Music History Walking Tour

Here's a great video of an Athens music history walking tour. Led by some dude named Paul Bouchard, this tour goes to the regular hot spots (the site of R.E.M.'s first show and the "Murmur" trestle) and hits some lesser known but equally awesome sites.

Sky's Place & SEND YOUR PICS!

Here's a writeup about Craig "Sky" Hertwig who once owned Sky's Place, Fifth Quarter and now Nowhere Bar. He's an Athens icon.
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/012008/news_20080120049.shtml

Also, send your pics of Athens! We need something to look at.

Sons and Steve's

On a sunny day like today, it's hard to drive through Five Points without heading over to what used to be one of the best happy hours, hoping to see that it has been restored to its former glory. For a guy that was a UGA student in the mid 90's, this spot was commonly known as Sons and Steve's. It was actually two restaurants that joined forces in its mug beer specials and outdoor seating to provide an unmatched social experience. I can remember getting off the UGA bus after class and going directly to the counter at Son's to get a mug full of Miller Lite. If it had been a tough day or a great day, I'd commiserate or celebrate with Icehouse instead. By late afternoon, the decks were packed and people were drinking in the parking lot. With matching mugs. By the end of the night, scavengers like myself and my roommates at the time would gather up empty mugs left behind to take back to our apartment at University Commons. (It was easier than washing dishes.) Today, that spot is not the same. A few places have come and gone at the old Son's spot since they moved down South Milledge. And although Steverino's was reopened by its original owner, it still has not reclaimed it's former glory.

Introduction

My name is Matt and I am a 14 year resident of Athens, Georgia. I am also a musician, graphic designer, husband and dad. I went to too many colleges, have had too many managers and been to too many too loud concerts. Most of this has occured during my time in the hometown of R.E.M., the University of Georgia, Zaxby's and (as of this post) Knowshon Moreno. Needless to say, I could wax nostalgiacally about my experiences in this sleepy(?) college town for too long. But that's not what The Book Of Athens is going to be about. At this point, I have a few ideas of how I want to do this thing. But the jist of it is that I want this blog to be a bulletin board for YOUR favorite stories and memories of being, living, working or visiting Athens.
See, the problem is that there's nowhere on the internets to find a living history of Athens that encompasses everything that this town is about. Music, football, bars, school, work. It's all a part of my town and I want to hear everyone's stories.
So, use the comments section, email me, send links and link to me to spread the word about The Book Of Athens: Written by You.