Pylon (band)

Pylon
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1979
Defunct	2009
Headquarters	Athens, Georgia, United States
Products	Studio albums, singles, live albums
Number of employees	4

Pylon was a new wave and post-punk ensemble originating from Athens, Georgia, active during the periods 1979–1983, 1989–1991, and 2004–2009. The group consisted of vocalist Vanessa Briscoe Hay, guitarist Randall Bewley, bassist Michael Lachowski, and drummer Curtis Crowe. Over their career, they produced three studio albums and multiple singles between 1979 and 1990, in addition to a live double album released in 2016 that captured a 1983 performance.

Their rhythmically engaging style blended elements of new wave, post-punk, jangle pop, alternative rock, and funk rock, significantly impacting the Athens music community as well as the American underground pop scene of the 1980s. According to AllMusic, Pylon were regarded as "elder statesmen of the alternative rock explosion."

1979–1983: Origins, initial phase, and dissolution

The band was established in 1979 by University of Georgia art students. Guitarist Randall Bewley and bassist Michael Lachowski had started playing together in 1978 despite lacking formal musical training. Their initial goal was to perform live in New York City before disbanding. They rehearsed in a downtown Athens studio rented from Curtis Crowe, who soon became their drummer. Vanessa Briscoe joined as lead singer early in 1979.

Contrary to popular belief, their name derived from traffic cones rather than from William Faulkner’s novel. Influences on their sound included Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, the No New York compilation album, and the soundtrack for Eraserhead.

Pylon’s debut live performance occurred on March 9, 1979. Early encouragement came from members of the B-52's, notably Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson, which helped them gain recognition in New York City venues such as Hurrah nightclub where they opened for Gang of Four. Their first single "Cool" (1979), released via DB Records, garnered critical acclaim and preceded their debut album Gyrate (1980). That same year, they supported the B-52s at Central Park.

The UK-based Armageddon Records issued their !! EP in 1980, compiling tracks from their initial single and album. Later singles included "Crazy" (1981), which peaked at No. 61 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart, followed by "Beep" (1982).

From 1980 through 1983, Pylon toured extensively across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, performing alongside bands such as the B-52's, Gang of Four, Mission of Burma, Love Tractor, R.E.M., Talking Heads, and U2.

Their sophomore album Chomp was released in 1983. Experiencing waning enthusiasm and unfavorable reactions during their stint opening for U2 on the War Tour, Pylon chose to disband later that year after a final show at Athens’ Mad Hatter club on December 1. Vocalist Hay noted that they opted to end while still enjoying themselves; Lachowski mentioned that having fulfilled their objectives made continuing unnecessary.

Legacy and influence

With assistance from R.E.M., Pylon solidified their reputation as a foremost underground new wave outfit by 1987. The Athens music scene paid tribute to them in the documentary film Athens, GA: Inside/Out, released that February. In April of the same year, R.E.M. issued the compilation Dead Letter Office, featuring a cover of Pylon’s "Crazy," originally the B-side to their 1985 single "Driver 8."

When Rolling Stone designated R.E.M. as "America's Best Band" in December 1987, drummer Bill Berry acknowledged Pylon as America’s finest rock group. Reflecting in 2016, Lachowski attributed R.E.M.'s achievements to their musical skill and historical awareness, contrasting with Pylon’s identity as art students experimenting with soundscapes and instruments.

1989–2009: Reunion Period

Following a six-year break punctuated by occasional reunion appearances, Pylon officially regrouped in 1989, coinciding with the release of the compilation album Hits (1979–83). During this time, they served as the opening act for the concluding segment of R.E.M.'s Green tour.

In 1990, the band issued the album Chain via Sky Records and took part in notable events such as South by Southwest in both 1990 and 1991. However, when guitarist Randy Bewley departed in 1991, Pylon disbanded once more.

The group made a comeback in 2004, performing their first concert in over ten years at Little King's Shuffle Club in Athens. They also appeared at the 40 Watt Club on New Year's Eve 2004, headlined the opening night of AthFest in June 2005, and contributed to recordings for Pancake Mountain in 2006.

On April 4, 2007, Pylon announced that their debut album Gyrate would be reissued by DFA Records with an expanded version titled Gyrate Plus, released on October 16, 2007. In 2008, they participated in several significant performances including the Part Time Punks Festival in Los Angeles, a taping for Georgia Public Broadcasting, and the Revolve Film and Music Festival held in North Carolina.

Tragically, guitarist Randy Bewley passed away from a heart attack on February 25, 2009. His death marked the definitive end of Pylon's activities; as Hay stated, "Pylon died when Randy died."

Later Developments

DFA Records re-released Pylon's second album as an expanded edition named Chomp More in 2009.

In October 2011, DFA put out a two-track 7" split single titled Cover + Remix, featuring Deerhunter’s rendition of Pylon’s "Cool" alongside a Calvinist remix of "Yo-Yo".

On July 25, 2016, Chunklet Industries unveiled the double album Pylon Live, captured live at The Mad Hatter venue in Athens during December 1983 before the band's initial split. Pitchfork commended it as a focused performance without extraneous chatter that highlighted the band’s tight musicianship. Prior to this release, Chunklet issued the single "Gravity" from the live recording on April 20.

New West Records reissued the "Cool"/"Dub" single as a limited edition for Record Store Day in 2019. On August 28, 2020, they revealed plans for Pylon Box, a vinyl box set released on November 6, 2020. This collection includes remastered versions of Gyrate and Chomp, along with two exclusive albums: Extra, containing non-album tracks plus five previously unreleased songs; and Razz Tape, which features some of the band’s earliest studio sessions. The box set also comes with a comprehensive 200-page hardcover book featuring new interviews with surviving members and contributions from notable artists such as R.E.M., The B-52's, Gang of Four, Sleater-Kinney, and Sonic Youth.

In September 2020, Athens inaugurated the Athens Music Walk of Fame—a public art installation spanning two blocks near prominent music venues including the Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt Club. Among its first inductees was Pylon alongside acts like The B-52s, Danger Mouse, Drive-By Truckers, and R.E.M.

Other endeavors

Hay is part of Supercluster, an Athens-based band formed in 2007. Bewley was also involved with this group before his passing.

In 2014, Hay established Pylon Reenactment Society alongside guitarist Jason NeSmith, drummer Gregory Sanders, and bassist Kay Stanton—all members of contemporary Athens bands such as the Glands and Casper & the Cookies. In a 2016 interview, Hay described this project as "inspirational," emphasizing its goal to sustain Pylon’s legacy while injecting new vitality. In October 2017, they independently released an EP titled Part Time Punks Session, recorded specifically for DJ Michael Stock’s Part Time Punks program on KXLU.

On February 9, 2024, Pylon Reenactment Society debuted their full-length album Magnet Factory via Strolling Bones Records. The eleven-track record includes two previously unrecorded Pylon compositions from 1979—"3 x 3" and "Heaven (In Your Eyes)"—and features guest vocals by Kate Pierson on the song "Fix It".

Members

Randall Bewley – guitarist (1978–1983, 1989–1991, 2004–2009)
Curtis Crowe – drummer (1978–1983, 1989–1991, 2004–2009)
Vanessa Briscoe Hay – lead vocals (1979–1983, 1989–1991, 2004–2009)
Michael Lachowski – bass guitarist (1978–1983, 1989–1991, 2004–2009)

Studio albums

Gyrate (released November 1980 on DB Records DB54; reissued in 2007 as Gyrate Plus through DFA Records DFA2181CD)
Chomp (April 1983 release via DB Records DB65; reissued in 2009 as Chomp More on DFA Records DFA2220CD)
Chain (1990, Sky Records)

Singles and EPs

"Cool / Dub" 7-inch single (April 1980, DB Records DB53)
!! 10-inch EP (February 1981, Armageddon Records AEP10214)
"Crazy / M Train" available as 7-inch and 12-inch single (March 1982, DB Records DB61)
"Beep / Altitude" released as a 7-inch single and a 12-inch EP featuring "Four Minutes" (September 1982, DB Records DB62)
"Sugarpop / Sugarpop Remix / Interview" promotional CD single (1990, Sky Records)
Cover + Remix split 7-inch single together with Deerhunter (June 2011, DFA Records DFA2279LP)
"Gravity / Weather Radio" 7-inch single (April 2016, Chunklet Industries CK7010)

Live albums

Pylon Live (issued July 25, 2016, Chunklet Industries CHKLP020)

Box set

Pylon Box (released November 8, 2020, New West Records)

Compilation albums

Declaration of Independents – 13 Tracks of U.S. Rock 1980, Various artists Vinyl LP (1980, Ambition Records AMB1)
Trouser Press Presents the Best of America Underground, Various artists Cassette LP (1983, ROIR A124)
Jericho Go, Various artists Vinyl LP (1985, DB Records / Stiff Records D BAT80)
Athens, GA – Inside / Out, Various artists Vinyl LP (1987, I.R.S. Records IRS6185)
Hits, Pylon Cassette and CD compilation (1989, DB Records DB91)
Squares Blot Out the Sun, Various artists Vinyl LP/CD/Cassette collection (1990, DB Recs DB72)
Totally Wired, Various artists CD compilation (1995, Razor & Tie RE 2076)
KFJC 98.7 Fifty – Blowing Minds Since 1959, Various artists Double vinyl LP (2009, No label KJFC24)
Keith Haring – The World of Keith Haring – Influences + Connections, Various artists Triple vinyl LP/CD box set (2019, Soul Jazz, Ltd. SJR LP444)
Blank Generation: A Story Of Us - Canadian Punk & Its Aftershocks 1975-1981, Various artists Five-CD box set (2023, Cherry Red Records CRCDBOX147)

Filmography

Athens, GA: Inside Out (1987)

External links