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** “Athens, Ga.: Inside/Outside.” Elektra. $29.95.

Athens, Ga., produces rock ‘n’ roll bands at an alarming rate, and this erratic 1986 documentary tries to explore the phenomenon. Director Anthony Gayton doesn’t get into what makes Athens what it is--no history or sociology, and not much musical context either. “Inside/Outside” repeatedly bogs down in dull club-performance segments, and the grainy, out-of-sync archive footage of the B-52’s and Pylon is especially hard to take (other featured bands include R.E.M., Love Tractor and the Flat Duo Jets). Interviews range from intriguing to pointless. Still, fans of this music will find the film worth sitting through.