Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Xcluded Band Releases First Original Album
FARMINGTON — A band made up of five Farmington eighth- graders has been playing together for about three years now and recently released their first CD.
The group calls itself Xcluded, a name that came from band member Sam Shaw, who plays rhythm guitar and is a back-up vocalist.
“We’re different from others so we stand out from the crowd,” Sam said, in explaining how he came up with the name.
The band is different, he said, because the members, all boys, are younger than most groups and they play lots of different genres of music, not just one kind.
The group likes hip hop, southern rock, classic rock, alternative music. They do not play country.
They also write their own music and their first CD, titled Shadows, is all original music. The band will celebrate its new album with a release party at 7 p.m., May 17 at JJ’s Grill, 1271 Steamboat Drive, off Wedington Avenue in Fayetteville.
Their original songs are about God, life struggles, staying on the right track and girls, said band member Quincy Graves, who plays bass and sings back-up.
Other Xcluded members are Jake Phillips, lead vocalist and keyboard, Trey Waggle on lead guitar and Coleman Warren on drums.
Coleman, Trey and Jake first played together in the fifth-grade talent show at Ledbetter Intermediate. They called themselves the “Rocking Redbirds.” The boys then saw Sam and Quincy perform at the talent show and asked them if they wanted to join their band.
All said they like being in a band because it’s a lot of fun.
“We get to hang out and be with our friends,” Sam said.
Quincy added, “It keeps you off the streets, teaches you good life skills and all the chicks dig you.”
The boys have been paid to play at events but they’ve also donated their talents to raise money for someone in need. In one instance, they played at JJ’s Grill to benefit a young boy. The band raised more than $5,000 to help with medical expenses and also donated their tips that night.
Most recently, they won first place in the middle school division for Farmington schools’ talent show.
They practice together about twice a week, once as a lesson at Inside Out Studio in Farmington and then in Coleman’s garage.
Jacob Paul, owner of Inside Out, said he’s been amazed at the boys’ talent.
“I started when I was in eighth grade. To see them start in fifth grade, I have to remember how old they are and how talented they are for their age,” Paul said.
In addition, he said the boys use their musical talents out in the community. Most of them play at their churches. Coleman, for example, started playing drums when he was 6 years old and has played in the praise band at his church, Farmington United Methodist Church, for the past seven years.
“Their goal is to be active in the community and to be an example,” Paul said.
Paul added that he hopes other young people will see the group perform and want to learn how to play an instrument. He said learning to play an instrument is a skill that a person can use lifelong.
Coleman’s father, Travis Warren, also a musician and a member of the Farmington School Board, said being a part of the band has benefited his son.
For one, it’s a teamwork situation, similar to sports, which provides camaraderie and requires the boys to work together toward one goal, Warren said.
“Once you get into music, it’s a life-long skill. You develop talents and friends that last forever,” Warren said.
Coleman’s mother, Cassie Warren, said the band is a great outlet for the boys to be creative in writing their own lyrics and developing their own music.