David Feagle
My first musical endevaor was with the box guitar,probably around age 9 and I hated it.I believe it was because of the songs I was trying to be taught how to play.They Stunk.I then got a guitar chord chart book and preceded to teach myself how to make chords and play.I started messing with the Bass guitar also around this time.A friend played the drums and we got started jamming together just to play.When it was time to change schools our elementary school went to the local highschool for orienation and we got to hear the band play, I was hooked as soon as I heard those drums sound off.I started out in the junior high school band learning how to read music, understanding time signatures, everything you needed to know to play except, how to play a "trap" set of drums.That I had to teach myself how to do.After months of begging, my parents finally got me a little cheap set of drums for Christmas.I practiced constantly, my Dad was always yelling at me about the "noise" he finally made me move the drums out into the camper we had in the back yard, at least there I could play without them yelling at me to stop.I thank God for the ability to play the drums.He gave me the talent, I took to it like a fish to water.Oh yeah, my family were big country music fans.So there was no rock n roll when I was growing up.The first rock n roll I ever heard was "Led Zepplin's" "Whole lotta Love".Wow.
In the 9th grade my music teacher got together a stage band with trumpets,trombones,saxophones,guitars the whole works.That was my first experience ever playing in that kind of band.It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.After leaving junior high and preceding on to senior high,I made friends with a guitar player whose brother also played bass.We decided to try and form a band.We called ourselves "Latteraxe" I still do'nt know what that means.However none of us could sing nor did we have a P.A. system.This was a problem.But it did not stop us we saved our money up and bought one, but we still could'nt sing yet.I met another guy who said he could sing and lived just down the road from me.So we tried him out, he was'nt great but he would do.We became fast friends and I used to go to his house alot.I have always been a big Lynryd Skynryd fan and we were looking at his albums one day and I noticed all the Lynryd Skynryd albums had writing on them that said "To Guy, from cousin Ronnie" Turns out that this dude was really kin to Ronnie,I was tripping to say the least.Well nothing much was said about it, he did'nt brag about it,nor did I.Well one night we were out partying and he took me to some place over off of Riverside Avenue,I kept asking him where we were going ,but he would'nt tell me.We pull up behind this old wore out building and when we get inside lo and behold if we're not inside of Lynryd Skynryd's practice place.I could'nt believe it, me and Lynryd Skynryd in the same room it was a dream come true.I learned alot that night watching Ronnie Van Zant lead them through their paces.I also got to meet 38 Special along with brothers Donnie and Johnny Van Zant. It was about a year later when their plane went down.
After highschool I was tired of trying to run a band by myself, so I decided to try out for other groups.My first sucessful band was called "Money" which won several battle of the bands and was also on the radio.We got to play the "Other Place" which was the best of the best of nightclubs this town had to offer at the time.We also used to travel with Johnny Van Zant and open the show for his band,we were the opening act.Often as bands do this one broke apart.I then met one Bobby Ingram who played in a local band called "The Rum Creek Band".After hearing me play with "Money" he wanted me to play with his band,"The Rum Creek Band".I joined up with Bobby and we quickly became a magor ass kickin' band,one of the best in Jacksonville at the time.We were about into our third year of playing together,when Bobby recieved a phone call from the lead singer of "Molly Hatchet" "Danny Joe Brown".He had quit "Molly Hatchet" and Danny wanted to form a new band using the members of "The Rum Creek Band" and some friends of his.We went on to become the "Danny Joe Brown Band".This lasted about a year and a half before Danny decided to go back to "Molly Hatchet". Which ended any chance of the band continuing.
After this disappointment I had a family to raise so that became my main concern. Later in 1989 Bobby and I had a chance meeting at his Mom's house.He asked if I would be interested in played some local gigs.Of course I said yes.He had been in "Molly Hatchet" playing guitar for about five years at this time.Well turns out that this local gig thing actually turned out to be the reformation of the national touring act "Molly Hatchet" and I was to be the new drummer.Things were going great,however we were in Hunnington Beach,California when I recieved bad news from home and had to quit the band because of it.I then raised my two wonderful daughters,Kristina and Becky, whose growing up I would have missed had I been out on the road.Blessings in disguise.
Once the children were no longer children,I decided to pursue my dream of playing music.I bought a new set of drums, being that my old set was stolen from my home after being home only two weeks out of the band.Well after practicing by myself and getting back up to speed,I contacted some friends about getting together and playing some music.We started rehearsing and named ourselves "Nobodyz Biznezz" which later turned into "Xcalibur". We played all the local clubs, I was booked every weekend for over a year and a half when all the B.S. of putting up with the crap of other peoples ego's became not worth the hassle so I pulled the plug on the whole project.Luckily I had met some guys in a band called Thermal Image before that and had done some gigs with them. So I played with them for about three years, after that it was time for a break.
After about eight months a friend called to ask me just to sit in with his band for a gig, seven months later I was still playing. Tired of Country it was time to go back to Rock music. Once again reforming Xcalibur and off we go.
