EX-MOTHERJUMPERS SPEAK

We put forth a question for The Motherjumpers post break up. Here are their answers. *Drummer Chuck Howell could not be reached for comment; should that change we will add that to this.

Now that the dust has settled and the last show is in the books, what is your feeling regarding the band, the show, and the finality of it all?

Michael Lobardozzi, Bass:
It hasn't really set in, it's too soon. Like when there's a death, you don't really get it until you look for that person to do the things with you that they used to, and they are not there. It will kick, but when it does I have to understand that it was exactly what it was supposed to be. We did our best and made all the sacrifices we were able to make. In the end we are still friends and still Motherjumpers.

I wasn't completely happy with the last show, It wasn't our playing or songs or fans, it was fuckin' Don Hills and that douche who runs the door!! We played with our hearts though, and some played with picks. Ha Ha.

Tommy Lombardozzi, Lead Vocals/Acoustic Guitar:
The band was really good, better than most, and it could have and should have done more. I think we had all the elements to be successful (on whatever level) if we had really given it a shot. Given everyone's life outside the band, I think everyone gave what they could, but it wasn't enough to go anywhere. It's disappointing to me, it's upsetting. This band's been my top priority for almost 4 years now, but what can ya do? Honestly, it's less upsetting than being in a band this good for much longer and it not growing and/or moving forward.

I think the show was fun. I had fun. Wasn't our tightest, but the energy was there and I enjoyed it. I'll really miss playing with these guys. Even when things weren't great, I enjoyed sharing this experience with these individuals. It was fun.
And now it's time to move along. I'm back at square one in a way, playing my solo acoustic shows, but I got some things planned. Recording and stuff. I wish we had finished our 2nd CD, because people STILL always ask me when it'll be coming out... I hope you'll all be able to hear it one day, in some way. But I can't dwell on what was. It's time to make some new music. And that's that.

Paul Weiss, Lead Guitar:
I'll start with the last show. I have to admit that I was sad in the days leading up to the show. Even though we had broken up about 2 months before, it didn't really set in until the last show. I wish our last show would've went smoother but we really got fucked by Don Hills. As you know (because you were there) we didn't go on until almost 12 and a lot of people had already left so that was a bummer. Besides that, I think we played well and I had a lot of fun playing those songs for the last time. I felt like there was a weird energy between us in the band but that was to be expected I guess. But it was fun and I think we rocked!

OK, my feelings regarding the band....deep breath....there were times in this band that were great and a whole lot of fun, and there were also lots of miserable times. When we were getting along it was great but the biggest problem we had were the personality clashes. That is ultimately why the band broke up. We couldn't get through a practice without someone getting really pissed off, or there was just no feeling whatsoever. We were also missing a lot of practices. In the end many of us, (maybe all?), didn't even want to be at practice and that is what made me quit. After I quit the dominoes started to fall, and it was obvious that breaking up was something that most of us were fine with, which made me feel great about my decision.

Sometimes relationships run their course, and once the fun is over it's time to move on. So now we've moved on and it will be cool to see what new projects will come from the ashes. I know Tommy is still doing his thing which is cool, I'm looking forward to hearing what he is recording now. I have a metal project that I want to start and I've also been playing with Kierstin Gray so that should be fun. That's it I guess!

Christian Rugilio, Rhythm Guitar/Backup Vocals:
The dust really hasn't settled so much as there is a kind of unspoken acceptance of the situation. Nothing is being debated, the reasons for the split aren't being spoken of, and nobody's pointing fingers. We are all close friends and we realize that those friendships have to come first. My feelings regarding the band are mixed.

Being in a band with your friends can be an amazing thing. You can speak more freely, you tend to laugh at the same things, and you genuinely want the best for everyone. You want to make it work because it's so much more fun being stuck in a room with your friends than it is with a group of people that you're playing with just because you both like The Beatles. I think that musically we didn't break any new ground. I do think that our songs were as good as any that I would hear from any given band on any given night in any given club. Things really began to roll after the first CD. That was when we all began to write and bring in ideas. The combinations of people who collaborated to write those songs began to vary from song to song. That's what made it so much fun for me. It was exciting seeing what other people could bring to the table. that's when we began to do our best stuff. That's when our crowd started to grow as well. I don't think that it was a coincidence. That was definitely my favorite time in the band.

However, there were a lot of things that were issues within this band that started early on and never really got resolved. It cast a pall over everything we did. I wish that we were able to get to the root of the root and fix those problems back then. I think that ,by the end, some of those things became the elephant in the room. Fucking elephant.

The last show wasn't as sad as I thought it would be. It kind of felt like any other show. That was strange. Maybe in my mind the band was already over. We had fun but now we move on. I'm excited to see what I can do without others to lean on. I have to keep myself motivated to make sure that the guitar doesn't wind up in the closet. I'm also excited to see what the others come up with. Of course, I'll always be their biggest supporters.