Thoughts on Split Lip/Chamberlain?

[NealTaflinger]

On the heels of last year's impromptu four-song set at South By Southwest, Split Lip/Chamberlain are reuniting for one weekend this spring. First is a set in Louisville on May 1, then it's back to Indianapolis for a show on Sat., May 2, at Birdy's. On Sunday the band will play in Chicago to help kick off the publication of "Burning Fight," a book about the early/mid-1990s hardcore punk scene.

The band had a complicated relationship with the scene and with itself. I'm curious if anyone on MFT has any thoughts on Split Lip/Chamberlain, the band's place in Indianapolis musical lore and how you feel about the reunion show?

[Jbarge]

I have no great thoughts but I always desired to hear the Split Lip album - I've heard it is a good punk rock disc.

[Marvin P. Goldstein]

Weren't they a youth crew/straight edge/tough guy hardcore band from Carmel, who later morphed in to an Americana tinged band? I think they were around in like the second wave of hardcore post Zero Boys? What's the story?

[NealTaflinger]

Straight edge in the early days yes, stylistically Youth Crew no, definitely not tough guys, and based in Hamilton/Boone County. They were around during the 90s and a little bit into the 2000s with significant lineup changes towards the end.

Marvin P. Goldstein said:

Weren't they a youth crew/straight edge/tough guy hardcore band from Carmel, who later morphed in to an Americana tinged band? I think they were around in like the second wave of hardcore post Zero Boys? What's the story?

[John P. Strohm]

I don't know much about Chaberlain; I heard a few tracks many years ago and they sounded pretty good. I greatly appreciated Split Lip back in the early 90s, because they were really actively supportive of my band Antenna with no clear motive, other than appreciation of the music. They had us open a show or two in Indy, and although we had a following among twenty-something bar crowd people, it was a rare opportunity for us to get in front of a huge crowd of teenagers. We sold a bunch of stuff, I think made some new fans. That was during the time that I guess Split Lip were evolving into what would become Chamberlain - there were HC elements, but the songs were getting more melodic and becoming more like what became known as emo. Planet Earth, which became Old Pike, were on those shows as well - great to get to meet some of the younger musicians in Indy.

I saw Tim Jones a couple years ago and he recounted a story about me casually trash-talking Chamberlain, which I find surprising and frankly doubtful (or perhaps a misunderstanding). I had generally good impressions of those guys but I didn't hear enough of the music to form a strong opinion either way. Then, as now, I was pretty much excited about and supportive of any non-pandering original music artist from Indiana having a real go at it on a national or international level.

I heard about the SXSW show, and though I was down there as I am every year, I had a conflict and had to miss it. I wanted to check it out.

[NealTaflinger]

Funny. I'm pretty sure that's how I heard Antenna for the first time.

John P. Strohm said:

I don't know much about Chaberlain; I heard a few tracks many years ago and they sounded pretty good. I greatly appreciated Split Lip back in the early 90s, because they were really actively supportive of my band Antenna with no clear motive, other than appreciation of the music. They had us open a show or two in Indy, and although we had a following among twenty-something bar crowd people, it was a rare opportunity for us to get in front of a huge crowd of teenagers. We sold a bunch of stuff, I think made some new fans. That was during the time that I guess Split Lip were evolving into what would become Chamberlain - there were HC elements, but the songs were getting more melodic and becoming more like what became known as emo. Planet Earth, which became Old Pike, were on those shows as well - great to get to meet some of the younger musicians in Indy.

I saw Tim Jones a couple years ago and he recounted a story about me casually trash-talking Chamberlain, which I find surprising and frankly doubtful (or perhaps a misunderstanding). I had generally good impressions of those guys but I didn't hear enough of the music to form a strong opinion either way. Then, as now, I was pretty much excited about and supportive of any non-pandering original music artist from Indiana having a real go at it on a national or international level.

I heard about the SXSW show, and though I was down there as I am every year, I had a conflict and had to miss it. I wanted to check it out.

[Marvin P. Goldstein]

So are they reuniting both bands with original line-ups? I think I saw Chamberlain once when Radio Radio first opened. Did they ever play there?

[NealTaflinger]

I'm not sure if they played there. They are reuniting the Split Lip 7" lineup which carried over through much of Chamberlain's career.

[PJ Christie]

They started doing a lot of shows right as my old punk band, The Blacklisted, was ending, so we never played together. I only know any of them casually but I respected their work ethic, they seemed to have their priorities right and never pretentious. I would have liked to see them along with With Authority from Bloomington, another cool hc band from the time.

[jeff]

In the early nineties, when the Indianapolis scene was supposedly dead, Split Lip could draw a 1000 kids for shows at the India Community Center. Their early sound wasn't for everyone; they were far more chunkie-metal than punk and their songs never really had the big hook that they needed to put them over the top, but their fans were completely obsessed with them. When they changed to Chamberlain, their song craft improved immeasurably, but with their new sound they started to leave a lot of their audience behind. At one point, I really thought that they were going to take off nationally, but it never quite happened. I was really honored when they let me record them for a single. It was definitely the best sounding record that I ever did, but it was all them, all I had to do was set up the mics and document the event. It's always amazed me how little recognition that they've gotten in their hometown, but that's the way it is here, I guess...

[Marvin P. Goldstein]

They drew 1000 kids to shows? Wow, maybe the Zero Boys can accomplish that feat one day, now that people actually appreciate what the did, and can do!
jeff said:

In the early nineties, when the Indianapolis scene was supposedly dead, Split Lip could draw a 1000 kids for shows at the India Community Center. Their early sound wasn't for everyone; they were far more chunkie-metal than punk and their songs never really had the big hook that they needed to put them over the top, but their fans were completely obsessed with them. When they changed to Chamberlain, their song craft improved immeasurably, but with their new sound they started to leave a lot of their audience behind. At one point, I really thought that they were going to take off nationally, but it never quite happened. I was really honored when they let me record them for a single. It was definitely the best sounding record that I ever did, but it was all them, all I had to do was set up the mics and document the event. It's always amazed me how little recognition that they've gotten in their hometown, but that's the way it is here, I guess...

[Brian Leonard]

I recently found and pulled out a Split Lip t-shirt.

I think I might be biased, but I was a big fan of Split Lip. I remember playing shows with them, Planet Earth, Zero Boys, 8 Bark, Phalanx, and many more at the India Community Center. The shows were packed, even to the point of the fire marshal not letting anymore into the show. They had interesting lyrics and great energy. It was quite an event when they played.

I remember the show with Antenna - the only time I got to see Antenna play. Where in Chicago are they playing?

[NealTaflinger]

The Metro.