The Exploder

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Exploder


Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|USA Richmond, Virginia
Instrument = vocals, guitars, drums
Genre = Emo, Indie rock, Hardcore
Years_active = 1997 – 2000
Label = Reptilian Records, Dim Mak Records
Associated_acts = Cross My Heart, The Broken Strings
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members = Jesse Lyell, Dan Evans, Scott Batiste, Matt Smith, Jedd Wilcox, Eric Kane, Eric Zirkle.

The Exploder was a hardcore punk band from Richmond, VA. They are most noted for their fast-paced melodic songs and chaotic drumming and time signatures. The released one record and a panoply of singles and EPs. The band unfortunately broke up in 2000 due to internal conflicts and monetary constraints.

History

The band played its first show in January 1997 in a basement of an apartment where Taylor Steele of Four Walls Falling lived on West Cary Street. At that show, the band was approached by Mick Winters of Jackpot Records to put out a 7 inch. After recording this 7-inch, the band did a summer tour with Griver with only t-shirts to sell (the 7 inch was held up at the pressing plant).

The band attempted another tour in early 1998 of the north east, but became stranded in New Brunswick, New Jersey due to a flat tire and heavy snowfall. After staying about a week, the band was to pick up one last show before going home with the band His Hero Is Gone, but had to cancel because one of the members became ill and had to be taken to the hospital.

Soon after the band returned from their excursion, Jedd Wilcox left the band. The remaining members, Jesse Lyell and Dan Evans began looking for a new drummer. They found Eric Kane through a band that The Exploder had played with on occasion. Eric lived in Northern Virginia, but planned to move to Richmond to attend school. Once Eric had joined the band officially, Jedd visited a practice and suggested joining the band on second guitar, and the other members agreed.

The Exploder continued to play shows throughout 1998 and 1999, most frequently at 1208 W. Frankin Street, where some of the band members lived, along with members of Four Hundred Years and some other Richmond artists. The band toured in late 1999 with Majority Rule. After this, however, Eric Kane left the band, forcing Jesse, Dan, and Jedd to search for another drummer to join. They instead found Matt Smith who was a guitarist, whereby Jedd moved back to playing the drums.

The next tour that would be the final U.S. tour for the band was in January 2000. The band was able to purchase a van with the financial help of some friends, and set off for the two week tour. One week into the tour, the van (dubbed El Toro by the band members) threw a rod and died on the side of the road.

The band then rented a Uhaul truck and made it to the next show, but decided the rest of the tour had to be cancelled due to mounting expenses. It was at this show that Jedd decided to leave the band for good.

At this point, the remaining members had mostly given up on continuing as The Exploder. However, Steve Aoki of Dim Mak Records invited the band to accompany his band, This Machine Kills, on a tour of Japan. Jesse and Dan asked both former drummers, Eric Kane and Jedd Wilcox if they wanted to do the tour, but both declined. Steve Aoki then found a drummer named Scott Batiste (formerly of Yaphet Kotto) who ended up playing two sets per night during the tour, one with each band. Jesse, Matt, and Dan got along well with Scott and invited him to become a permanent member. However, due to Scott's residence in Oakland, California, the band had trouble getting together often enough to continue.

The band was able to get together for a few shows in Richmond and Baltimore and a final recording that produced three songs. The Letter was released on a split 7 inch with Cross My Heart, Death to Traitors was later released on a Dim Mak compilation released in Japan, and Escrow 2000, an alternate version of one of the band's earliest songs was never officially released.

Band Members

*Jesse Lyell - Vocals, Guitar
*Dan Evans - Vocals, Bass
*Jedd Wilcox - Drums, Guitar, Vocals
*Matt Smith - Guitar, Vocals
*Scott Batiste - Drums

Members (at the time of break-up)

*Jesse Lyell
*Dan Evans
*Matt Smith
*Scott Batiste

Past members

*Eric Zirkle - Guitar
*Eric Kane - Drums

Reunion

Although no official reunion has been planned, some of the members have discussed the possibility of one, which would probably occur in Baltimore, MD. Though not the band's home town, Baltimore is the home of Reptilian Records, a label that released a number of the band's records, and a city where the band enjoyed a more enthusiastic response from fans.

Band Name Origin

Although some believe the band's name came from the song S.S. Exploder from the second Nation of Ulysses album which the band covered for the Cut the Cord EP, it is actually just a coincidence. The band name was originally coined by guitarist Jesse Lyell when he saw an overturned tractor trailer in flames while on a road trip with a friend.

External links

* [http://www.reptilianrecords.com/reptilian/exploder.html The Exploder at Reptilian Records]
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