The Side Effects
Encyclopedia
The Side Effects were an indie rock
band, part of the music scene of Athens, Georgia
. The Side Effects debuted in 1980, alongside other local performers like R.E.M.
.
and Peter Buck
. According to Buck, the two were supposed to play in a band with himself and Stipe, but never showed up to practice. The two bands, however, would cross paths again later that year when The Side Effects, along with Men In Trees, made their musical debut with R.E.M. at an Athens party. R.E.M., then named Twisted Kites, would headline, and the Side Effects, composed of Butchart, Swartz, and Jimmy Ellison made their debut as an opener.
The band would gain prominent local publicity, being in a scene that produced The B-52's
, Love Tractor
, and Pylon
, all of which would receive varying degrees of success in the future. The band also opened a spinoff of the famous local Athens 40 Watt Club
called the 40 Watt East in May 1980, which was opened across the street and later merged back to the original.
The band would disband in 1982. While R.E.M. would release their album Murmur
to critical acclaim, other Athens-area bands would break up, including the Side Effects; Ellison was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor a year later.
Butchart still lives in the Athens area today, giving tours of the city as well as acting as a primary source in a variety of R.E.M. literature such as David Buckley
's biography of R.E.M., R.E.M.: Fiction, and posting on the internet on various message boards, websites and Usenet
news groups.
Jimmy Ellison is laid to rest in Monroe, Ga. In the Monroe cemetery. His grave is on the West side of the Western road. The self-titled LP they created had 4 tracks: "Raining", "Pyramids", "French Forest", and "Through with you".
The 1990 reunion show at the 40 Watt Club, W. Clayton, included Mike Mills of R.E.M. playing drums and Paul Butchart dancing. All of the members were self-taught musicians. Paul Butchart has lived more than 27 years in the same house at 653 N. Milledge ave. Kit Swartz is living in Thailand with his wife and family.
Paul Butchart once ran for Mayor of Athens due to a simple moral principal: the incumbent was running unopposed. When asked what advice to give future musicians or artists, Paul Butchart stated "Anybody can do it; don't hesitate, just do it and see what happens"; Paul still performs with the band "Saint Eel", ("St. Eel"). The actual area that the "B-52's" played in for the first time at his house is a small room just inside of the front door.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, part of the music scene of Athens, Georgia
Music of Athens, Georgia
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. and The B-52s, and several long-time indie rock groups...
. The Side Effects debuted in 1980, alongside other local performers like R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
.
History
The band was started by Kit Swartz and Paul Butchart, who knew R.E.M. members Michael StipeMichael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
and Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
. According to Buck, the two were supposed to play in a band with himself and Stipe, but never showed up to practice. The two bands, however, would cross paths again later that year when The Side Effects, along with Men In Trees, made their musical debut with R.E.M. at an Athens party. R.E.M., then named Twisted Kites, would headline, and the Side Effects, composed of Butchart, Swartz, and Jimmy Ellison made their debut as an opener.
The band would gain prominent local publicity, being in a scene that produced The B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
, Love Tractor
Love Tractor
Love Tractor was a band from Athens, Georgia and like The B-52's, Pylon and R.E.M., was recognized as a founder of the Athens, Georgia alternative rock scene...
, and Pylon
Pylon (band)
Pylon is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The band's danceable jangle pop sound 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".-History:All four members of...
, all of which would receive varying degrees of success in the future. The band also opened a spinoff of the famous local Athens 40 Watt Club
40 Watt Club
The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB's, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and "New Wave music."...
called the 40 Watt East in May 1980, which was opened across the street and later merged back to the original.
The band would disband in 1982. While R.E.M. would release their album Murmur
Murmur (album)
Murmur is the debut album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1983 on I.R.S. Records. Murmur drew critical acclaim upon its release for its sound, defined by singer Michael Stipe's cryptic lyrics, guitarist Peter Buck's jangly guitar style, and bassist Mike Mills' melodic...
to critical acclaim, other Athens-area bands would break up, including the Side Effects; Ellison was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor a year later.
Butchart still lives in the Athens area today, giving tours of the city as well as acting as a primary source in a variety of R.E.M. literature such as David Buckley
David Buckley
David Buckley is a British film score composer.Buckley is best known for working and still works extensively with composer Harry Gregson-Williams, including work on the famous videogame Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots.Among Buckley's numerous solo projects are the films Blood Creek , The...
's biography of R.E.M., R.E.M.: Fiction, and posting on the internet on various message boards, websites and Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
news groups.
Jimmy Ellison is laid to rest in Monroe, Ga. In the Monroe cemetery. His grave is on the West side of the Western road. The self-titled LP they created had 4 tracks: "Raining", "Pyramids", "French Forest", and "Through with you".
The 1990 reunion show at the 40 Watt Club, W. Clayton, included Mike Mills of R.E.M. playing drums and Paul Butchart dancing. All of the members were self-taught musicians. Paul Butchart has lived more than 27 years in the same house at 653 N. Milledge ave. Kit Swartz is living in Thailand with his wife and family.
Paul Butchart once ran for Mayor of Athens due to a simple moral principal: the incumbent was running unopposed. When asked what advice to give future musicians or artists, Paul Butchart stated "Anybody can do it; don't hesitate, just do it and see what happens"; Paul still performs with the band "Saint Eel", ("St. Eel"). The actual area that the "B-52's" played in for the first time at his house is a small room just inside of the front door.
External links
- Georgia Music Hall of Fame
- Online Athens: The Side Effects at Tyrone's, August 1980.