Some of music's finest acts, including R.E.M., Neutral Milk Hotel, Drive-By Truckers and Widespread Panic, are rallying to save the legendary church steeple in Athens, Georgia, that stands as tribute to the community's bustling music scene.
As The A.V. Club points out, the steeple used to be part of an entire church where Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry performed their first gig in 1980 as R.E.M. The church was brought down in 1990, Rolling Stone notes, and the steeple has been threatened to be demolished in recent years. Nuçi's Space, a health and music resource center that works for the prevention of suicide, has partnered with musicians from the area to help save the landmark.
Reconstruction of the Steeple aims to restore the landmark while promoting the goals of Nuçi's Space. The IndieGoGo campaign just went live today, Nov. 3, and has raised more than $28,000.
"Because of its iconic status as a significant music landmark, the steeple is a means by which to amplify our story and introduce Nuçi's Space to a large audience of potential donors and supporters," the campaign's website reads. "It is our chance to not only become good stewards of the music history we cherish by saving the steeple, but also to raise the funds needed to insure the health and stability of our programs."
Supporters can buy a ton of cool memorabilia on the site, including custom-made Widespread Panic posters by Chuck Sperry, a dress worn by The B-52's Kate Pierson during the band's "With the Wild Crowd" performance in 2012, and guitars autographed by all four members of R.E.M.
According to the website, musician Nuci Philips committed suicide in 1996, prompting his mother, Linda, to start the organization three years later. Its headquarters are across the street from the steeple.
Check out the video below to learn more:
© 2024 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
