Interview with Patrick Ferguson, March 10, 2018

Partial Transcript: tell me about where you...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about his childhood in Columbus, Georgia. Ferguson describes his first introduction to punk rock, which was the Dead Kennedys. Ferguson explains the changes in punk rock culture throughout his life.

Keywords: Dead Kennedys; In God We Trust, Inc.; punk rock

Partial Transcript: The dads of the hardcore kids...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson describes punk rock culture. Ferguson talks about attending the University of Georgia, and how the increase in tuition led to a more rigid Athens music culture. Ferguson shares his experience in Atlanta.

Keywords: Motörhead; Sinister Dreams; University of Georgia; punk rock

Partial Transcript: It's interesting to me...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about the old culture of the Metroplex, Atlanta punk scene. Ferguson explains the difficulties he faced in trying to attend the University of Georgia.

Keywords: Government Cheese (band); punk

Partial Transcript: I got here, sort of...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about coming to Athens during 1989 to attend the University of Georgia (UGA). Ferguson describes his experience playing in a blues band in D.C.

Keywords: Athens, GA; Five Eight (band); Jim Stacey; University of Georgia; Victor Martinez Incorporated

Partial Transcript: And I really loved Five Eight ...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about watching the band Five Eight for the first time. Ferguson shares stories from playing with the band Loud and Slow as a drummer.

Keywords: Five Eight (band); John Rogers; Loud and Slow; pirate punk

Partial Transcript: Anyway, there was this guy Vic...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson describes meeting Vic Chesnutt for the first time, as Vic played with the band Loud and Slow as a temporary bassist. Ferguson talks about joining the band Five Eight as the drummer, and their first opportunity to sign with the news station CBS.

Keywords: 40-Watt Club; CBS; Five Eight (band); Rich Robertson; Vic Chesnutt; punk rock

Partial Transcript: So they bought out these fliers...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about playing with Five Eight as the permanent drummer, and some of the changes that happened to members as time went on. Ferguson talks about the band's tours, and some of the issues that arose during performance and tours.

Keywords: Five Eight; John Rogers; Mike Mantione; Vic Chesnutt; William Thompson

Partial Transcript: The whole thing with Mike...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about the peak of the band Five Eight, and describes how some of the Athens businesses that were fundamental to the Athens music scene.

Keywords: Mike Mantione; R.E.M.; The Grit

Partial Transcript: The only person who was constantly...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about some of the cassettes that were released by Five Eight and the work that went into other records. Ferguson describes the way Five Eight changed due to the rise of the grunge scene.

Keywords: Dave Barby; Five Eight; Passive Aggressive; grunge

Partial Transcript: But we were just...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson describes an attempt the Five Eight producer made to edit the band's performance to mimic the then-popular style of grunge, which led to a fail in the record. Ferguson talks about Five Eight's performance a the festival SXSW, and how the band failed to sign at the festival.

Keywords: Five Eight; SXSW; recording

Partial Transcript: I don't know exactly...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson speculates about the reasons his band, Five Eight, failed to get signed. Ferguson explains that the band eventually got signed, but the record failed to sell enough. Ferguson recalls leaving the band due to burn out.

Keywords: Jimmy McClain; Sky Records

Partial Transcript: I remember walking out the meeting...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson lists the bands he played in after leaving Five Eight. Ferguson describes his experience living in Chicago. Ferguson talks about coming back to Athens where he joined the band Music Hates You, before he returned to the band Five Eight as the drummer.

Keywords: Chicago; Five Eight; Music Hates You; Southern Bitch (band)

Partial Transcript: And so we started practicing together...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson shares that he started to work in music production after rejoining the band Five Eight. Ferguson explains that Sean Dunn eventually rejoined the band. Ferguson talks about the process he used to re-release the Five Eight Weirdo record. Ferguson talks about living at a well-known apartment complex for artists in Athens. Ferguson recalls what he did for entertainment as a young adult.

Keywords: Dashboard Savior; Dave Barbie; Jack Logan; Sean Dunn; Vic Chesnutt; Weirdo (album); Your God Is Dead To Me Now (album)

Partial Transcript: Do you remember that band...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about the band Teenage Meth Lab and its success. Ferguson describes the music festival South by Southwest, and the things he does not like about the festival. Ferguson explains that after a performance at South by Southwest, the members of Five Eight were invited to play in India at the Orange Festival.

Keywords: Delhi, India; Orange Festival; SXSW (South by Southwest); Teenage Meth Lab

Partial Transcript: So we agreed to do it...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson describes the Orange Festival, a music festival held near Delhi, India. Ferguson talks about his first impressions of Delhi and Dibrugarh, India. Ferguson describes the sharp transition from the city to the tea farms.

Keywords: Dibrugarh, India; Orange Festival; tea farm

Partial Transcript: And this is where the world's...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson describes crossing the Brahmaputra River to attend the Orange Festival. Ferguson talks about some of the frustrations him and the other members of Five Eight faced in trying to reach the Orange Festival.

Keywords: Brahmaputra River; Dibrugarh, India; Orange Festival

Partial Transcript: A lot of the Indian bands stay...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson details the performances at the Orange Festival and describes one of his favorite bands that performed, Fiddler's Green. Ferguson talks about the fun that he had touring Delhi with Five Eight after the Orange Festival.

Keywords: Fiddler's Green (band); Orange Festival; Taj Mahal

Partial Transcript: Randeep and Anoop were the two guys...

Segment Synopsis: Ferguson talks about touring Delhi, India with their guides Randeep and Anoop. Ferguson talks about the politics and demographics of India, and the ways in which the environment differed from his experiences in the United States. Ferguson talks about starting drumming, and his decision to eventually take drumming lessons. Ferguson describes the bands he currently follows.

Keywords: Brian Blade; Delhi, India; Five Eight; Joni Mitchell; Narendra Modi; Orange Festival; drumming