Pylon -

Pylon was an American new wave band from Athens, Ga., that debuted with the 1979 single “Cool” / “Dub” on DB Recs, followed by the 1980–83 albums Gyrate and Chomp. Along with local contemporaries The B-52’s and The Method Actors, Pylon’s scratchy/jerky/angular style served as a comedic counterpart to the similar yet more abrasive post-punk/No Wave sounds emanating from New York and England at the time.

Members: Randy Bewley (guitar), Michael Lachowski (bass), Curtis Crowe (drums), Vanessa Briscoe Hay (vocals)

Background

Pylon formed in early 1979 while attending the University of Georgia. Guitarist Randall Bewley (b. 1955) and bassist Michael Lachowski (b. 1954) first experimented with music in a rented downtown studio. Drummer Curtis Crowe (b. 1955) joined soon after overhearing their rehearsals, and singer Vanessa Briscoe Hay (née Ellison, b. 1955) completed the lineup following a February 14 audition.

They took their name from traffic cones, not the 1935 barnstormer novel by William Faulker. None had formal musical training—Lachowski later explained they embraced a DIY “art project” approach rather than conventional performance. Pylon’s influences included Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, the Eraserhead soundtrack (with Peter Ivers), and the 1978 Antilles release No New York, a compilation of NYC No Wave acts (Contortions, DNA, Mars, Teenage Jesus & The Jerks) produced by Brian Eno.

Their first live show took place on March 9, 1979, attracting support from members of the B‑52’s and followed by a legendary New York debut opening for Gang of Four later that year.

“Cool”

Pylon released their debut single, “Cool” backed with “Dub,” in late 1979 on DB Records. The A-side blends minimalist post-punk energy with chant-like vocals—“Everything is cool”—while the B-side “Dub,” true to its name, uses echo and rhythmic repetition in an experimental manner.

A. “Cool”
B. “Dub”

Pitched as a manifesto for their art-school aesthetic, the single attracted critical attention and earned them early airplay and club traction.

Gyrate

Pylon released their debut album, Gyrate, in November 1980 on DB Records.

The album includes eleven original tracks written collectively by the band, showcasing angular guitar, propulsive rhythm, and Vanessa Briscoe Hay’s terse vocal delivery.

Randy Bewley’s robotic guitar interplay and Michael Lachowski’s trenchant bass underpin Curtis Crowe’s tight, danceable drums, while Hay punctuates their sound with urgent vocal bursts.

A1. “Volume” (4:10)
A2. “Feast on My Heart” (3:28)
A3. “Precaution” (2:45)
A4. “Weather Radio” (2:08)
A5. “The Human Body” (3:00)
A6. “Read a Book” (1:55)

B1. “Driving School” (3:47)
B2. “Gravity” (2:31)
B3. “Danger” (5:32)
B4. “Working Is No Problem” (3:24)
B5. “Stop It” (2:59)

Sessions occurred in 1980 at Stone Mountain Studios, Atlanta, co-produced by Bruce Baxter, Kevin Dunn, and Pylon. Baxter also engineered the album alongside DB Records founder Danny Beard, who also produced records by The B-52’s and The Swimming Pool Q’s. Dunn — a Georgia-based guitarist, producer, and new wave solo artist — played in The Fans and released the 1981 album The Judgment of Paris on DB Records.

In the UK, Gyrate appeared with a teal cover on Armageddon Records, which also issued !!, a 10″ EP with “Driving School,” “Danger,” and the two tracks from Pylon’s first single.

Chomp

Pylon released their second studio album, Chomp, on DB Records in March 1983.

All twelve tracks were group-composed, with material spanning pulsating dance-rock (“Yo‑Yo”), offbeat instrumentals (“Italian Movie Theme”), and measured intensity in “Crazy.”

Bewley’s guitar gained texture, Lachowski’s bass added melodic weight, and Crowe’s percussion remained tight and moving, while Hay delivered more melodic phrasing.

A1. “K” (4:32)
A2. “Yo‑Yo” (4:14)
A3. “Beep” (3:23)
A4. “Italian Movie Theme” (2:01)
A5. “Crazy” (3:13)
A6. “M‑Train” (3:48)

B1. “Buzz” (2:58)
B2. “No Clocks” (2:57)
B3. “Reptiles” (3:56)
B4. “Spider” (3:58)
B5. “Gyrate” (4:06)
B6. “Altitude” (3:19)

Sessions took place between late 1981 and mid-1982 at Channel One Studios in Atlanta and Drive-In Studios in Winston-Salem, where Mitch Easter (R.E.M., The dB’s) engineered Chomp with co-producers Chris Stamey and Gene Holder, both of The dB’s.

“Crazy” (b/w “M‑Train”) first appeared in late 1981 as an advance single and reached No. 61 on the Billboard Club Play chart. “Beep” (b/w “Altitude”) appeared in 1982 as a second advance single. The “Beep” 12″ contains an exclusive third track.

B. “Four Minutes” (5:51)

Later Activity

Pylon regrouped in 1989 after a six-year hiatus and released Hits, a retrospective of their 1979–83 material, on DB Recs. That year, they opened select dates on the final leg of R.E.M.’s Green tour. In 1990, they released their third album, Chain, on Sky Records. The band disbanded again in 1991. Their 2020 Pylon Box anthology reissued remastered albums and previously unreleased material

Discography: