R.E.M., then named Twisted Kites, would headline, and the Side Effects, composed of Butchart, Swartz, and Jimmy Ellison[2] made their debut as an opener.
[3] 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.
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.
[7] 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.
Paul Butchart once ran for Mayor of Athens due to a simple moral principal: the incumbent was running unopposed.