Real Rock Town

 I've talked a lot about the national bands who have rocked my world but I would like to tell you about the bands, past and present, from my hometown of Lexington, KY. These bands are very talented and have played just as important a role in my musical development as the national ones. The photos are from a few of my favorite Lexington music memories. There are many, many more bands in Lexington, these are just a few of my favorites.

 The 12 Essential Albums by Lexington Bands 

-Black Cat Bone- Truth (1992) 
-The Blueberries- Dinner (1992) 
-Candy Says- Kaleidoscope (1992) 
-Groovezilla- Search for Neverland (1992) 
-Stranglmartin- Wiregrass (1993)
-10 Foot Pole- Fuel to Keep Us Cool (1993) 
-Art Geko- Hurry Up and Wait (1999) 
-Swifty- On (1999) 
-Supafuzz- All About the Rock (2000) 
-Devil May Care- Delicate (2002) 
-Gloria Bills- Hi-Fi Education (2002) 
-Wishing Chair- Crow (2002) 

 R.I.P.
To the bands and clubs that are gone but not forgotten.  I miss you guys!

Stranglmartin 
10 Foot Pole 
Groovezilla 
Ted Bundy's Volkswagen 
The Wrocklage 
The Millennium 
Swifty 
Candy Says 
Art Geko 
Lynaghs 
Gloria Bills
High on Rose
Supafuzz
Devil May Care
Banger
Ready Set Go
The Dame
A1A's

IN MEMORY OF JERROD FIGGS (1964-2018)

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Lexington musician, Jerrod Figgs, from cancer.  I first was exposed to Figgs’ music in the early 1990’s when he was the frontman  of Groovezilla.  The music scene in Lexington was probably at one of its highest points in the early 1990’s.  Groovezilla was very progressive for their time.  A band featuring two black guys, a black woman, and two white guys playing music that was hard rock and funk at the same time was unheard of.  Groovezilla’s music went beyond race, beyond gender, and beyond genre.  Groovezilla’s 1992 album, Search for Neverland, is on my list of Essential Albums by Lexington Bands.  Search for Neverland never shied away from tough topics like racial equality, social injustice, and corporate greed.  Listening to the opening of “Blind Eye”, a call for racial tolerance, when Figgs sang “one nation, divided”, it feels as relevant today as it was in 1992.  I fondly remember being in high school and being packed in the Wrocklage on all ages night hearing Groovezilla play.  The mosh pits were intense but that was kind of how we expressed our youthful rebellion.

Jerrod Figgs was a fixture in the Lexington music scene.  After Groovezilla disbanded, Figgs fronted a funk cover band, the G Funk Allstars, and two reggae bands, The Rudies, and most recently, Sunny Cheeba.  H e was in other bands over the years.  With each musical endeavor, he went beyond genre, experimenting with different styles.  I never met Figgs but I can’t tell you how many times over the years, I would see him at shows, supporting other bands in our community.  He was a great influence on our music scene and will be missed.

*Hermano is technically not a Lexington band.  However, since the band featured two members of Supafuzz, I included their show's photos in the Lexington music photo album.