Kevin Dunn (musician)

Last updated

Kevin Dunn (a/k/a Kevin McFoy Dunn), born 10 October 1951 in Jacksonville, Florida, is a guitarist, producer, and songwriter who first came to public notice in context of the fertile new wave scene that arose in Athens and Atlanta, GA, in the late 1970s. In 1975 he and collaborator Alfredo Villar formed the Fans, one of the first Southeastern bands for whom the influence of blues or country music was not primary, their chief inspiration lying instead in the British art rock of the era (Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Robert Fripp, etc.). The band issued three singles [1] — the second of which, "Cars and Explosions" (b/w "Dangerous Goodbyes"), was produced by Mark Miller-Mundy and released on Dai Davies' Albion label, they disbanded in 1979.[ citation needed ]

As the Fans wound down, Dunn was concurrently pursuing a solo career as both performer and producer. In 1978 he co-produced for the independent label DB Records The B-52s' landmark "Rock Lobster" 45, [2] the success of which was instrumental in setting the stage for the Athens, Georgia quintet's subsequent stardom. In the following year Dunn co-produced the first single by the influential Athens band Pylon, "Cool" (b/w "Dub"). In 1979, he released his first solo single "Nadine" (b/w "Oktyabrina"). In 1980, he co-produced Pylon's first LP, Gyrate. Dunn's first solo album, The Judgement of Paris, received a joint release by DB and the UK label Armageddon in 1981. He followed that with the 1983 maxi-EP C'est Toujours La Même Guitarre; released on Peter Dyer's Press Records, it was widely reviewed; with one positive notice, by Robert Palmer of the New York Times, comparing the artist's distortion-and-modulation-heavy guitar sound to "angry animals and natural catastrophes". [3] Released in 1985, Dunn's second LP, Tanzfeld (also on Press) earned a B+ from Robert Christgau in the Village Voice. [4]

From 1985 Dunn restricted himself to local live performance — chiefly solo guitar, featuring ambient pieces and baroque repertory performed on a replica 17th-century instrument. A comprehensive anthology titled No Great Lost: Songs, 1979-1985 was released on the Boston-based label Casa Nueva in May 2010. [5] [6] In September of that year, encouraged by the tenor of the retrospective's critical reception, Dunn mounted a mini-tour of the Northeast, with dates in Washington, D.C., Manhattan and Brooklyn, Cambridge and Amherst, MA, and Durham, NC; it was the first time in 30 years that he had played live outside the Atlanta metropolitan area. [7] The following December, plans were laid with Casa Nueva for the release of Dunn's first collection of new material since Tanzfeld, but though the audio component of the album, titled The Miraculous Miracle of the Imperial Empire, was completed in mid-2012, a series of reverses later in the year led to the effective dissolution of the label as a going concern, and the project stalled out; however, encouraged by his defunct label's management, Dunn issued the collection online in July 2013. [8] Resident in Athens since 2016, Dunn in 2017 began performing on guitar, mandolin and electric sitar with the local ensemble Cosmo Jr and appears on the albums Sisters in Arms (2018) and Athens Legends (2021). [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The B-52s</span> American rock band

The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson (guitar), and Keith Strickland. Ricky Wilson died of AIDS-related illness in 1985, and Strickland switched from drums to lead guitar. The band has also added various members for albums and live performances.

<i>Metal Box</i> 1979 studio album by Public Image Ltd

Metal Box is the second studio album by Public Image Ltd, released by Virgin Records on 23 November 1979. The album takes its name from the round metal canister which contained the initial pressings of the record. It was later reissued in standard vinyl packaging as Second Edition in February 1980 by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom, and by Warner Bros. Records and Island Records in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Tractor</span> Band from Athens, Georgia

Love Tractor is a band from Athens, Georgia, founded in spring 1980 by guitarists Mark Cline and Mike Richmond, and bassist Armistead Wellford, students at the University of Georgia. Like The B-52's, Pylon and R.E.M., Love Tractor has been lauded by critics and music historians as one of the founders of the Athens, Georgia, alternative rock scene. Love Tractor toured extensively and recorded six critically acclaimed albums, consistently topping the college and alternative charts. Love Tractor was particularly known for their instrumental rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DB Records</span> US record label

DB Records was a record label owned by Danny Beard, active from 1978 to 1997. The label was operated out of the Wax'n'Facts record store in the Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood of Little Five Points. Through the 1980s, the label became known as a source of southern regional music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pylon (band)</span> American new wave/post-punk band

Pylon was an American new wave/post-punk band from Athens, Georgia. The band's danceable sound, a blend of new wave, post-punk, jangle pop, alternative rock and funk rock, influenced the Athens music scene and the 1980s American pop underground. AllMusic wrote that Pylon's "role as elder statesmen of the alternative rock explosion is unassailable".

The music of Athens, Georgia includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and new wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R.E.M., Widespread Panic, The B-52's and the Indigo Girls. and several long-time indie rock groups. Athens hosts the Athens Symphony Orchestra and other music institutions, as well as prominent local music media, such as the college radio station WUOG. Much of the modern Athens music scene relies on students from the large University of Georgia campus in the city. The University sponsors Western classical performances and groups specializing in other styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Devine</span> American musician

Kevin Devine is an American songwriter and musician from Staten Island, New York City, who is known for his introspective and political themes. He is a contemporary member of the underground indie rock and indie folk musical scenes, and his influences range from older indie artists such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Elliott Smith and Pavement to more mainstream and well known acts such as Nirvana and Bob Dylan. In 2013, Kevin Devine rejoined his previous band, Miracle of 86, for a series of reunion shows.

Oh-OK was an American musical group from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1981 with singer/lyricist Linda Hopper, bassist/vocalist/lyricist Lynda Stipe, and drummer David Pierce. Other members later included drummer David McNair and guitarist Matthew Sweet. The trio began practicing together at parties in the college community in the spring of 1981. Their first club performance break came when Stipe's brother, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., needed an opening band for a show at the 40 Watt Club.

<i>Sittin In</i> (Loggins and Messina album) 1971 studio album by Loggins and Messina

Sittin' In is the first album by singer-songwriters Loggins and Messina, released in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bongos</span> American band

The Bongos were a power pop band from Hoboken, New Jersey that emerged from the New York City arts scene, primarily active in the 1980s, led by Richard Barone. With their unique musical style, they were major progenitors of the Hoboken indie-pop community, college radio favorites, and made the leap to national recognition with the advent of MTV. Their breakthrough song "Numbers with Wings" garnered the group a major cult following and was nominated at the first MTV Video Music Awards. Along with a handful of others, the Bongos were instrumental in the advancement of the alternative rock movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Briscoe Hay</span> American singer and songwriter

Vanessa Briscoe Hay is an American singer for the Athens, Georgia bands Pylon, Supercluster and Pylon Reenactment Society.

Michael Scott Lachowski was the bass guitar player for Pylon, a band from Athens, Georgia. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and attended the University of Georgia art school. He and his roommate Randy Bewley formed Pylon, recruiting Curtis Crowe as a drummer, and Vanessa Briscoe Hay, a fellow student at the University of Georgia. They recorded the single "Cool/Dub", an album Gyrate, an EP, another album Chomp, and two singles. Pylon toured the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom before breaking up in 1983. They returned to tour again in 1988, and recorded another album, Chain, in 1990, before breaking up again in 1991. Pylon reformed in 2005 and occasionally performed until 2009, when Bewley died. Their first album, Gyrate Plus, was reissued on October 16, 2007, by DFA Records, New York City. In 2009, Chomp More was also reissued by DFA Records.

Curtis Hudgins Crowe is the drummer for the Athens, Georgia rock band Pylon. He is a native of Marietta, Georgia, and is the middle child of five children. Crowe moved to Athens to attend the University of Georgia art school. His sister Rhett Crowe was later the bass player for the band Guadalcanal Diary, a fixture on the college music scene back in the 1980s and 1990s. He has also been involved in several other music projects such as Strictly American and Dodd Ferrelle and the Tinfoil Stars.

Randall Eugene Bewley was the guitarist for the Athens, Georgia, band Pylon. Born in Bradenton, Florida, United States. He lived in Sarasota, Florida, Washington, DC and near Atlanta, Georgia while growing up. Bewley attended the University of Georgia art school where he met Michael Lachowski, a fellow art student. They became roommates and decided to form a band. He and Lachowski, along with fellow art students Vanessa Briscoe Hay and Curtis Crowe, formed Pylon, having their first performance in 1979. On their first trip to New York City, they were reviewed in Interview Magazine.

<i>No Great Lost: Songs, 1979–1985</i> 2010 compilation album by Kevin Dunn

No Great Lost: Songs, 1979–1985 is an anthology of songs recorded by Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Kevin Dunn between 1979 and 1985, including the entirety of his critically acclaimed 1981 album The Judgment of Paris, originally released on DB Records. In The Trouser Press Record Guide, critic Ira Robbins described The Judgment of Paris as "a striking modern-music pop album" that "mixes technical flash with semi-demented musical ideas."

Five Eight is a band from Athens, Georgia, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reptar (band)</span>

Reptar is an American band from Athens, Georgia founded by members Graham Ulicny, Ryan Engelberger (bass), William Kennedy (keyboards) and Andrew McFarland (drums).

<i>Gyrate</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Pylon

Gyrate is the debut studio album by American rock band Pylon, released in 1980 by record label DB.

<i>Chomp</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Pylon

Chomp is the second studio album by Athens, Georgia band Pylon, released in 1983. It was re-released in 2009 via DFA Records.

<i>Chain</i> (Pylon album) 1990 studio album by Pylon

Chain is the third studio album by the American rock band Pylon, released in 1990. It was released after a seven-year hiatus. R.E.M. had lobbied the band to record again, suggesting that Pylon could use R.E.M.'s practice space.

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Rodger Lyle. Party Out of Bounds, 1991
  2. ↑ "The Swimming Pool Q's - Jeff Calder's Personal Archive - Clock Bombs of Brain Pop".
  3. ↑ Palmer, Robert (14 March 1984). "The Pop Life". The New York Times.
  4. ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: Kevin Dunn".
  5. ↑ Flagpole, March 3, 2010; http://flagpole.com/Weekly/Threats/Threats-3Mar10 Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Mother Jones, May+June, 2010
  7. ↑ "Blurt magazine, September 3, 2010". Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  8. ↑ "The Miraculous Miracle of the Imperial Empire".
  9. ↑ Scott, Rosemary (18 September 2019). "Music Features". Flagpole.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.