User:Rreames/The Next Move

The Next Move formed in the spring of 1985 at Clemson University in Clemson, SC. The band started with six members: Steve Bomar (bass), Jimbo Chapman (guitar), Todd Hammer (guitar), Anthony Kelley (keyboards), Ray Keys (vocals) and Rick Reames (drums), and their first gig was for the Betas at Clemson, Todd’s fraternity. Todd’s fraternity brothers jokingly called the band, Todd Hammer and the Nails. The band’s early set lists included songs by REM, INXS, The Fixx, The Producers, Journey, The Outfield, U2, Level 42 and other popular bands of the 1980s. Gigs came fast and the band booked many fraternity and sorority parties at Clemson as well as other area colleges, like USC, Wofford and Georgia. After a short tenure with the band, Todd Hammer graduated and the band continued on as a 5 piece. In the summer of 1986, the band recorded two original songs, “She’s All I Need” and “New Girl” at Marshall Tucker’s old studio in Spartanburg, SC. In the fall of 1986, Ray Keys went to Italy for one semester as part of his architecture master’s degree and the band again continued on but as a four piece with all four remaining members sharing vocal duties. In the spring of 1987, Steve Bomar left the band and Ray Keys, back from Italy, took over on bass. This eventually led to Jimbo Chapman becoming the lead singer for most of the band’s original compositions. The summer of 1987 found the band playing for 6 weeks at a club on St. Croix. This was a perfect chance for Ray to hone his skills on bass and the band to write more songs. Through the end of the 80s and early 90s, the band continued to play a variety of cover songs and slowly added more and more originals to their shows. They released two 5 songs cassette tapes – Face the Sun in 1990, The Art of Life in 1991 and a full length CD, Whirled Concern, in 1992. Both tapes and CD were recorded at EBS Studios (Marshall Tucker’s old studio) and were co-produced by the band and Duane Evans. With songs like “Wishing to Hold”, “Kaja”, “What I Wouldn’t Do”, “Too Many Ways”, and “Swagger and Sway”, the band appeared on a number of regional and national compilation CDs and played several record company showcases. During this time the band opened for a number of larger bands – the Psychedelic Furs, the Producers, Love Tractor, Dillon Fence, Jonny Quest, Wide Spread Panic, The Connells and Hootie and the Blowfish, to name a few. In the early 90s, the band started playing more club shows becoming a large draw at many of the clubs and concert halls in the Southeast, drawing more concert goers to the famed Isle of Palms beach club "The Windjammer" than any band during early 90's. But, by 1993, with no serious record company interest, the band decided to call it quits and played its last gig on New Year’s Eve of 1993. Jimbo Chapman and Rick Reames went on to start Cravin’ Melon and found success with that band signing with Mercury Records in 1996. In 1999, The Next Move played reunion shows at the Windjammer in Isle of Palms, SC, and at Clancy’s in Spartanburg, SC. They reformed again in 2002 and played a handful of shows each year from 2002 to 2006 before Reames left and was replaced by friend and fellow Clemson grad, Tim Newman, for a couple of final gigs. All of the band members still reside in Upstate SC.