When the documentary Athens, GA – Inside/Out was released in 1987, it provided a peek into the town that had turned the music world upside down by producing acts like R.E.M. and The B-52’s. For those who didn’t get to see this limited-release film in the theaters (or in clips on shows like MTV’s 120 Minutes), a soundtrack LP filled with rare and unreleased music was also released to universal acclaim. Twenty-five years later, Omnivore Recordings will reissue this remarkable piece of music history on DVD and, for the first time, the soundtrack on CD – all in one package – on October 9. To make it even better, the newly remastered CD version contains five bonus tracks, including two previously unheard performances!
A mix of interviews and live shows, Athens, GA – Inside/Out is a love letter to not only the musicians, but the town of Athens, Georgia, as well. Bands like Pylon, Flat Duo Jets, Dreams So Real, Love Tractor, and more tell their stories and play their songs. R.E.M., The B-52’s, and local “celebrities” like the Reverend Howard Finster (creator of album art for R.E.M. and Talking Heads) also reminisce. The film presents the town as a place where both creativity and personalities thrive. And, even though everyone wants to be the next big thing, the sense of camaraderie is clear – with every band being a fan of the other! DVD special features include an interview with the B-52’s Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson from 2003, a commentary track, and more.
The performances featured on the soundtrack CD were recorded solely for the film project, and have been a holy grail in the collector’s circuit for the nearly 20 years that the original soundtrack LP has been out of print. A stunning remaster brings to them a clarity previously unheard. With the addition of five bonus recordings, the CD soundtrack is now even more of an event. The bonus tracks include songs featured in the film that were not on the original LP, as well as ones from the sessions that weren’t included in either the film or the LP-including a newly found performance of Love Tractor’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Shattered” with R.E.M.’s Peter Buck on guitar!
Never looking or sounding this good, the Omnivore Recordings 25th Anniversary CD/DVD reissue collection of Athens, GA-Inside/Out is the ultimate document of the mid-1980s independent music scene.
Athens, GA-Inside/Out CD track listing:
The Squalls – Na Na Na Na
Flat Duo Jets – Crazy Hazy Kisses
R.E.M. – (All I’ve Got To Do Is) Dream
Love Tractor – Pretty
Kilkenny Cats – Nightfall
Time Toy – Window Sill
Pylon – Stop It
Time Toy – Hi
Bar-B-Q Killers – His And Hearse
Dreams So Real – Golden
R.E.M. – Swan Swan H
Flat Duo Jets – Jet Tone Boogie
The Squalls – Elephant Radio
Bonus Tracks:
Love Tractor – Search And Destroy
Kilkenny Cats – Room 101
Love Tractor – Got To Give It Up
Bar-B-Q Killers – Hunchback In The A.M.
Love Tractor and Peter Buck – Shattered
Source: Press Release issued by Omnivore Press issued on August 8th.