12/27/2021
Athens, Georgia's Pylon began in 1979 by guitarist Randall Bewley and bass guitarist Michael Lachowski who were inspired by Punk rock and it's attitude of just pick up and start playing regardless of experience. They practiced in a downtown rented space owned by Curtis Crowe who lived above the studio and became their drummer who marveled at their style of not playing chords but hooks and had their songs memorized before joining. They recruited fellow art student Vanessa Briscoe Hay for vocals because they liked her painting. Naming themselves after the big orange traffic cones you see around road construction, Pylon were championed by local favorites The B-52's who helped them get exposure in New York City where Pylon earned an opening slot for Gang of Four and positive reception. I've always described Pylon as Wire fronted by Patti Smith. Bewley's scratch guitar sound with Lachowski and Crowe's muscular rhythm section create an infectiously edgy and danceable sound that serves as a wonderful canvas for Hay's whisper to a growl vocal that yelps like she's exorcizing something. Mesmerizing stuff. Pylon released their first single Cool b/w Dub later in 1979 and followed up with their classic albums 1980's Gyrate and 1983's Chomp which inspired fellow Athens band R.E.M. to declare Pylon America's best band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QGU1_123Qs
Provided to YouTube by PIASCOOL · PylonCOOL / DUB℗ New West Records, LLCReleased on: 1979-01-01Auto-generated by YouTube.