Ball State junior Scott Limbird has an almost dual personality. As bassist, lead vocalist and co-founder of local band The Retreads, off-stage he is rather quiet and even a little reserved. But when the lights turn down and the focus is on the band, Limbird becomes animated - his blond hair sticks to the sides of his face and his skin glistens with sweat.
"We get to have our 15 minutes of fame up on stage," Limbird said.
When the music stops and the crowd is gone, Limbird returns to his every day task of being a normal student. His major is anthropology with a particular interest in native people's rights.
This semester, Limbird is traveling to Lennox Head in New South Wales, Australia to study the Aborigines. Lennox Head is a coastal village between Brisbane and Sydney, known for good surfing. Limbird plans to relate his experiences in the Southwest with the Native Americans to the Aborigines. The focus of his studies is on revitalization efforts.
"That's [when] a small group of people try to put life back into their culture," Limbard said. "Sometimes that's with new practices or borrowed beliefs."
However, when it's time to wind down and "kick out the jams," The Retreads serve as Limbird's outlet. The band was formed in 1995 when Limbird and Ball State student Mike Schull formed the band Slow Children. Shortly after, they discovered there was a ska band of the same name. They eventually settled on the name The Retreads. Originally a three-piece, the now four member band consists of Jon May, Carl Byers, Schull, and Limbird. All four members are Ball State students. May was added on rhythm guitar in 2000, while Byers, the band's third drummer, joined in 2001.
Schull finds the band helps the guys to release tension from ordinary life. The music allows him to let go of pent-up emotion.
"When I get up there, that's all my nine-to-five demons, all the school that I hate, all the people that bug me," said Schull. "That's my catharsis."
Within the group, there is no specific leader. Everyone has the opportunity to editorialize and contribute to music, booking or merchandise design. Schull is motivated to do the managerial work while Limbird is more enthusiastic and outgoing.
"We add our personalities, but Scottie and Mike have always been in it," May said.
"Scott is definitely the goof-ball," Schull said.
Their new album "Highway to Helsinki," was released in July and the group finished a 25-show tour of the eastern United States on August 18. Their first show was in Bloomington, Ind. Along the way they played in Knoxville, Tenn., New Orleans, Austin, Texas, Dallas and Little Rock, Ark. The tour ended in Louisville, Ky. "[Scott] was motivated when I didn't want to be," Schull said.
Limbird doesn't have any specific plans for when he returns in December. He isn't sure of when his graduation date will be because he said he doesn't think he will ever graduate. When he finally does receive his degree, Limbird is considering joining the Peace Corps or teaching English. The son of a history professor at Ball State, and his mother a retired English professor, Limbird receives tuition remission and is enjoying the college lifestyle.
"I take a lot of classes and I enjoy them but I usually don't finish them," Limbird said. "I don't do finals."
For the immediate future, he looks forward to booking more shows for the Retreads. Limbird hopes the extended time apart will give each member time to work on their own material. He'll be ready to start again in January.
"The places we've been playing will be real hungry for us when we get back."
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