures, Regina Strap), but overall a great compilation. I wish they put one of these out every year, as it would have been an excellent representation of the best bands around at that time, but unfortunately Self-Rising Records was finishing their run soon after this release, and this was it on the Fuel/Refuel compilation series.


Slumberjack was the rhythm section of After Words with a more midwest noise-rock slant. I will be posting their 7" and demo tape soon, so if anyone has any stories and info they want to share on these guys, please send me an email.


It doesn't get much better than Fiddlehead in this place and time. You can see my other posts on Fiddlehead here and here. As I have said before, they were as good as any band of their form, but just happened to come from what was at the time an overlooked part of the country and never got the recognition they deserved.


I don't know much about the Go-Figures, although I see that David Barbe (Mercyland, Buzz Hungry, Sugar) played bass on the recording. Of course he helped out so many of these bands over the years, and is really a key supporter of Athens music more than pretty much anyone out there.


Also don't know very much about The Hard Ensemble, but the guy in the back with the Pere Ubu shirt looks he means business.


Regina Strap is another miscellaneous band on the compilation. Some of the names look familiar to me, but I'm not sure.


Lilburn's finest. I have posted some BOB on this site before, but if anyone wants to send me copies of their albums after Complex Organism Blues, I'll gladly take them and post them here.


The Martians have also been covered extensively on this site here and here. Once again, a great band, and is long-hair Jerry wearing suspenders in this photo?


Harvey Milk have by now received more acclaim than probably any other Athens band from this era, and they absolutely deserve it. There isn't much else I can add here, but I do have one Harvey Milk story from the old days. Car vs. Driver played with them and The Holy Rollers at the Somber Reptile on April 13, 1994. Although I didn't know it at the time, I thought Harvey Milk was the Holy Rollers, and when they finished their set I left the show thinking it was over, and completely missed the Holy Rollers play. Later that night Harvey Milk stayed with some friends in Home Park, and their van was stolen including all their instruments, amps, etc. It was the first time I ever saw benefit shows held to buy a band new gear.

Here are the remaining pages of the insert, including another little story and a picture of someone's IV catheter.