By JC
Every town has a sound. In Mountain Brook in the 1980s, part of that sound came out of somebody’s garage on a Friday night, rattled the windows three houses down, and set off at least one neighbor’s porch light. That was Another Roadside Attraction.
This video is a time capsule. Press play and you are back in the days of big hair, bigger amps, and the firm belief that any party could be improved by a live band. We tested that belief many times. The results were mixed but loud.
The Band
Another Roadside Attraction was a neighborhood band in the truest sense. We were not signed. We were not touring. We were booked by word of mouth, which in high school traveled faster than any agent. If you had a garage, a backyard, or parents who were out of town, you had a venue.
We played high school gigs, garage parties, and backyard get-togethers all over Mountain Brook. The setlists changed depending on who showed up, what we had rehearsed, and what we could remember. Sometimes all three were the same. Usually they were not.
The equipment was a group effort. One amp belonged to us. Another belonged to a friend. A third appeared one night and was never claimed. Extension cords ran across lawns like garden hoses. The sound system was held together with duct tape, optimism, and a little bit of prayer, though we did not call it that at the time.
The Scene
What made those nights special was not just the band. It was the crowd. Everybody came. Kids from the neighborhood, kids from the next neighborhood, kids nobody had ever seen before who knew every word to every song. The line between the band and the audience was thin, and it got thinner as the night went on.
In this video you will see a lot of old friends. You can tell by the style and the haircuts. Some of that hair required more engineering than the PA system. The fashion choices were bold. The jeans were committed. Every outfit looked like a decision, and not always a reviewed one.
What to Watch For
Pay attention, because this video rewards repeat viewing.
The microphone. It did not stay with the singer for long. Everybody wanted a turn, and everybody got one. Some of those guest vocalists had real talent. Others had real enthusiasm. Both were welcome.
The maracas. At least one friend is on maracas. Possibly two. Nobody hired a percussion section. The percussion section hired itself.
The funnel. Yes, there is a beer funnel. No, I am not proud of it. Yes, it appears to be having a better night than some of the people using it.
The woods. People wander off into the trees and come back later. What happened out there is between them and the Lord. Some of these folks are deacons now. I am going to leave it alone.
The faces. This is the real show. Look at how everybody is having the time of their lives. Nobody is filming for social media, because there was no social media. Nobody is checking a phone, because the phone was attached to a kitchen wall. Everybody is just there, all the way, together.
Why It Still Matters
It is easy to watch old footage and laugh at the hair. Go ahead, I do. But underneath the hair is something worth noticing. These were kids who made their own fun. They did not wait for permission or a ticket. They picked up instruments, found a garage, and invited the whole neighborhood.
That is how a lot of great music starts. Not in a studio, but in a driveway. Not with a record deal, but with a group of friends who decide to make some noise together. Many of the bands that went on to fill arenas started out exactly like this, annoying their neighbors one cover song at a time.
Another Roadside Attraction never filled an arena. We barely filled some garages. But for the people in this video, those nights were the main event.
Through a Christian Lens
Looking back, there is plenty here that was not wise. Teenagers, a funnel, dark woods, and no adult supervision is not a recipe anybody would recommend. Some of what happened at those parties could have gone badly, and God was gracious to get everybody home. Grace was working overtime in Mountain Brook in those days, and it never sent us a bill.
But there is something good here too, and it is worth naming. Joy is a gift from God. Music is a gift from God. Friendship is a gift from God. Those nights were full of all three. Young people laughing, singing, and celebrating together reflects something true about how we were made. We were created for community, not isolation, and we were created to make joyful noise.
Scripture does not tell young people to stop rejoicing. It tells them to rejoice and to remember that God sees it all. That is a pretty good summary of a garage party, actually. Have fun. Somebody is watching. In our case, it was usually the neighbors, and sometimes the police, but ultimately it was the Lord, and He was a lot more patient than the neighbors.
Calling All Old Friends
If you were there, or think you might have been, watch closely. You might spot yourself, your brother, your old girlfriend, or the guy who borrowed your car and never quite brought it back. Leave a comment and tell us who you see. Share it with somebody from the old neighborhood. Bring your stories, the ones you can tell in public, anyway.
Thank you to everybody who showed up, sang along, played the maracas, and made those nights what they were. We were not perfect, but we were together, and the music was loud enough to drown out most of our mistakes.
“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.”
Ecclesiastes 11:9 (KJV)
— JC
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