Since launching the "new and improved" Athens Ear Buds on Feb. 4, we've received one, count 'em, one, online/video Athens Ear Bud in response to my e-mailed invitation to former contributors to participate. Why is that? I'm pretty sure it's the phenomenon that occurs when you ask a group to do something, but don't make the request to individual group members, or fail to put someone in charge. Everybody assumes someone else will do the task, and then, of course, it doesn't get done. I do have one serious request, however. If I ever propose to resurrect Athens Ear Buds in any form, please feel free to dip me in chloroform and pin me to a cork board.

Hallelujah, Athens Ear Buds is back in a new online format, focusing on music videos that promote CDs and songs that Ear Bud contributors want to turn our readers on to.

A couple weeks after I decided to discontinue the weekly print edition of this local community music feature, a light bulb went off in my noggin: Restart AEB as a purely online feature, utilizing recommended videos.

This is the final weekly Athens Ear Buds. It ran out of gas after a 14-month run (not counting summer). I just got tired of nagging people to contribute. And those "œpeople" include myself and my news staff here at The Athens NEWS.

While AEB was going strong, I think it was a unique and amazing community musical undertaking. But the dang thing pert near wore me out.

Athens Ear Buds has returned in force from a slow winter break and holiday season. I came real close to shutting her down. But we've gotten a new blood transfusion, and for now anyway, AEB is the picture of health.

One thing, some of the contributors are starting to get a little longwinded. I understand your enthusiasm, but please try to keep the blurbs to under 150 words. Seriously. I'd really rather you cut them than me.
If you submitted your Bud after Monday afternoon and don't see it here, that's because I'm holding it for next time. I'm finally learning that in order for this thing to work, some of the blurbs need to be held over every week.

As usual, Haffa's on West Union is still the best (and pretty much only) place to buy this stuff in Athens. - Terry Smith, Athens Ear Buds' ringmaster

Athens Ear Buds participation really fell off over winter break at OU, but we have enough to run with today, so I guess we'll see how it goes week to week. I will pull the plug, however, if the participation continues to be spotty and/or we don't get any new contributors.

I'm not upset at anybody about this. Actually, since I'm an Ear Bud contributor myself, I know as well as anyone what a hassle it is to come up with an especially interesting musical recommendation on a regular basis. Hell, I'm the head Ear Bud, and I couldn't even think of one for today. - Terry Smith, Athens Ear Buds epitaphographer

Here's Part Deux of the Athens Ear Buds' Best of the Decade project. Five Ear Buds contributors are represented, including myself, which is somewhat disappointing since I gave everyone plenty of time. Oh well; that's the way the Ear Bud crumbles.

I'm thinking we need to find some new Athens Ear Buds recruits, to spell some of our faithful longtime contributors. If you know someone, including yourself, who knows a bit about music and would enjoy recommending their/your favorite releases in Athens Ear Buds on occasion, please let me know at news@athensnews.com. Participating Ear Buds contributors don't need to supply blurbs every week but rather whenever the spirit moves them. For new people, I'll send along format instructions and add them to my mailing list.

Here you'll find Part One of participating Athens Ear Buds contributors' picks for Best of the Decade. Part Two will appear on Monday. These local musicians and music fans submitted varying numbers of CDs, and in the free and easy spirit of this year-old Athens NEWS music feature, I didn't feel inclined to enforce any rigid guidelines.

We've got a semi-healthy Athens Ear Buds today, though there's nothing to hold over for next week. Consequently, unless our valiant Ear Buds flood me with new blurbs over the next five days, we may have to go on a one-week (or longer) hiatus.

Yes, I realize the Athens Ear Buds drama is almost too much to take. One week it's feast, and the next it's famine. One week, I'm complaining about not enough, and the next week, I'm whining about having too much. It's almost like we're married!

Athens Ear Buds is fat and happy so far this month. We had so many held over from last time, and got so many new ones, that we've already got a good start on the Dec. 10 edition. If you don't see yours here, that's what happened. I really try not to hold them over for any more than a week, though as some of our loyal readers may have noticed, I'm not quite perfect.

As always, Haffa's record store on West Union Street is a quick way to get your hands on a lot of this stuff, either through direct purchase or order. - Athens Ear Buds mullah in chief Terry Smith

We sure pulled this edition of Athens Ear Buds out of the proverbial hole in the lower back of the human body. My weekly solicitation on Friday landed with a big, fat thud, and by Sunday evening, I had one Ear Bud blurb, and that one had been held over from last week (sorry, Andy!).

But a couple came in Monday morning, I found a left-over AEB from Chris Pyle, whipped one up myself, took in a few more between Monday and Tuesday, and voila! Athens Ear Buds survives to fight another day. Actually, after I wrote the preceding, about six of them arrived in my in-box, and we now have enough for both this week and next week. It's a bloody embarrassment of riches!