Exeter DIY indie-punks Muncie Girls have announced they will be calling it quits after 13 years together.
In a lengthy statement from vocalist and guitarist Lande Hekt, she said “Muncie Girls will always be a massive part of our lives and we will each always play music.” The message also details the band’s gratitude for what they have accomplished, the friends they’ve made, and the community they’ve created.
Hakt along with guitarist Dean McMullen and drummer Luke Ellis will play a short run of farewell shows later this year.
November
30th Green Door Store, Brighton
December
1st Cavern, Exeter
2nd Boston Music Room, London
7th Exchange, Bristol
8th Gullivers, Manchester
Read Muncie Girls’ Farewell Message
“After nearly 13 years, a demo CD, a demo tape, three 12” EPs, three 7” singles, a 12” split record and two albums, we’re saying goodbye to our band Muncie Girls. We started this band when we were 17 and the biggest goal we could muster up was to release a 7” single. We ended up doing more things and going to more places than we could ever have imagined. We were lucky to be from a town with such a brilliant music scene and venue, the Cavern, and I remember how it felt to travel to so many cities and discover other scenes just like ours.
The community we found ourselves a part of was so special and really became our lives. If it weren’t for the kindness of total strangers putting on shows for us, feeding us and letting us stay at their houses, we would never have been able to do any of the things that we’ve done. We were even once temporarily adopted by a family in Texas when we went to play SXSW and they baked us cherry pie and drove us to our gigs. We were taken on a tour around Australia by complete strangers who became some of our best friends. We went to Japan after some strangers offered to book us a tour and we travelled around on trains and borrowed local bands’ gear, guitars, everything. We spent most of our time touring in mainland Europe where we made friends for life, playing in squats, venues, gardens, bunkers, wherever.
I often heard stories of bands having to sleep in their vans or in parks or service stations. We always had somewhere to stay, no one ever let us sleep rough. I know we were incredibly lucky and we have our scene and our friends and fans to thank for that. We’ve relied so much on people’s kindness; I hope that we were always grateful enough.
We’ve decided to do a farewell tour and we hope that you’ll join us at a show. Muncie Girls will always be a massive part of our lives and we will each always play music, just in different projects now. Thank you everyone!”
