Sadly, after five great years of music and ministry, Sundry is calling it quits. They did their farewell show this February in Snellville.

    Lead singer Mark Gibson is breaking out on his own with a new band called Moxie Davis and is planning a 2002 release with a Nashville based record company. We’ll give you more info on that soon, including a website address where you can find concert info so you can see Moxie Davis in concert.

    Drummer Chris Coleman has been playing with other artists, and will be doing so even more. You might have seen him on stage with The Waiting; he's been playing drums for them quite a bit.

    Bass player Brian Gauthier is going to focus on being a full time college student.

    Guitar player Mike Payne has been a busy bee, on the road this past year with Sundry, LaRue, country artist Kortney Kale, and others. He recently played on Carman's new praise album. He will continue playing guitar for various artists. We're unsure at this point whether Mike will be able to be a part of the farewell concert.

    Sundry's original guitarist, Mike Fogleman, has been playing with Sundry on most of their dates for the last few months. He will definitely be playing in the farewell concert.

    Why the breakup? It was just time. The guys feel their lives going in different directions. They want to go out with a bang, and to share the moment with their fans and friends. We hope to see you at the farewell concert!

    Sundry began in the fall of 1996 when three members of a teenage mainstream rock band in suburban Atlanta began to feel that God was impressing upon them to try something different. Gauthier, Coleman, and Fogleman sensed that it was time to begin using their musical abilities for God. At the same time, a friend and classmate of theirs was catching the same vision.

    Gibson had been trying to launch an R&B singing career and had garnered serious interest from Arista, a major record company. But God had other plans for him. Says Mark, "I don’t come from a musical family. I’m the only one who can play an instrument or sing at all. I just knew that my ability was given to me by God to fulfill his purposes. I’ve done my best to be obedient."

    Upon realizing they were all on the same page, the Shiloh High School juniors formed a new band calling themselves Sundry, which means "set apart." It quickly became obvious to them that God had truly set them apart to be used in a big way.

    Within weeks of their decision to play rock and roll for Christ, they were cranking out their favorite Christian tunes to the delight of their Shiloh peers. The enthusiastic reception encouraged the band to schedule more concerts at area churches and schools. 
    They began writing original songs, knitting power rock grooves together with Scripture-based lyrics. Says Brian, "Our musical style is based on rock and roll with the influence of high energy and funk. Our sound could be compared to secular bands like Chili Peppers mixed with Aerosmith, 311,and Collective Soul."

    They put together the explosive high-energy concert presentation that became their calling card. All who have seen Sundry play live can agree that there’s never a dull moment on stage. 
    "At one concert," says Chris, "we lit one of the drumheads on fire...no kidding. The secret fire formula accidentally spilled catching the carpet and Mark’s shoe on fire. The crowd, which was probably at 50 people, quickly grew to 100 or more."

    He adds with a laugh, "Now we know what to do when there is a dud crowd." Word of mouth about the band began to spread. For many, their favorite part of Sundry’s concert was Mark’s stage antics.     
    For others, it was the personal testimonies to God’s grace. For still others, it was the songs on which Brian was featured playing the hammered dulcimer. (As a younger teenager, he saw Rich Mullins play one. He promptly bought one and taught himself to play!) Soon people all over Gwinnett County and Atlanta were talking about the music and message of Sundry.

    During their senior year of high school, the guys released their debut self-titled CD containing nine original songs. Immediately, Sundry fans were memorizing the record and showing up at concerts to sing along with the band.

    Huge opportunities for exposure began to present themselves as the band was invited to open up in concert for artists like Newsboys, Eric Champion, GRITS, Reality Check, Skillet, Smalltown Poets, The Waiting, Three Crosses, and other well known Christian groups. They made their first major Christian music festival appearance at AtlantaFest ‘98. Their song, "Upbound Train," was featured on the AtlantaFest 98’ CMC Compilation CD.

    They went back into the studio a few months after graduating high school. The result was the February ‘99 release of "Happy Man," a supercharged four song EP that delighted the band’s fan base and set the wheels in motion. One of the songs from this project began getting airplay on 99X, Atlanta’s #1 modern rock station.

    Shortly thereafter, the band signed on with manager Danny Stephens, former keyboardist for Smalltown Poets.

    In October ’99, Sundry signed with brand new Chicago-based True Tunes Records to release an album nationally. "The Toughest No-Brainer Yet" was released in March, 2000. The first single was "Least of These," which featured Mac Powell.

    Sadly, in December of ’99, guitarist Mike Fogleman said goodbye to Sundry to pursue a college education. However, that opened the door for Mike Payne. Regardless of exactly what lies ahead for the group’s members after their last concert, these guys are focused on their mission.

    "We want to make a difference in people’s lives with the Gospel. We love to talk to people at our shows and get to know them. We don’t just play and leave. We want to be used of God. I came to Christ in a juvenile detention center and I need to let people know that they don’t have to hit rock bottom, like I did, before they come to Him."

    It’s this approachability, this "set apart for a reason" mentality, that was the band’s defining characteristic. They’re young, honest, energetic, and convicted. And, whatever the next level might be for the members, rest assured that they’ll arrive with a flair...or should that be with a flare? (Stay away from the pyros, Mark.)