Cover Story: What we said

This past week the presence of radio station WRFG became more than just a phantom media force in this city, as it raised its power to 1250 watts and became accessible to the entire Atlanta area for the first time in its 3-year history.

Tony Zarrilli (Oct. 26, 1974)

Is Atlanta becoming an “asphalt octopus?” Many community-conscious people in the Uptown Atlanta Neighborhood Coalition (UANC), some of whom fought and killed the completion of I-485, say the octopus’ arms are generating in the form of the North Atlanta Tollway.

– Cheryll Levine (July 22, 1975)

Cha-Gio opened a few weeks ago in a former love tussle parlor, between 10th and Peachtree Place. Judging from one midweek crowd, the small restaurant is having some success in attracting a cross-section of midtown types. ... Those who relish unusual tastes and are bored with Szechwan, Hunan and Mandarin cooking by now, should give the place a try. You can’t possibly spend more than $3.

– Bill Schemmel (Aug. 6, 1977)

Last Thursday night, Atlanta became the first city in America ... to receive Britain’s Sex Pistols in concert. ... Unceremoniously, the Sex Pistols walked on stage to a mild reception. Trouble was brewing 6 feet away from the stage when a drunken redneck began to shout insults at vocalist Johnny Rotten and threatened to bash him with a beer bottle.

Rotten, dressed as a chimney sweep in a dusty waistcoat, white shirt, vest and tie, took his place, front and center, called for his beer and stared his heckler in the face.

“You don’t like me, do you?” Rotten asked. The answer was well-placed spit in his face. Without blinking, Rotten wiped away the insult, rolled his eyes and calmly drawled, “I’m soooo insulted.”

– Murray M. Silver Jr. (Jan. 14, 1978)

Probably no two restaurateurs have contributed more to Atlanta’s gourmet dining scene than Steve Nygren and Dick Daily. ... Indeed, the Pleasant Peasant has evolved as the beloved standy for local yokels and regular out-of-town visitors alike.

– Ellen Berman (March 1, 1980)

What R.E.M. has achieved with Murmur is to assimilate the best of their influences, from the Byrds and Velvet Underground, to a host of other ’60s bands, to arrive at a sound that is at once familiar, yet totally unique. ... Couple with Michael Stipe’s lead vocals over soaring harmonies and Pete Buck’s waves and splashes of rhythm guitar, you have Roger McGuinn camped out at the 40 Watt Club, dialing Bob Dylan telepathically thousands of miles away.

– Tony Paris (June 4, 1983)

Poor Piedmont Park, the “people’s park.” The hills are trampled and scarred. Broken glass, spent charcoal and other remnants of good times litter the grass. Chain link cuts through once-undisturbed tree trails. While two factions fight over Piedmont Park’s future, the park silently bears the scars of neglect and abuse.

– Russell Shaw (July 14, 1984)

Prince and the Revolution had arrived, and for the next two hours we would be treated to one of the most dynamic concert experiences imaginable. Forget “Boss” Springsteen’s blue collar. Stash Michael Jackson’s white glove. I’ve seen the future of pop music and its color is purple.

– Mitchell Feldman (Jan. 5, 1985)

[Wyche] Fowler showed that, unlike [Crandle] Bray, he was not tongue-tied by the fast-talking [Newt] Gingrich. When Gingrich attempted to get on Fowler’s radio call-in show, Fowler refused to speak with Gingrich. Fowler said that [Mack] Mattingly had been invited to appear on the show, and that he would debate “the organ-grinder, not the monkey.”

– Steve Humphrey (Nov. 15, 1986)

Deacon Lunchbox – More musical than most of the adolescent psyches dealt with herein, more poetic than a dozen Mudd Shack misanthropes. As astute as Captain Beefheart starring in Barfly.

– David T. Lindsay in “Music Menu” (Feb. 18, 1989)

“Every girl is a cocaine whore, and the ones that aren’t will be,” says Chris. “You give ‘em a few bumps, they get up and then are happy to do it. Any guy who’s got cocaine can get laid.” After a night of binging and lambada-like grinding on the dance floors ... Chris is inevitably asked the same question: “Do you have AIDS?” “I always tell them no,” says Chris. “But I really don’t know. We go to bed anyway.”

– Robert Morris and Amy Bonesteel on the Atlanta singles scene (May 26, 1990)