Love Tractor
| Love Tractor | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Athens, Georgia USA |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Years active | 1980–2002 |
| Labels | DB, Big Time, RCA, Razor & Tie, |
| Past members |
|
Love Tractor (1980–2002) a band from Athens, Georgia, founded in spring 1980 by guitarists Mark Cline, Mike Richmond and bassist Armistead Wellford. Like The B-52's, Pylon and R.E.M., Love Tractor is lauded by critics and music historians as one of the founders of the Athens, Georgia, alternative rock scene. Love Tractor toured extensively and recorded six critically acclaimed albums, consistently topping the college and alternative charts. Love Tractor was particularly known for their instrumental rock.
After a return to the public eye in the late '90s, Love Tractor released 2001's swan song The Sky At Night. The group disbanded in 2002.
In 2015 founding members Armistead Wellford, Bill Berry and Mark Cline, along with multi-instrumentalist Douglas Stanley (The Glands) released the instrumental single: A trip to the Museum, heralding a return to the band's instrumental roots. On August 13th, 2016 all original members of Love Tractor (Mark Cline, Mike Richmond, Armistead Wellford and Andrew Carter) reformed to perform at the Athens Pop Festival, the performance was at the Georgia Theater in Athens, GA. The band was accompanied on stage by Guitarists Bryan Poole (Elf Power, Casper & the Cookies), Jay Gonzalez (Drive by Truckers), drummer Joe Rowe (The Glands, Casper & the Cookies, Pylon Reenactment Society) and synthesist Kevin Dunn (The Fans, Regiment of Women).
The band was formed in the spring of 1980 by guitarists Mark Cline, Mike Richmond and bassist Armistead Wellford. The band played their first few gigs with only a drum machine, but drummers Kit Swartz (formerly of The Side Effects) and Bill Berry (future R.E.M. drummer) soon took over rotating duties as drummer, later in 1983 Andrew Carter would take over as full time drummer, after Carter's departure John Poe of Guadalcanal Diary rounded off the line up. Producer and studio keyboard player Alfredo Villar (of The Fans) contributed to the first two albums. Love Tractor originally performed only instrumental material, but minimal vocals from Richmond were added starting with their second album "Around the Bend."
The band signed to DB Records. Their first release was a self-titled album, produced by Bruce Baxter and Alfredo Villar. 1983 saw second album Around the Bend; while on a tour promoting that album's release, Jon Pareles of The New York Times saw them at the Danceteria; in his September 1983 review, he said:
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