Warren Bailey is a nomad, a rebel

Warren Bailey is leaving Atlanta to live the life of a nomad. Over the last few years, Bailey has spent his time playing bass for local power-pop stalwarts Gentleman Jesse and His Men and guitar for punk-minded counterparts Barreracudas. After playing a stretch of shows on the road with Gentleman Jesse last year, the urge to leave became too great to resist. So Bailey packed two bags and bought a one-way ticket to New York. "I'm heading there on Friday for a DJ gig," he says. "After that I'm flying to San Juan, Puerto Rico."

Once he arrives in San Juan, Bailey will play in two new bands started by members of Puerto Rican garage punks Davila 666. He'll also put together a band to play his own songs. "The songs that I've been writing sound more punk than what we've been doing with Gentleman Jesse," he adds. "They're more like what I wrote for my old band, Beat Beat Beat." Bailey will continue playing with Gentleman Jesse and Barreracudas, and will return to play some shows in March, including a trip to Austin for SXSW. "I'll still be based out of Atlanta, but I just want to float around and do whatever band shit I've got going on and see where I end up," he says. "I'm in a position where I can do that, and I would be ripping myself off if I didn't."

The student voice of Georgia State University, WRAS-FM (88.5) celebrated its 40th anniversary Jan. 17. That morning, WRAS aired a recording of the station's first 30 minutes on the air, which included then-Dean of Students Kenneth England's opening speech. "England is one of the main reasons we have been able to stay student-run," says DJ and former general manager Adam "Bomb" DeVore. "Most universities would have leased a signal as powerful as ours to NPR or some other group of pros. England felt strongly about WRAS being a voice for students. Thankfully the university has always understood our value."

NEW RELEASES: On Jan. 24, SMKA leaked a song called "Built For It," a soulful, big and smooth first cut from Detroit MC Young Scolla's forthcoming album. Young Scolla and SMKA's first pairing showed up on The 808 Experiment: Vol. 2 in January 2010. This time around, SMKA has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the album. Horrible Idea, an ATL punk band that claims everyone from Thrice to Children of Bodom as influences, recently released the All in the Crumbling CD. The first vinyl offering from Blair Crimmins and the Hookers arrives Feb. 4, with the "State Hotel" 10-inch single. And last but not least, local experimental act the Ruination is finishing its second album to be released in April.