Athens, Ga.: Inside Out

By the 1980s it was well established that a handful of cities, including New York City and Nashville, Tenn., were the centers of American music. So it was a surprise when the low-key city of Athens, Ga., exploded onto the national music scene with bands like R.E.M. and the B-52s, giving rise to a new independent sound. Interviews with people like celebrated Georgia folk artist Howard Finster and bands like Pylon give insight into the regional and cultural factors that made Athens so special.