Broke my heart when Sarah died. Broke even more when he did. Just not right man. Damned legend. I’m glad I had so many opportunities to see his play. Discovered them when they opened for the Cramps at a pretty big place, like 1989 or so. The two dudes come out on stage looking like they just stopped by a pawn shop on the way to the show to buy their instruments. “Who are these clowns” I thought, knowing that many headliners don’t want to go on after good bands. Not the Cramps: they can hold their own with anybody. The Flat Duo Jets started playing and I was immediately in love, like “holy shit, this is amazing.” Saw them and Dex Romweber Duo many times after that, sometimes headlining and sometimes opening. With the exception of the Cramps, everyone they opened for regretted it. You just could not possibly out work, out shine or just flat out rock than Dex. The real deal, not a fake bone in his body. For the real fans, here’s a deep cut. He made an album of classical piano compositions. It’s actually pretty damn good. Chopin was apparently a big influence. He was an excellent piano player.
Greatest of all time! Saw them many times...we played shows with them out on the road...what a rush to be out in the middle of nowhere playing a show to jo one...but playing with this band made all the empty seats worthwhile! RIP brother!
"We believe in cheap equipment." :) I can't fathom how many times I've watched this Flat Duo Jets footage. This was filmed early in 1986 and the first time I ever saw the Flat Duo Jets was at the end of that year in Durham, NC. I had just arrived in NC for college and they played in a very small venue. What I witnessed just made my mind melt. Their energy was off the charts & Dexter was such a force of nature. I was standing just feet away from the band soaking in their whirlwind of sound. The Flat Duo Jets recorded here on the porch of a UGA frat house is the vintage I saw maybe 7 months later. And I hadn't seen this footage until years after I'd first seen the band live - I didn't even know this film existed. I ended up living in Durham after college and I continued to see Dexter play live - in the Flat Duo Jets then in his various incarnations over the years: as the Dex Romweber Duo, The New Romans, and just Dexter by himself. But I keep coming back to this footage as it never ceases to remind me and amaze me of what it was like when I first set eyes and ears on Dexter & Crow. RIP Dexter.
Rest in Peace Dexter…you were an inspiration to some of us and maybe had no idea…your LEGEND will live on in the hearts of those who love life and those who love music 🎶
I enjoyed this movie so much, and one thing I noticed (because it's blatantly obvious) is that the Flat Duo Jets sounded almost nothing like the other Athens bands. Bar-B-Q Killers, Kilkenny Cats, Time Toy, even the B-52s, Love Tractor, and R.E.M. (who were coming up on the Lifes Rich Pageant period) did do some rock, but with a lot of folk, progressive, and dance influences. The Jets were unmistakably rock and roll all through, even rockabilly at times. Whatever happened to them?
I will remember the first time I saw The Flat Duo Jets as long as I live. I was living in Memphis. I tore the poster off the telephone pole at Pop Tunes on the east side of Memphis after the show, and I have it to this day. That show was sometime in the early 1990s... It is devastating to hear the Dex is no longer with us. He was so musical. That VOICE. And he drew inspiration from Chopin. Everything in the world just gets worse. RIP Dex.😪
Rest in peace, Dexter. You definitely "disturbed the peace" in a beautiful way in your time here. Thank you for al the grooves and love. May you be reunited with all your siblings and mother.
A dive club on Peachtree Street, early 90’s . Dex was sans shirt and played w his back to us the whole night. Unforgettable and gets my feet kickn & hips thrusting to this day . Sigma Nu house UGA maybe?
I get it, but I wonder why people always think musicians need coke to sustain this kind of performance. All you need to do is get a good night's sleep, eat your Wheaties, and take your vitamins
I hate that this film was edited like this. I so badly want to see the uninterrupted footage of this performance. It's absolute gold. Rock n roll history. It belongs to the people, to be enjoyed.
