Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Exit has put together a very strong collection of pop songs played well and arranged perfectly. I really liked this CD a lot.
The collection as a whole reminds me of the sophisticated melodies of Ben Folds. They also have the humor and wit of the Bare Naked Ladies but a little less intensity. The arrangements have a light touch that lets the melody and song be the focus instead of any one player.
The main writer is Ryan McIntyre, but two of the eleven songs are collaborations with other members. Each of the songs is a lovely melody and an engaging rhythm. They also have enough melodic surprises to keep you interested. This is a CD that fans of well crafted pop will love.
Stacey Board - musemuse.com
- Musemuse.com
Exit has been around since 1996.This, their 2nd release, justifys the accolades and multiple WAMI awards they have won in the pop music category. Catchy, well crafted pop tunes delivered by main vocalist/writer Ryan McIntyre really do work.
Steve Cohen - Bluescds.com - Bluescds.com
What's a good recipe for a Milwaukee band? A dash of Beatles, a pinch of The Bodeans … simmer for an hour and add a little Waukesha flavor to the mix, and you get the melodic rock group Exit. The debut of their highly-anticipated second album, "Scenes From Next Week," is scheduled for this weekend at Milwaukee's spring festival, RiverSplash. The foursome will perform Saturday on the Pere Marquette stage in Marquette Park.
Exit is by no means a group of studio virgins. Back in 1999 the band released their first album, "Two Words," which sold more than 1,000 copies in the first week.
"Recording 'Two Words' was our first time in the studio," says lead singer Ryan McIntyre. "I think having an album under our belt, along with various other projects over the past couple of years helped us feel comfortable this time around. 'Scenes From Next Week' is naturally more mature simply because we are older and more experienced. Some of the songs off the last album were written when I was 13 years old. We hope people are pleasantly surprised with our new album."
What started as a two-man, acoustic cover-band, playing songs by Peter Gabriel, Weezer, Oasis and U2, is now a talented quartet receiving solid recognition for their efforts. Exit has won three awards from the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI). They have also attracted the attention of a Los Angeles producer who used two songs from their first album in a movie called "Big Brother Trouble," starring Mario Lopez (Slater from "Saved By the Bell").
"We've had some really nice breaks along the way," says McIntyre. "The first time we saw 'Big Brother Trouble' in the theater I was following along with the story and completely forgot that our songs would be played. When 'You Drive Me Wild' began, I had goose bumps and the people in the theater started clapping for us. It was amazing."
Exit has a sound similar to the Barenaked Ladies with crisp, clear lyrics that are accompanied by uplifting guitar rifts that scream pure positivity.
"One thing we are very proud of is the fact that people of all ages enjoy our music and come to our shows," says McIntyre. "While the majority of our crowd comes from the college market, we have so many fans who are under 15 and over 55. We try and get the kids involved with our show. We'll have them up on stage and the only consequence we found is that they beg their parents for guitars and drums for weeks and weeks after the show."
The quartet is made up of Ryan McIntyre, lead singer and guitar player; Mike Mann, guitar; John Williams, bass; and Craig Walkner, drums. It seems like their career is going well, but it hasn't always been movie deals and record releases. To make ends meet they have had to maintain several side jobs like working as a locksmith, a railroad worker, a teacher and a sod farmer.
However, soon the Waukesha-based acoustic cover-band, was quickly making a name for itself and started booking gigs at clubs all over the state. While progress was moving a positive direction, the increase in business had its downside.
"We primarily stay in Wisconsin so we don't have to stay in hotels or spend too much time driving," says McIntyre. "However, late nights, lack of sleep, playing until 2:30 a.m. in Green Bay and then getting to the studio in Waukesha by 10 a.m. is tough sometimes. When we do go out of state we find the experience very rewarding, it prepares for the next step in our career."
Some musicians knock the Milwaukee music scene by saying it's too small or that it doesn't even exist. Those kinds of musicians tend to migrate to bigger cities like Chicago or Los Angeles. Not Exit -- they plan on sticking around for awhile.
Says McIntyre, "If we can make some serious noise in this community and continue to have our fan base grow, with the power of the Internet we can stay local, branch out to the Midwest and start making waves across the nation."
He added, "Milwaukee has been good to us and now is not the time to leave."
Venues in Milwaukee that Exit has performed at include Shank Hall, The Milwaukee Ale House, and the BBC. McIntyre commented that, "Milwaukee clubs have been very kind to us."
For more information on the band, visit to their Web site at www.exitmusic.com.
Brian O'Shea - OnMilwaukee.com
- Onmilwaukee.com
You can base a group around the talents of a solid songwriter and Exit is wise to base their efforts around leader Ryan McIntyre. Fans melodic AAA-style rock `n roll will find the spirit of The Gufs, Barenaked Ladies, Guster, Jackopierce and BoDeans prevailing over the winds of modern sounds(think Aware Records `sound`). It`s extremely accessible rock, too that will appeal to folks not only looking for craft but credible passion. And McIntyre`s voice? So silky smooth, you can feel yourself cooing and swaying along w/ the hot girls at the front of the stage as he sings to eachand every one of them. Can you say John Mayer? Seriously, these songs are driven by an acoustic-base along side full electrified band arrangements but keeping it simple allows simplicity to shine. Very Highly Recommended! - Not Lame Records
Discography
EXIT - Scenes from Next Week (2003)
EXIT - Two Words (1999)
"The Sidewalk" and "You Drive Me Wild" - Featured in the movie "Big Brother Trouble" starring Dick Van Patten and Mario Lopez (Slater, Saved By the Bell).
BBT was in heavy rotation on HBO and Showtime in 2002 and 2003.
"Sixty Miles" - was featured on the Discovery Channels teen reality show "Outward Bound" in 2002. This song was nominated for a Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Award for Song of the Year.
"California in a Bottle" has recieved airplay on a number of Wisconsin radio stations. It is reatured as "bumper music" on WTMJ. The song recieved a nomination for Song of the Year at the 2004 WAMI Awards.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Ryan McIntyre’s music career began at age 13 when he first picked up a guitar, doing his best to work out the chords of his favorite tunes. He had already written several songs with catchy lyrics and melodies prior to striking that initial shaky chord. He could hardly foresee that some of those early melodies would eventually mold a style that is exclusively Ryan McIntyre.
As a fourth generation musician, Ryan enjoyed a heavy dose of music at an early age. “From as early as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. From my grandpa’s accordion, to my uncle’s folk songs, and even to four part harmony renditions of 'Happy Birthday,' music has been the norm in my life, not the exception.”
Family influence pushed Ryan toward the sounds of James Taylor, The Beach Boys, Dan Fogelberg, and The Beatles. Careful to find his own sound, Ryan strives to write music that falls somewhere between these artists.”
Most songwriters look at their craft a little bit differently than the next writer. When I write a song, it feels like the initial stages of a short-term relationship. I get those 'butterflies' everyone talks about. The writing process feels like the first date. I’m trying to lay it all on the line with the hopes to impress. I can’t wait to introduce it to my friends, but I’m nervous about what they’ll think.”
Ryan’s songs found a home when he and four high school friends formed the band EXIT in the fall of 1996. Ryan became the front man, and led the band to its eighth year in 2004. Along the way, EXIT racked up noteworthy credentials while capturing the ears of Wisconsin’s music scene.
In a four-year span, EXIT swiftly piled up 13 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) nominations and won Best New Band in 2000, People’s Choice Favorite Band in 2002, and the most coveted Group of the Year award in 2004.Despite their success, EXIT decided to part ways to pursue separate music careers. “As crazy as it sounds, leaving the band as Artist of the Year was a good time to say goodbye.” Ryan is ready to lunge forward onto a new musical path with limitless opportunities.
While EXIT received positive feedback during its run, Ryan’s solo accomplishments have not gone without notice. In 2003 and 2004 he received nominations for both Male Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year. “Without question, EXIT was a great learning experience for me, which helped me improve not only as a writer and a musician, but as a person. While I am proud of our successes, there are other avenues I want to pursue with my music, and it is time to move on.”
Ryan now faces an entirely new chapter in his career. Though his album is still in the works, Ryan is a veteran of the live circuit, having played an average of 70 solo shows per year in Milwaukee. Along the way, he’s been dubbed “The Human Jukebox” - expertly reciting nearly any request thrown his way.
Despite this versatility, Ryan prefers spending stage time with original works, performing with the voice of James Taylor and the hooks of Paul McCartney. Though the story drives his music, his guitar and melody weave the tales as clearly as his lyrics. Ryan claims the stage like a star but intimately targets each member of the audience. And that’s the force that has helped him build a solid following throughout his musical tenure.
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