Biography
Guadalcanal Diary differed sharply from fellow Southern alternative pop acts such as R.E.M. and Let's Active, blending melodic songcraft with rhythmically forceful drive while infusing its lyrics with literary and spiritual concerns. At the moment Athens, Georgia, received widespread acclaim as the emerging heart of clever pop, the group instead formed in Marietta, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb, shaping its approach with minimal contact or inspiration from the nearby rock environment.
Murray Attaway on guitar and vocals and lead guitarist Jeff Walls founded the band in 1981 after their earlier high-school collaboration in the punk outfit Strictly American. Rhett Crowe, then sharing a house with Attaway while learning bass, entered the lineup, and just before the debut performance John Poe, a former bassist who had previously worked with Walls, stepped in on drums after the original player departed abruptly. Attaway’s roommate selected the name Guadalcanal Diary from Richard Tregaski’s book chronicling the U.S. World War II campaign against Japan, drawn to its surface ambiguities and echoes of patriotism and conflict.
Following repeated Atlanta and Athens performances that built a regional reputation, Guadalcanal Diary issued its debut recording, the four-song EP Watusi Rodeo, on the Athens-based DB Records label in 1983. The following year DB and the band released the full-length Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man, produced by Don Dixon. The album’s rich yet moody tracks, which examined faith, doubt, and Deep South heritage while propelled by powerful drumming and ringing electric guitars, earned quick praise from critics and college radio, prompting Elektra Records to sign the group in 1985 and reissue the album. Additional touring ensued, along with a brief appearance in the largely forgotten youth comedy Rockin’ Road Trip.
The first Elektra-funded album, 1986’s Jamboree, was produced by Rodney Mills, previously known for work with .38 Special and the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Although Mills added greater polish and the band explored wider stylistic range, the record lacked the impact of Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man and drew cooler responses. Returning to Dixon for 1987’s 2x4, Guadalcanal Diary merged the debut’s energy with Jamboree’s adventurous spirit and scored a minor alternative-rock success with “Litany (Life Goes On).” Yet relentless touring began to strain the members when they recorded the uneven 1989 album Flip-Flop, and after an extended road stretch they parted ways amicably at year’s end.
Murray Attaway later signed with Geffen as a solo artist and issued the well-received In Thrall in 1993. Walls contributed guitar to Hillbilly Frankenstein and Dash Rip Rock while producing recordings for Southern Culture on the Skids, the Woggles, and Man or Astro-Man? Poe maintained a low-profile solo path, and Crowe left music after a brief tenure with Ottoman Empire to focus on raising her children. In 1995 Attaway, while tracking a second solo project, invited Walls, Poe, and Crowe to participate on several tracks; although Geffen shelved the album following a management shift, the four musicians enjoyed the results enough to stage a handful of reunion shows in Atlanta. The band self-released the live album At Your Birthday Party in late 1998, captured at one such performance. In 2000 the members announced another hiatus without closing the door on future collaboration. Continued interest appeared in Collectables’ 2003 two-fer compact-disc reissue pairing Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man with Jamboree, plus Rhino Handmade’s limited-edition, remastered, and expanded versions of the first three albums issued in 2003 and 2004.
Murray Attaway on guitar and vocals and lead guitarist Jeff Walls founded the band in 1981 after their earlier high-school collaboration in the punk outfit Strictly American. Rhett Crowe, then sharing a house with Attaway while learning bass, entered the lineup, and just before the debut performance John Poe, a former bassist who had previously worked with Walls, stepped in on drums after the original player departed abruptly. Attaway’s roommate selected the name Guadalcanal Diary from Richard Tregaski’s book chronicling the U.S. World War II campaign against Japan, drawn to its surface ambiguities and echoes of patriotism and conflict.
Following repeated Atlanta and Athens performances that built a regional reputation, Guadalcanal Diary issued its debut recording, the four-song EP Watusi Rodeo, on the Athens-based DB Records label in 1983. The following year DB and the band released the full-length Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man, produced by Don Dixon. The album’s rich yet moody tracks, which examined faith, doubt, and Deep South heritage while propelled by powerful drumming and ringing electric guitars, earned quick praise from critics and college radio, prompting Elektra Records to sign the group in 1985 and reissue the album. Additional touring ensued, along with a brief appearance in the largely forgotten youth comedy Rockin’ Road Trip.
The first Elektra-funded album, 1986’s Jamboree, was produced by Rodney Mills, previously known for work with .38 Special and the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Although Mills added greater polish and the band explored wider stylistic range, the record lacked the impact of Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man and drew cooler responses. Returning to Dixon for 1987’s 2x4, Guadalcanal Diary merged the debut’s energy with Jamboree’s adventurous spirit and scored a minor alternative-rock success with “Litany (Life Goes On).” Yet relentless touring began to strain the members when they recorded the uneven 1989 album Flip-Flop, and after an extended road stretch they parted ways amicably at year’s end.
Murray Attaway later signed with Geffen as a solo artist and issued the well-received In Thrall in 1993. Walls contributed guitar to Hillbilly Frankenstein and Dash Rip Rock while producing recordings for Southern Culture on the Skids, the Woggles, and Man or Astro-Man? Poe maintained a low-profile solo path, and Crowe left music after a brief tenure with Ottoman Empire to focus on raising her children. In 1995 Attaway, while tracking a second solo project, invited Walls, Poe, and Crowe to participate on several tracks; although Geffen shelved the album following a management shift, the four musicians enjoyed the results enough to stage a handful of reunion shows in Atlanta. The band self-released the live album At Your Birthday Party in late 1998, captured at one such performance. In 2000 the members announced another hiatus without closing the door on future collaboration. Continued interest appeared in Collectables’ 2003 two-fer compact-disc reissue pairing Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man with Jamboree, plus Rhino Handmade’s limited-edition, remastered, and expanded versions of the first three albums issued in 2003 and 2004.
Albums
Live