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(posted 10/15/03)
Questions for Tuscaloosa musicians … answers from Matt Patton, Model Citizen
These musicians have answered our local music questionairre about the closing of the Chukker.
If you'd like to submit your comments, click here.

Model Citizen is a local favorite. Here they are tearing it up at the Chukker in 2002.

Druid City Online ... What was your first experience with the Chukker as a patron? … as a musician?

Matt Patton, guitars and vocals, Model Citizen I first walked into the Chukker in early 1995. If I were not a musician I would not have been granted entry. I was 19 at the time and the Chukker was hosting an open mic night. The staff said I could stay long enough to play my short set of acoustic numbers. I think that's the one and only time I've ever stepped on stage with an acoustic guitar.

Who is the first band you saw at the Chukker and what do you remember about that night?

Well, the Chukker was always more successful at blocking my entry underage than that of Elliott McPherson. There were lots of groups that I wanted to see coming
through in the mid-90's. I didn't actually get to see a band there until I booked the first Model Citizen show there in 1995. We played with Godzookie. Godzookie featured longtime Chukker sound man Che Arthur, local heart throb Merrill Sherman and a nice chap named Tom. I remember them as an ungodly and loud trio. It must've set some gears turning.

Who is the best and worst band you’ve seen at the Chukker and what do you remember?

The best band hands down had to be the Hellacopters of Sweden on May 10 of 1998. They were basically mixing punk energy with 70's hard rock. As a member
of the Dexateens I can speak with confidence that they had our number. They were doing exactly what we were trying to do and destroying everything in their path.
The Chukker is typically better suited for quieter bands. Loud bands normally sound pretty terrible when there are no people around to soak up sound. I remember the room being pretty full that evening while the Dexateens and the Quadrajets played. Not many people stuck around to witness the unknown Hellacopters. They had two gigantic guitar stacks, a refrigerator bass cabinet, a heavy hitting drummer and a Fender Rhodes piano. Besides not being able to hear the Rhodes clearly the sound was truly amazing. I remember Chuck Thompson swinging his arm around me about the time I swung my arm him just before we both pressed our sweaty foreheads to the floor of the stage. It was the best rock show I've ever seen in any club anywhere.

In tougher times the Chukker seemed to try out many types of acts that just didn't fit the place. There is such a rich history of indie, garage, jazz, blues
and great rock n roll flowing through that place. When I walked in and saw metal bands or any band whose bass player had more than four strings on the bass it
was usually the worst band I've seen in there all over again.

Name as some of the best local bands you saw at the Chukker. Include any information you can remember about those bands.

The Phoebes show was always going to be a spectacle. The Phoebes included Elliott McPherson, Mike Hitt, Ben Barfoot and Jeb Smith in its most solid lineup.
Their brand of pop punk was sure to strike a sweet spot in anyone's ear. In the years after their demise I have gone on to play in bands with most of those guys.
I loved to go to DT's shows and listen to Dan Voight play the hell out of his Fender rigs. Tommy Sorrels had a great band called the Benders. Tommy has been a
pleasure to watch over the years both in bands and as a solo act. He also shares my love of The Who. The solo act that stands out to me would be Ray Buttram.
He stood on the floor facing the front of the bar. His songs could make you cry.

Where will you go to see music once the Chukker is closed?

I've been catching shows down the street at 600 Studios every now and then. There is an all ages joint in Birmingham called Cave 9 that I enjoy. Other than that, let the house parties continue!

What’s the strangest sight or experience you can recall from the Chukker?

Dan Hall from the Woggles took mine already, but I'll see what I can do. Well, it was always a treat to see Magic Man appear on the scene. As long as we kept the James Brown pumping he would perform these amazing feats. He was always so drunk when he wandered up to the bar to command everyone's attention. He would balance everything from tables and chairs to the gumball machine on his chest, teeth, ears and forehead. My favortie thing was when he'd balance a pool cue topped with a beer bottle for what seemed like an eternity and never spill a drop. All of the other strange sights and experiences would be too personally embarrassing or otherwise incriminating for me to mention.

How would you describe the Chukker under its current ownership?

Brooks and Will certainly had the right idea when they reopened the club on May 10 of 2002. The Chukker was given an appropriate face lift and a lot of the peeving sound woes were sorted out in short time. They were able to rebuild a lot of the excitement around the place that had been missing for quite some time. They did this wish a steady stream of national and international acts that drew in large numbers of folks. They knew that the size and scope of the events would make the place grand again. It worked for a while. I would go there sometimes even during the week to find large crowds of smiling faces drinking beer, playing games and socializing even if no band was to appear that night. Everyone was glad that the Chukker finally felt like the Chukker again.

I can't say for sure, but my guess is that Brooks and Will took some hard hits on a few of the national acts and were unsure about the large sums of money that had to be guaranteed to secure such performances. The knowledge that state and local governments had other plans for the space that the Chukker occupies couldn't have been encouraging either. It is unfortunate that, for whatever reason, that they lost the ability or the drive to keep having these events. The buzz of the Chukker revitalized retreated about as quickly as it came. You can't blame these guys for trying and you can't thank them enough for the truly good times you've at the Chukker under their watch.

When you hear the name Ludovic Goubet, what comes to mind?

When I booked the first Model Citizen show there I called his house. His answering machine proclaimed "I'm not in right now. I was arrested last night for being too French." That's not a joke. Loudovic wasn't guilty of anything worse than the scores of other club owners I've dealt with over the years. Under his reign as king the sound was horrible, the place was falling apart and the bands were seldom paid enough if they were paid at all. Boo hoo. The Chukker was the definition of a dive bar and I happen to love dive bars. I hear all kinds of stories about him. He and I were never close. I always felt like he didn't like Model Citizen all that much until I joined the Dexateens. Model Citizen shows were never well attended at the Chukker until the Dexateens created a buzz. I remember the first time we ever really drew a crowd worth mentioning. About halfway through the set, a very drunk and happy Ludovic Goubet burst through to the front of the stage yelling "Ya! Rock n
roll!" I was dumbfounded. After the show he put his arm around me and bought me drinks. In recent years he has publicly declared that he hates rock n roll.

What do you think are some of special challenges and pitfalls associated with owning the Chukker?

We're living in a time of changing priorities. We're also living in a time in which our economy is the worst it has been since the Depression era. Our entertainment dollars are not easily given up on live original entertainment these days. People wish to save those dollars for the stadium events of the season. The rest of the time
they want to sit at home and download music for free. You also have to keep in mind that a good night out at the Chukker can cost $50.00 or more once you've paid cover and had drinks for several hours. For me, that gets harder and harder to pull off. The kids I know at the University choose to do their partying at home
or at a friend's home more often than they go out. Other factors include the Chukker's location and stigmata. Most of the college kids I know and most of the ones I went to school with had rather just go down to the strip where all the so called "action" is. They don't want to know about the bar on 6th Street next to the (gasp) gay bar. They think that the Chukker is a gay bar or they see motorcycles out front and think if they go in that they'll be beaten up. Nevermind that the Chukker is one of the only bars in the downtown area with a suitable place to park a motorcycle. I can count the number of times I've told someone about my Chukker weekend only to have someone burst in with, "You were where?"

What will Tuscaloosa lose when the Chukker closes on Halloween?

It will lose the last bar where it's safe to be a true individual. Egan's is great, but it's too close to the danger zone for some. The Chukker crowd can be a little particular when it comes to music, but I've seen all types of folks walk in and no one bats an eye. I have never felt a moment's anxiety after walking through that door and I'll miss that.

What do you plan on doing on the Chukker’s final night?

I plan on playing some music and enjoying other performances. I hear Club Wig and Sweat Bee are scheduled to play. I'm looking most forward to seeing them. I've never seen Club Wig, but I've had their LP in my collection for years. Sweat Bee were one of the first bands we ever played with at the Chukker and they rarely get together these days. It'll also be an honor to share the Chukker stage with the DC Moon and the Woggles one last time.

Matt Patton is/was a member of these and other Tuscaloosa bands ...
Model Citizen, The Dexateens

The Chukker closed forever Halloween weekend 2003. Music for the Last Stand of the Chukker was provided by the Woggles, Club Wig, Model Citizen, Sweat Bee, DC Moon and his Atomic Supermen, and The Last Gunslinger. Click here to read more about the history of the Chukker.

see a picture tour of Model Citizen from summer 2002

click here for the Model Citizen's official website ...

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