Exit Calm
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Barnsley , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Nicky Smith, Rob Marshall, Simon Lindley, Scott Pemberton |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
| Website | www |
Exit Calm was an indie rock group originating from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, established in late 2006. The ensemble consisted of vocalist Nicky Smith, guitarist Rob Marshall, bassist Simon Lindley, and drummer Scott Pemberton.
Their name drew inspiration from the book Silent Rebels as well as the band Lunatic Calm.
History
In the latter part of 2006, singer-songwriter Nicky Smith, originally from Hull, joined Blind Shore—a band featuring Rob Marshall, Simon Lindley, and Scott Pemberton—who had previously played together in the Barnsley-based group Lyca Sleep. Rob Marshall is originally from Stockton-on-Tees.
The group quickly began crafting tracks including With Angels and Always A Way. By late 2007, they had secured a contract with London’s Club AC30 label and released their first single, Higher Learning, in February 2008, which sold out during pre-orders. Their busy touring schedule saw them supporting The Music and performing at Glastonbury Festival. Their follow-up single, We're On Our Own, was released in November 2008.
Though originally planned for an earlier release, their debut album came out in May 2010, preceded by the single Hearts and Minds. The album was produced by Paddy Byrne and mixed by Ulrich Schnauss at Miloko Studios in Shoreditch, London. To promote the album, Exit Calm toured extensively, opening for bands such as Modest Mouse and Echo & The Bunnymen. This period also saw the release of the EP Don't Look Down.
After nearly three years without new material, Exit Calm resurfaced in January 2013 with the single The Rapture. They followed with When They Rise in August 2013 and unveiled their second studio album, The Future Isn't What It Used To Be, in September 2013. Prior to its official release, Clash Music offered an exclusive streaming preview of the album one week earlier. In August, the band performed at V Festival and subsequently embarked on headlining tours during September and November. The third single off the album, Promise, was released in January 2014.
Despite introducing new songs live in September 2014—such as The Veil and Footprints—Exit Calm announced their disbandment on 9 March 2015. The split was attributed to a "tumultuous" relationship with singer Nicky Smith; the remaining members emphasized that full alignment was necessary to continue toward a third album. They extended their best wishes to Smith and left open the prospect of collaborating again in the future.
Post-split
Following the breakup, frontman Nicky Smith performed his initial solo show on 12 September 2015 as a supporting act for Daniel Pearson at the Sebright Arms located in Bethnal Green, East London.
In February 2017, guitarist Rob Marshall contributed as co-writer on six out of ten tracks on Mark Lanegan’s album Gargoyle. In 2020, Marshall launched his solo endeavor named Humanist under the Ignition label. This project included former Exit Calm drummer Scott Pemberton and featured vocal contributions from artists such as Mark Lanegan (Queens Of The Stone Age), Joel Cadbury (UNKLE), Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode), Jim Jones (Jim Jones Revue / Thee Hypnotics), Carl Hancock Rux, and Ron Sexsmith.
Members
- Nicky Smith – Lead vocals
- Rob Marshall – Guitar
- Simon Lindley – Bass guitar
- Scott Pemberton – Drums
Discography
- Albums
- Exit Calm (2010)
- The Future Isn't What It Used To Be (2013)
- Singles
- "Higher Learning" / "Awake" (2008)
- "We're On Our Own" / "Atone (Acoustic Version)" (2008)
- "Hearts And Minds" / "Before Tomorrow" (2010)
- "The Rapture" / "A Lonely Port" (2013)
- "When They Rise" / "Higher Bound (Room Version)" (2013)
- "Promise" / "Alarms (One Way Road)" (2014)
- EPs
- Don't Look Down (2010)