Athens Potluck and Murmur Trestle
Photographer Jason Thrasher selected the first musician for the series, Laura Carter of Elf Power and the Orange Twin Collective, photographed her, and asked her five questions; Laura then chose and posed her questions to Will Hart, of Olivia Tremor Control, who chose Julian Koster of Neutral Milk Hotel, and so on. Most recently, Michael Stipe of R.E.M. interviewed Andy LeMaster of Now It’s Overhead and Bright Eyes. Jason photographed each musician at home or in the studio, along with his or her questions, which have been written variously on vinyl records, album covers, on books and in works of art, for the next artist. The series has veered from the E-6 Collective to rock, to traditional old- time music, to punk, to country and back to indie again, with musicians driving the project forward as they pass the baton from one to the next. Athens Potluck is a glimpse into the richly diverse and oft secretive Athens music scene, spawned decades ago by R.E.M., Pylon and the B-52s.
“A new book gives readers a uniquely personal look at the artists who’ve made the city and its music world famous.”
- Caroline Sanders, Garden & Gun
“Some of the “Athens Potluck” portraits show the musicians playing their guitars inside or outside their individual homes. While those takes are certainly cool, it’s the shots without instruments in the frame that bring more intimacy and personality to the project. Mike Mantione, of the band Five Eight, bouncing on a trampoline. T. Hardy Morris, of Dead Confederate and Diamond Rugs, fishing from a canoe. Vanessa Briscoe Hay with a parasol, descending from a staircase. Porches, bedspreads, snow, ferns and fallen trees get as much space as Telecasters, banjos and basses.”
- Matt Wake, AL.com
“Remarkably, the book successfully manages to avoid getting locked into any one particular genre or friendship circle, reflecting not only how diverse the music scene is here, but how open-minded and considerate people are of others’ projects. The book bounces between rock, jazz, experimental pop, folk and punk, dropping into the lives of Julian Koster (The Music Tapes), Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), Jason Griffin (Apparition), Dave Marr (The Star Room Boys) and Andy LeMaster (Now It’s Overhead), among others. Even the late Ross Shapiro (The Glands), who initially dodged several requests, eventually acquiesced.”
- Jessica Smith, Flagpole Magazine