Blame it on Bobby Knight. Who else was the fuel for the rage and aggression that emanated from Indianapolis quintet
Split Lip, who shook the foundation of the Hoosier State with their hyper-literate, dense amalgamation of late 90s emo and hardcore. Co-songwriters David Mead and Seth Rubenstein announced their status as forces to be reckoned with with the brash and brawny
Archived Music for Stubborn People, followed a few years later by
For the Love of the Wounded, And then just as things were picking up, everything changed. The band released the opus
Fate's Got a Driver, but altered their name to
Chamberlain, and then the tectonic plates started shifting.
In 1998, the group decided to chase down Midwestern roots rock a la Springsteen and Mellancamp and released the near-perfect
The Moon, My Saddle. The bold move proved both their moxie and their determination, but left hardcore fans high and dry. Shortly thereafter, founding members Clay Snyder, Curtis Mead and Charlie Walker left the band to play in
Model/Actress with former
Brianiac bass player Juan Monostereo in Los Angeles.
Moore and Rubenstein tried using a hodgepodge lineup and released
Exit 263, a collection of uncompleted songs, releasing it independently in 2000 through the band's management company. Shortly thereafter, Rubenstein released a solo debut album
Aftershock under the name Adam Dove and Moore pursued other interests. Fully cognizant that their fan base was still unhappy with the new sound,
Chamberlain released
Five-Year Diary in 2002, a double CD featuring live tracks, old demos and B-sides, stretching back to
Fate's Got a Driver and beyond.
After a brief stint in the bluegrass project
Chevy Downs, Moore quit music altogether.. He resurfaced in 2008 and last year released the gorgeous
My Lover My Stranger. While each of these projects are good in their own right, there's still a good chunk that yearns for the soaring guitars, spiky drums and full-throated yelps that made
Fate's Got a Driver and
For Love of the Wounded so infinitely rewarding.
Though the band did reunite last year for a performance at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, and are currently touring in support of
The Gaslight Anthem, the rumor mill maintains that this reunion is just an ephemeral stab at nostalgia. But for those of us that found a kinship in the ragged energy of
Fate's Got a Driver, we're all holding our collective breaths and hoping. And for those that want a taste, head over to
Chamberlain's
Bandcamp page and listen to "Raise it High," and the fan favorite "The South Has Spoiled Me," featuring Brian Fallon. Sure, it's not quite the blistering, sweaty swerve of
Fate's Got a Driver, but it is the original lineup back in the studio and back on stage. As they always say, everything comes full circle.
Head to the replies to catch a few live clips of the band and their swagger.
