Michael Lachowski | |
---|---|
Birth name | Michael Scott Lachowski |
Born | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
Genres | New wave, post-punk |
Occupation(s) | Musician, Songwriter, Graphical designer |
Instrument | Bass guitar |
Years active | 1978–present |
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. [1] 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. [2] 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. [3]
Lachowski has had a graphic design firm in Athens called Candy and a magazine called Young, Foxy and Free . He also works on occasion as a disc jockey and has been involved as a participant in the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia for years. He has worked in public relations at the Georgia Museum of Art since 2012. [4]
During his time in Athens, Lachowski ran an answerphone service known as the Athens Party Telephone. Its acronym, A.P.T., was used in the R.E.M. song "Stumble", which appeared on the band's first American release, 1982's Chronic Town EP. [5]
Pylon
Other
Chronic Town is the debut EP by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on August 24, 1982, on I.R.S. Records. Containing five tracks, the EP was recorded at the Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in October 1981, eighteen months after the formation of the band. Its co-producer was Mitch Easter, who produced the band's "Radio Free Europe" single earlier in 1981.
Dead Letter Office is a rarities and B-sides collection by R.E.M., released in April 1987. The album is essentially a collection of many additional recordings R.E.M. made from before Murmur to Lifes Rich Pageant that were outtakes or released as B-sides to their singles internationally. Many of the tracks are favorite cover versions indicating the band's disparate influences and musical tastes, including three Velvet Underground covers, and songs by Aerosmith, Roger Miller, and fellow Athenians Pylon ("Crazy").
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.
Pylon was an American new wave/post-punk band from Athens, Georgia, United States, who were active from 1979 to 1983, 1989 to 1991, and 2004 to 2009. The band consisted of singer Vanessa Briscoe Hay, guitarist Randall Bewley, bassist Michael Lachowski, and drummer Curtis Crowe. They released three studio albums and a number of singles from 1979 to 1990, as well as a live double album in 2016.
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 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.
Athens, GA: Inside/Out is a 1986 documentary film about the mid-1980s music scene in Athens, Georgia. The film has been described as "the definitive portrait of the city's world-renowned music scene."
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.
The Method Actors were an American post-punk/new wave musical group from Athens, Georgia, United States, founded by Vic Varney and David Gamble in 1979 while at the University of Georgia.
The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and new wave music.
Harvey Milk is an American experimental rock/noise rock band that formed in Athens, Georgia in the early 1990s. While Harvey Milk invariably draws comparisons to the Melvins, due to their penchant for slow, heavy riffs, the band has touched upon such artists as ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Leonard Cohen, and Kiss as influences in their music. They even went so far as to perform a live show consisting of nothing but Hank Williams covers. One April Fool's Day gig at the 40 Watt in Athens, they performed R.E.M.'s Reckoning album from beginning to end, while Michael Stipe was in attendance.
Vanessa Briscoe Hay is an American singer for the Athens, Georgia bands Pylon, Supercluster and Pylon Reenactment Society.
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-based band Pylon.
Supercluster is a recording project that formed during 2007 in Athens, Georgia. It includes musicians from the Athens, Georgia bands New Sound Of Numbers, Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars, Casper & the Cookies, Of Montreal, Circulatory System and Pylon, along with Elephant 6 recording artist John Fernandes. Members presently include Hannah M. Jones, Bob Hay, Bill David, Kay Stanton, Bryan Poole, Vanessa Briscoe Hay, Jason NeSmith and John Fernandes. Alumni include Randy Bewley (deceased), Heather McIntosh, Will Cullen Hart and Peter Erchick. Supercluster play what they term "Appalachian Wave." For a brief period they were known as FFFM.
Kevin 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.
Gyrate is the debut studio album by American rock band Pylon, released in 1980 by record label DB.
Chomp is the second studio album by Athens, Georgia band Pylon, released in 1983. It was re-released in 2009 via DFA Records.
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.
Pylon Reenactment Society is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia.
Pylon Box is a 2020 box set compilation album of American alternative rock band Pylon, featuring remixed versions of their first two studio albums as well as over a dozen newly released tracks. It has received positive reviews from critics.