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Members: Joe, Joshua, Darren, Steve

The Last Good Year


hermetic, face-planting hard rock
Posted on June 3, 2009 by Wade Coggeshall

The Last Good Year's execution of their swaggering rock and roll in the live setting belies how long they've actually been doing it together.

Lead guitarist Josh Bucy and bassist Steve Byroad started playing together in college. Bucy moved away for a time, but they resumed their collaboration when he returned. He describes their first band, Eleanor, as more "U2y and anthemy," certainly a contrast to The Last Good Year's hermetic, face-planting style.

"We decided we wanted to play some harder rock and roll," Bucy says while backstage before a recent performance at Birdy's Bar and Grill.

Enter guitarist and lead singer Joe Doyel, who met his future bandmates through Byroad's girlfriend a few years ago.

"Ex-girlfriend," Byroad immediately clarifies.

"I only knew her through a friend," Doyel adds of the unsuspecting matchmaker. "We were hanging out at a bar, and I was hitting on her. Pretty successfully."

With Doyel in the mix, The Last Good Year quickly made their presence felt on the local scene. Alternative rock station X103 regularly plays them on its Sunday night Indy X-Files show.

"People definitely like them," says Kimberly Adamson, the station's promotions manager. "They have a very good vibe. They're one of the best local bands around."

The Don Stuck Band, fronted by X103 morning disc jockey Stuck, has shared the stage with The Last Good Year multiple times. "Our fans love them," Stuck says. "I think those damn guys have stolen some of our fans, as a matter of fact. They're that good."
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