Along with luminaries like R.E.M., the B-52's, and Pylon, Love Tractor helped establish the college town of Athens, GA, as a mecca of alternative music in the early '80s. Comprised of guitarist Michael Richmond, multi-instrumentalist Armistead Wellford, drummer Kit Schwartz, and guitarist Mark Cline, the band's earliest material was instrumental, if for no other reason than that they could not afford a PA system. However, the approach set them clearly apart from other acts on the crowded Athens scene, and helped win them a deal with DB Records. 1982's Love Tractor documented their formative approach, which touched heavily on fusion and even cocktail music.