Bulldogs, get ready to rock in Homecoming Friday night at Rick’s CafZ. Before 9, a band from Lucedale, Miss., performs live at 10 p.m. Before 9 recently finished playing different festivals and have returned to the studio writing and recording new material for an upcoming CD.
“We do not have a title yet because we are still working on our songs. We are also in the process of finding a new record deal,” vocalist Matt Loftin said.
Right now, the guys are looking at four or five different record labels to get a development deal. The band includes the guitar riffs of Chris Barker, his brother Dwayne’s thumping bass and the drumming rhythms of Chris Dueitt. Loftin said Before 9 formed about 13 years ago as a sort of accident.
“Chris (Barker) was playing the guitar one day to a song on a demo. I started to harmonize with the vocals, and he flipped out. Somehow he talked me into going in the studio and singing the song for him,” Loftin said.
Soon after that, Loftin and the Barker brothers formed a band. Though Loftin is not sure how they were able to get Dueitt in the band, he knows they were lucky. When Loftin walked into rehearsal, Chris Barker introduced him to Dueitt, and as soon as they heard him play, they knew he was the man to fill the drummer vacancy.
Loftin writes all the lyrics, and Chris Barker writes the guitar lines. After they put their parts together, Dueitt and Dwayne personalize their own layers. When they get it all together they will work it out to make the song complete.
“We finished our first CD in the late summer of ’99. We each had our own lives outside of the band and played gigs. Then Chris Dueitt went to school for two years and we backed off,” Loftin said.
Before 9 has traveled all over the United States from Miami to Alaska playing for many different crowds. All the guys had outside jobs until two months ago. Before 9 became a repeated favorite at the Swamp in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. They played there every Tuesday and Wednesday this summer while traveling to other locations for shows.
“Eventually we all quit our jobs because we were having to miss so much work. It was a big leap for all of us, but we are doing well now, and we know what we want,” Loftin said.
Their sound began as alternative rock but now mixes with a punk flavor. Before 9 lists some of their influences such as New Shavel, Disturbed, and recently the band has been listening to Sum 41 and New Found Glory.
Since February, they have been writing new songs. So far, Before 9 has close to 10 songs finished and are still writing. Tonight marks their first performance in Starkville.