When Chamberlain disbanded in the spring of 2000, the final line-up of musicians had recorded fifteen songs written by David Moore and Adam Rubenstein following the release of The Moon My Saddle.  Six studio recordings were shopped to the industry as demos in late 1999 and early 2000.  Nine of the songs were 4-track recordings captured in practice sessions at Big Brown, the old log cabin down in the woods of Brown County, Indiana, where the band had practiced since 1995. Chamberlain’s management and the songwriters agreed that twelve of these recordings would be released on a final album.

By October, the concept for EXIT 263 had taken shape, and negotiations were underway with Doghouse Records, the Toledo-based label that had released all of the prior Split Lip / Chamberlain recordings. But, obstacles to finalizing the agreement surfaced, and Chamberlain’s management decided to move forward to release the album on another label.

 EXIT 263 was first offered to fans on the Chamberlain website on May 21, 2001.  It was dedicated to those fans who in the words of David Moore were “believers from the beginning…who found it in themselves to bend with us, to endure and to remain loyal friends despite our many changes and pursuits.”

 The first order for the new album was received from a long-time fan named T.J., who later reflected on what the music of Chamberlain had meant to him during the many years he followed the band…

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