In the words of their song Entitled,Œ Keepers of the Carpet will be big pimpin¡ the bitches for the last time.

Despite the release of a successful album on the college music charts, the fun-loving geek-rockers are calling it quits when they play their final show at the M-Shop Friday. Following the unexpected resignation of drummer Joel Hayworth in the midst of their summer 2002 tour, the remaining members of the band chose to go their separate ways as well.

Joel left three guys high and dry, and just wasn¡t at the maturity level to realize the decision he made when he committed to going out on tour with the band,Œ says Keepers bassist Zack Smith. I think that¡s about as nice as you can put it for the reasons why he left. But I just want to focus on the last six years of this band.Œ

Zack¡s persistency toward the music seems to be a common theme among all of the members of the band. Following the 2001 release of their self-titled album, Keepers worked diligently with local record label Bi-Fi Records to make a name for itself both regionally and across the country.

All of the hard work paid off in spades. The album debuted at No. 82 on the College Music Journal charts, peaked at 78, and remained in the top 100 for six weeks. The album was also the highest debut album for their promotional company, Tinderbox Music.

Pat Fleming, co-owner of BiFi Records, says that the level of determination held by the band members was the reason they invested so much time and money into Keepers.

We split [Tinderbox Music¡s promotional fees] 50/50 with the band. Normally, a label would pay for all of it, but the band would have to pay it all back,Œ Fleming says. We didn¡t ask for it back. We knew that this was a ‰make or break Bi-Fi¡ type of thing, but it worked out really well.Œ

The band could not be more thankful.

Booking the tour alone was a huge undertaking ™ [Bi-Fi] sent out press packs everywhere, and they made hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of long-distance calls for us. They were 100 percent behind us,Œ says guitarist Tyler Smith. That was another thing that made ending the tour really tough. They wanted nothing more in return than to see us succeed.Œ

The sudden tour ending was an obvious disappointment, but there are few regrets for this musical family. Lead singer and guitarist Jordan Mayland says the short-lived excursion is still one of his fondest memories of life as a Keeper.

Even though the tour was only two weeks, it was one of the best times with the band. We sounded great, and we at least tried,Œ Mayland says. Even though we failed, we didn¡t fail in the perspective that we tried.Œ

Keepers of the Carpet may be finished in its current incarnation, but this is not the end of making music for Mayland. He is currently recording a solo project at Bi-Fi, much of which is material he was working on before the band¡s breakup.

It¡s going to have a few old Keepers songs on it, like the ones we were playing on tour,Œ Mayland says.

I did write them, and I hate to see them go to waste, because I think some of them are pretty good.Œ

Mayland says that although he is flying solo at the moment, he hopes to have a new band lineup soon.

I¡m still trying to find a band, but I want to make sure I find the right people for the right type of music,Œ Mayland says. The music¡s kind of changed a little. It¡s still got that pop-rock vibe, but it¡s really becoming my own sound, I think.Œ

All three of the members say that the tour, regardless of its success, was an experience they will never regret.

The high moments were when you hit that great show, with the right crowd ¢ especially when we did an all-ages show,Œ Tyler says. We had a great show in Moline. We¡d played four or five straight nights for, like, eight people, but when we went to Moline, it was packed. I think that was really our audience, and it was great.Œ

While the three say the Moline show was the pinnacle of the tour, Zack says some of the local attractions brought it all into perspective for him.

The Moline show was by far the craziest,Œ Zack says. There were three 17-year-old girls who flashed [us] numerous times throughout the show. When you get chicks flashing ™ you know you¡ve done something right.Œ

It¡s this realistic outlook on the past and the future that the band members hope will shine through during their final show.

I¡m hoping for a packed house,Œ Zack says. We just want to try and make it a really fun, enjoyable thing. We just need to joke around and not take it any more seriously than what we really are.Œ

Mayland agrees, but admits there will be a few songs that will be very emotional to play.

We have a new song called ‰In A Year,¡ and I think back to one year ago, when we hadn¡t even released our album yet,Œ Mayland says.

Now we¡ve built a name, and it¡s coming to an end. I would have never thought that in a year it would be over with.

I¡m just trying not to think about the end of the show, and packing our stuff up and going our separate ways.Œ

But once again, a Keeper sums it up with the same attitude that has gotten them to where they are today.

It was still an exciting journey, and I know I¡m not done with it,Œ Mayland says.