Time is running out on the rock band Floodplain
The five-member hard-core group - the only one to receive more than a mere mention of national recognition in the past year - begins its final tour Tuesday with a brief performance at the Odd Fellows Hall in Sioux Falls.
The group will follow that up with a longer Jan. 28 show at the Pomp Room. After that, Floodplain embarks on a two-week farewell tour of the Midwest.
The band is breaking up because guitarist Chad Petit and vocalist Matt Rezac plan to enroll in college.
It's a frustrating end for a band that had a chance of breaking into the ranks of the nationally known. Its 1997 release, "eightpennygalvanized," recieved widespread notice in the underground rock press.
"It's extremely depressing. Not a day goes by that i don't think about it at least every hour," says bassist Terry Taylor. "I'm pretty disenchanted. I've been doing this 11 years. It's what I've always wanted, what I've always strived for. But it's a great way to end it, I guess. I'd rather go out with a bang than a fizzle."
Floodplain has been banging around for nearly four years. The group formedc in the summer of 1994, evolving from the demise of the band Serene.
Drummer Mike Torretta and guitarist Nate Jaqua started the group, and Rezac and Taylor quickly joined up.
The lineup evolved into a five-piece band, as Brock Specht and Petit came on board and Jaqua left. Most recently, Jaqua returned to the group, switching from guitar to drums when Torretta split.
Floodplain earned it's reputation on two levels:
One, the guys played with a torrent of energy and abandon that was especially apealing among young fans. It was not uncommon to see blood spilled on stage because of the sheer force of the music.
Two, Rezac wrote probing lyrics. He actually had something to say - you couldn't always understand what it was, but you usually got the point.
Rezac's goal was to write lyrics about specific things, but to keep them abiguous enough to allow the listener a chance to interpret for himself. He always said that if he wanted to be straightforward, he's write a book.
From the outset, Floodplain distinguished itself from other local bands because of its insistence on playing live. Despite all having day jobs and other obligations, each member of the band made a commitment to Floodplain that kept it on the road as much as possible.
That enabled the band to build a fan base beyond Sioux Falls and made it easier for the group to sell its various recording projects over the years.
Rezac's advice to other musicians is to concentrate on playing elsewhere as much as possible. "Sioux Falls bands just don't get out of town. For us, playing out is the key," he says.
Taylor agrees. "You can get as big as you want in Sioux Falls. But in the whole scheme of things, that's nothing."
Taylor says remaining members of the group gave some thought to replacing Petit with another guitarist and enticing Rezac to stay on board.
But the personalities of the current lineup mixed well, and they agreed the prospect of finding a suitable replacement for Petit was daunting.
"We're sick of looking for new people, basically," Taylor says.
In addition to its ferocious live shows, Floodplain's legacy undoubtedly will be "eightpennygalvanized." Engineered by former Janitor Bob bassist Jay Janssen, the CD and its acceptance caught many by surprise, including the band itself.
"We all thought it sounded great, but I was skeptical what the punk rock magazines would say. But I haven't seen a bad word yet," Taylor says.
Adds Rezac, "We may not be a popular band in town to a lot of people, but our music is more accessible to the nation than other Sioux Falls bands."
Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Saturday, Jan. 17, 1998