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Exlis Prime (commonly abbreviated to EP) was a Hot Darmic band that formed 35 ABY. It lasted for a decade before front-man Jasper Jummmand moved to Ugly Gravity. Exlis Prime's subject material was usually based on real events and beings around the galaxy. They used vulgar language in several of their songs, which presented problems with censors. Their single "Kriffkutter" drew the biggest uproar, with music vendors quick to pull the single due to use of the word "kriff" and images of an extreme sexual nature on the cover. The band gained most of its success during its Tritium Jackpot years, making an estimated 37 billion credits in total.
History[]
Formation (34 ABY-35 ABY)[]
The beginnings of Exlis Prime started with Kyad Kyod attending college on Aantooine at the University of Central Gysis. Kyod was a talented player of the xantha during which he was a student in music classes, but the xantha was not part of the traditional instruction. In 34 ABY, Kyod dropped out of the university to explore new pathways into music science, including the use of his xantha. Kyod relocated to the planet Khami where he met up with percussionist Slayton Maus. After a few weeks of brainstorming, Kyod and Maus decided to create a musical group. They sought out the help of a singer to add words to their compositions, settling on vocalist Jasper Jummmand. Jummmand's addition to the band allowed for a new level of aural creation due to his ability to squeak out notes that would otherwise be unreachable or unsingable by other vocalists.
The naming of the band was a little more than random, with Prime referring to their young and hip state, while Exlis was the name of a neighborhood on Khami where Maus had grown up.
Loving the Smuggler Life (36 ABY-37 ABY)[]
Loving the Smuggler Life.
Considerations for album material were drawn largely on influential figures from the members' lives. Jummmand was an adamant fan of bounty hunter Boba Fett and devoted himself to writing a ballad in his honor. Twelve songs were compiled and the record was produced through label Darklighter Sound. Their debut Loving the Smuggler Life released in 36 ABY to various planets with populations registering interest in Hot Darmic music. "The Ballad of Boba Fett", along with a fast-paced song about the famed meeting between Han Solo and Greedo, were singles that helped propel the band up the popular charts. "Greedo Got Fried" became an instant live favorite, with the crowd chanting along to the chorus. Exlis Prime's debut tour took them to many worlds along the Corellian Belt and throughout the Mid and Outer Rims. The album peaked at #42 on the Galactic Top 1000, and sold more than four hundred million copies.
Tritium Jackpot and the "Kriffkutter" controversy (37 ABY-38 ABY)[]
With fan interest at a high, Darklighter Sound urged the band to quickly come up with new material and release a sophomore album. Tritium Jackpot came out of the recording studio within 13 months of Smuggler Life. The explosive nature of tritium was analogous to the explosiveness of the record, and one that was created under pressure. Little did the label understand was the band's desire to stand out from the rest of the artists being released at that time.
Tritium Jackpot.
Jummmand had recorded a raunchy, expletive-laden track which he requested be released as the first single for the album. Darklighter Sound was vehemently against the idea and urged the band to go with something less offensive, but very catchy, like "Something Smells Funny". The band would only agree under the condition that the follow-up single would be "Kriffkutter", the song that Jummmand had requested. Darklighter insisted that the vulgar single would not fare well under company editors, resulting in a chopped-up track. Maus made an argument for the single on how leaving it intact would promote more fans to purchase it. Darklighter analyzed several other related artists at the time to review the standards of their cleanliness. Only a fraction of vulgar terms were actually edited. Darklighter signed off on the release of "Kriffkutter" as the second single, with some minor cleaning up recommended.
The band released "Something Smells Funny" to extreme fanfare, where it became their most popular song among fans. Figuring they had reached success and could do something risky, Exlis Prime decided to go forward with the release of "Kriffkutter"—but without any editing. Additionally, their hired renowned graphic artist and photographer Gerant Fyrr to create the cover art for the single. Jummmand and Maus gave Fyrr the thumbs up to go with a sexual theme. Fyrr's final design featured a couple engaging in sexual activity on the cover and was accepted to compliment the vulgar song. Jummmand later stated that the decision was made to create a combination of verbal and visual violations onto the listener that it would have a profound effect on their livelihood. His hopes were validated when the single began to sell out off shelves across the galaxy. Parents found the singles, with their sexual art on the cover, and lashed out at the band and the label. Pressure to remove all the singles from stores had made them increasingly rare and many were sold as collectors items. Those that couldn't find a copy of the single were still able to listen to the track on Tritium Jackpot itself.
Censored "Kriffkutter" single.
The band toured extensively to promote Tritium Jackpot to offset the removal of the controversial single from shelves. Exlis Prime created the Wild Space Gets Wild tour and the Plunging in Deep Core tour as ways to bridge new territories of fans. While on the trade routes, the band continued to write and compose more songs, inspired by long nights on the ship that took them from planet to planet. Jummmand began to take on several groupies onto the ship, boarding on one planet and exiting on another. Kyod and Maus kept to themselves most of the time during which Jummmand was busy. Midway through the tour, the band hosted a holo-meeting with Darklighter Sound and industry executives to discuss the fate of their controversial single. The band agreed to have the singles placed back on the shelves, as long as the cover was blackened out. Jummmand used this opportunity to market the single as a last chance grab, and wrote a small message on the cover to customers. As the Deep Core tour wrapped up, the total sales of Jackpot resulted in their highest totals, at over two billion copies sold, with another four hundred million copies of the "Kriffkutter" single sold. Jackpot peaked at #3 on the Galactic Top 1000 (with stiff competition from Durese pop artists Uuebo and Fuebo, and lite jizz singer Wyson Gadrielle). Exlis Prime's net worth at this time was considered to be at 26 billion credits.
Organic Squeal (39 ABY-41 ABY)[]
Organic Squeal.
Exlis Prime's third album, written largely in deep space, was another foray into raunchiness, but with a decrease in blatant vulgarity to appease the label. The title track "Organic Squeal" was in direct reference to Jummmand's recent time with new shipmates. While the album had several tracks of a sexual nature, the album sold less well than its predecessor Tritium Jackpot. The lack of an ultra-controversial single was missing this time, however the album remained on top of the charts for several months. Keeping it afloat was the hit track "My Name is Darth", a quirky and immensely offbeat song not traditionally considered in the genre of Hot Darmic. A new fanbase heavily into Dark Zant was particularly attracted to "My Name is Darth."
Squeal peaked at #23 and sold over seven hundred million copies. "My Name is Darth" was awarded "Most Interesting Song of the Year" at the annual Coruscanti Music Awards.
With touring ending in 40 ABY, the band took a short break from music. Kyod and his girlfriend decided to get married in this time period, and Jummmand disappeared soon afterward. Maus sensed something was amiss and started looking for Jummmand, who had hit the bars in a beach town on Khami. Maus brought Jummmand and Kyod back into the studio at the beginning of 41 ABY to record their fourth album. Material slowly gathered up from the band's often scattered workdays, eventually resulting in a collection of twenty songs. With Jummmand not willing to remove any of the songs they created, the other members reluctantly agreed.
Shyriiwook City (42 ABY-44 ABY)[]
Shyriiwook City.
Shyriiwook City was released at the end of 42 ABY to mixed reviews. At twenty tracks, it was Exlis Prime's lengthiest work. Some critics found the album too long, while others applauded the band for creating an extensive selection of material. The first single "I Have a Bad Feeling About This", known affectionately as IHABFAT to its fans, was an exploration of the common phrase around the galaxy for several decades. The second single and title track "Shyriiwook City" was an uptempo arena song that called for big drums and a doubling of instruments to create a layered sound. Of note was its large solo, a trait that Exlis Prime had not shown on its previous three albums. The third and final single from the album was "Bald Headed Girls", a tribute to hairless ladies of the galaxy. Beings across the galaxy received the song differently based on region, culture, and general acceptance. Some bald women considered the song distasteful and requested that hyperwave music stations remove it from their frequencies.
Despite the variety of material on the album, its sales were relatively dismal to the previous three albums. Shyriiwook sold worse than the debut album, at just over three hundred million copies, and peaking at #81. Theories suggest that in the three years between Organic Squeal and Shyriiwook City that genre tastes had changed. Hot Darmic bands transitioned to Wet Darmic and Dark Zant. In recent times however, there has seemed to be a resurgence in sales due to cult status, particularly due to "Bald Headed Girls" and "My Mother was a Refrigerator".
Breakup (45 ABY-64 ABY)[]
Jasper Jummmand had by this time entered a downward spiral as his experimentation with hard substances and alcohol had increased. Kyod and Maus attempted to get Jummmand into a rehabilitation program, but Jummmand fled the planet looking for new ways to get a fix. After several standard months, Jummmand was located in an apartment on Denon nearly to the edge of death. The vocalist was hospitalized and sent through the rehab program where he made a full recovery. Although Jummmand was now considered clean, he had lost his desire to play with his original band. Jummmand, not wanting to remain completely devoid of music, began writing arrangements and collaborated with Wendel Bhiser on Denon. Kyod and Maus seeing how the direction of their vocalist had shifted, realized that Exlis Prime was dead for the time being. By 45 ABY, the band had officially announced to its fans that it was separating indefinitely. Jummmand, along with Bhiser and Gorgon Nvo released a LP that same year under the act name Ugly Gravity. Jummmand, Bhiser, and Nvo would work on a few album concepts and track releases until 49 ABY.
From 50 ABY onward to the mid 60s ABY, the original members of Exlis Prime stayed largely out of the spotlight.
Reunion and Third Edition tour (65 ABY-69 ABY)[]
Yes, Crary. I'm confirming that EP is back. Kyad, Slappy, and I are all in this together and you'll see us soon.
—Jasper Jummmand
Around 65 ABY, Holonet News reported rumors of a reunion of the band. Jummmand became a guest on Crary Zing Live where he announced that Exlis Prime would be returning for a special tour in the next year or so. Exlis Prime officially reunited for the last time as the opening act on another tour lasting from 67 ABY to 69 ABY. The show contained guest appearances from other notable artists during the mid 30s ABY. Afterward, the band permanently disbanded.
Legacy[]
Exlis Prime remained one of the more influential musical groups during the late New Jedi Order era and the start of the Legacy era. Their energetic tours and offbeat creative impulses inspired a wave of musicians throughout the next decade, particularly in the genres of Hot Darmic, Wet Darmic, and Hydian Moc-tok.
It was said that Imperial General Aurelius Tempest was a mild fan of Exlis Prime, perhaps due to his connection to Aantooine, from whence Kyod left behind. When later asked about the possibility that their music might have fueled his emotions to commit genocide, Jummmand and the other band members declined to answer.
Members[]
- Jasper Jummmand - vocalist (35 ABY-45 ABY, 67 ABY-69 ABY)
- Kyad Kyod - xanthist, backup vocals (35 ABY-45 ABY, 67 ABY-69 ABY)
- Slayton Maus - percussionist (35 ABY-45 ABY, 67 ABY-69 ABY)
Additional production[]
- Gus Opperr - backup xanthist on Plunging in Deep Core tour (37 ABY)
- Mav Corphis - backup percussionist on Third Edition tour (67 ABY-69 ABY)
Discography[]
- Loving the Smuggler Life - 36 ABY - 4x Aurodium
- Tritium Jackpot - 37 ABY - 2x Platinum
- Organic Squeal - 39 ABY - 7x Aurodium
- Shyriiwook City - 42 ABY - 3x Aurodium
Behind the scenes[]
Exlis Prime was created by Riffsyphon1024 as a way to explore a side of the galaxy not touched on much in canon, save for Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim, especially that of the single release and album recording process. The band's songs vary from album to album and take inspiration from various artists in the real world such as Tool, Primus, and KISS.