99¢ Special

Visit the official 99¢ Special website at 99centspecial.com for downloads, updates, and a more complete history.

99¢ Special first took form in 1991, prior to having an official name. At college, Exit began experimenting with a low-fi drum machine program for the Commodore 64, using it for structure to his unstructured guitar playing. Soon after, a series of songs were formed.

Around this time, Exit began radio DJing at WETD 90.7, at Alfred State College, playing Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Die Warzau, Spit, and various others. With these influences, which were partly due to his personal ties to DJ Rexx Arkana (later of FGFC820 and Bruderschaft), he began recording songs under the name temporary working title of ‘Autofactor’. Unhappy with the name, it wasn’t until a college mate gave Exit a stolen roll of orange florescent 99¢ special stickers that the new name was decided upon.

Keeping with his love of Commodore computers, he migrated to the much more advanced Amiga 500. Using a tracking program and a sampler, a burst of songs were written from 1992 until 1994. During the first public performance in December of 1992, Exit and his close friend Matt Lundy pummeled pipes, made noise, and handed out melted fudge pops. In attendance was Darren Blunt, who previously was involved in a tribal/noise event under the name ‘Peter Luxury’. He offered to drum for 99.

Many months went by as Exit continued to write music and acquire junk instruments, fitting to the name 99¢ Special. Darren and Exit ran in to each other at a local bar and the two began the journey that led to performing 62 shows in 9 different states in two years time with various acts such as Tommie Griggz, Bile, Evil Mothers, 16 Volt, Punch Drunk Monkeys (with Crappy the Clown), The Flashing Astonishers, Canine Christ, Incantation, Nothingface, and Abalienation.

During the second 99 show on February 28th, 1993, Ray Castaldo was added as the victim of the ice cream man during the finale of the show. Soon after, Rayzor, a drummer foremost, would become the third key member of the band as he filled the role of keyboardist. During the tours, Rayzor would also play guitar and drums for specific songs, proving to be an essential variable asset.

As the stage performance aspect of 99 was always an important focus, the band looked to incorporate new elements. Lectra Paris (later of The Elysium Facade) showed up along with Amy Ornoski to play roles of dancers who would interact with the audience. Amy, also know as the Bitch, was pressured in to staying with the band after her first performance. She was reluctant at first, but became a key part of the stage show. Not only did she shine during performances, she added to the stage environment which Darren had created.

Due to the volatile nature of being in a band, the death of a close friend of the band, and countless other stresses, they disbanded in late 1996. The original cast reunited in 1999 for one show in Wilmington, NC.

During 2004, the three key members of 99 made a go at it once again. Darren, who was living in NC with his wife and son, left everything behind to move back up to NY for the band. Since the new goal was to perform completely live, Rayzor had been placed on electronic drums to handle the beats that the backing track had played in the past. Exit, Darren, and Rayzor began practicing and looking for a new member to play keys. Explosively, after trying out three different keyboardists, personal drama unfolded which killed the progress made. At Christmas 2005, the band went back in to hiatus.

Currently, Exit is working on new material under the name One Cent Left. This new direction encompasses ideas that have existed in his head over the past 10 years. The new songs are showing Exit's hidden abilities, as ‘Again’ features Exit playing violin and actually ‘singing’ as opposed to screaming. Do keep an ear to the wall, there is a rumble inside the room next door!