EXIT

Looking at the band lineup today, I see that it really could have been a powerful band.  Loads of talent in that band.  It was basically Free Bird.  Daryn’s parents had a RV place that was huge over in Dugger, and we were allowed to practice there, leaving the gear up on a makeshift stage.  With Matt’s parents finally tiring of the constant appearance of people at their house day and night, the decision was reached albeit hesitantly.  It felt like the end of an era for me.

          This was a big time band to me because we were doing really cool stuff.  “Pinball Wizard”, “Show Me The Way”, “Magnet & Steel”….well above the stuff we had done before.  I don’t know how and when Bob Medley became the manager….and suddenly things were out of Matt and my hands. 

I give Bob his kudos because somehow we rounded up these great players.  Denny and Sonie from Bloomfield, Indiana; Glen from Sullivan, Indiana.  Denny was heads and tails above me in guitar talent.  He had a real Gibson Les Paul, and a talk box and Marshall.  Sonie was a real rocker too, she could sing her ass off, and could do Stevie Nicks per note.  Being brother and sister, they were awesome on harmonies…a real team.  Glen was more standoff-ish, but an equal talent on keyboards and vocals.  Compared to the rest of us, they were pro’s.  I don’t know how they were lured to Dugger and us.  It wasn’t long until a name change was brought up.  It really wasn’t FREE BIRD anymore, and none of the new guys wanted to be called by a Lynyrd Skynyrd  tune.  To be honest, I really felt out of place in that band.  I wasn’t self confident at all, and Denny was always trying to build me up. We’d work on twin leads, and he really pushed me on.  Denny and Sonie were too of the nicest people I have ever encountered in my world of music…and still are to this day. Nevertheless, my role was fairly bleak in EXIT, I was just there.

Matt was always a ladies man, a player…and he’d sneak outside while the rest of us would bust our ass to learn the songs note for note.  When it would be time to run through a number, he’d have to be retrieved.  This became a huge bitch to the rest of the guys.  There was a pizza joint a block down that everyone hung out at….and inevitably Matt would be there.  The band had already imposed a ‘closed practice’ law because so many  kids were hanging out at our practices…and you tend to wanna play stuff you know.

I knew it was going downhill for us.

          One night Jeff caught me cruising in Linton, and suggested we head to Monical’s (pizza joint) to wait for Matt to get off work.  We sat outside for an hour or so…I didn’t really detect any problems.  Jeff and I had always been cool.  When Matt came out, we all sat on the hood of my Firebird, and it became obvious that there was something going on.  We were told that the band had decided that it would be better for all concerned if Matt and I were asked to leave.  I felt as if the bottom had fell out of the floor.  Here was Jeff, our old FREE BIRD-ian telling us we weren’t wanted.  I knew there had been concern for Matt’s attitude, but I thought they might say something to him first.  Matt was pissed, I was more hurt.  We went straight over to the practice pad to get our gear out.  Everyone was there.  It was not a pleasant scene at all.  Matt’s mom came with us.  There were tears and a big feeling of loss.   At one point…and I never ever told Matt this, but Jeff and Daryn approached me.  They said that in reality they didn’t want me to leave, but that they didn’t think I would stiff my best friend by being a part of this coup.  They were right.

The state police car in the practice building, we’d hit the siren and the lights all the time; Glen’s red keyboard; Hanging out at the uptown pizza joint…being the only Linton boys allowed to hang out in hated Dugger!; Matt and I sneaking over to hear EXIT play at the coal festival; Our hurt feeling at seeing the giant crowd; The stupid hat I wore onstage at the Sullivan show; Denny’s talk box on the frampton tune; and actual harmonies!

Nothing changed from FREE BIRD.  Although I added a Morley Power wah at some point around then.  I remember feeling really inept because  I just had some cheap Les Paul copy.

I never saw any of them for many years.  I had run into Sonie first at a fair…she was still nice as could be.  I had heard that EXIT fell apart soon after the Dugger show, but I couldn’t be positive.  Glen and my path crossed later when he was in Stepchild, and I in Leviathan.  He was “Ozzy”! Later he was in Highwire, that played some of the outdoor things that Atomic Farmboyz did.  I also sat in with he and another guy in a makeshift band for a 4^th of july gig.  We’ve never much talked about the EXIT days.  He is, or was, doing a DJ karaoke thing.

          Denny White played in a lot of bands, but the one I recall hearing about was Rebel Storm.  They were more of a country southern rock thing.  Years later I finally hooked up again with him and Sonie both when a mutual friend of mine from College (Chris Burcham) started jamming with them.  SAMURAI PICNIC was the end result of their partnership, and one night I got to join them onstage for a mega jam.  Denny is still a rocking guitarist, and Sonie can still belt out a tune. PICNIC eventually closed down, and last I heard Denny plays out of Bloomfield again, and Kevdog from AF is on the drums. 

          Only recently (Fall of 2000) have I talked with both Jeff and Daryn.

          I didn't know the new guy on drums personally, but years later AF Were asked to play the Elks Club in Sullivan, and indeed it was  Jeff Lukabill that was the guy in charge! 

          As for Matt, it was pretty much a somber time.  We jammed for a brief few weeks with some musicians from Jasonville.  Again, we were back up in Matt's upstairs bedroom with gear and noise.  But it honestly wasn't the same anymore.  It wasn't 'our' band...and it just felt weird.  When you start a band in the 7th grade, it is with people you grew up with, friends you knew real well, and we didn't know these guys at all.  After maybe 3-4 get togethers, it was over.  Matt  and I remained friends in school, but for the most part I can't say we hung out too much at that point.  I think he may have jammed a few times with some younger guys in a band down the street from my house...with Tony Webb, Bart Brown...and one night I sat in with them...that was cool.  Eventually Matt and my musical paths would cross again!