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The dark blue Ford E-150 bounces violently along the road.

Inside, the van’s interior dome light illuminates the members of the band, The Signal, as they head toward their next gig.

But the men aren’t discussing their upcoming set list.

Instead, they desperately study for an exam the following day.

Students often complain about a heavy workload, but the band’s lead guitarist Jake Lee wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It gets really hectic to get a schedule together because we all have personal schedules to keep,” he said. “We do the best we can though.”

The Signal is a local band with three members of the band living in Champaign and its vocalist, Kyle Goeken, from Charleston.

This makes it much more difficult to meet for practices and performances.

“In the summer it was a lot easier for us to get together, and we could practice once or twice a week,” Lee said. “Once school starts up, we only practice two or three times a month.”

Jake Roth plays guitar and backs Goeken on vocals in The Signal. He willingly admits that being a student and in a band can overwhelm the strongest minds.

“Often the band deals with more than just gigs and practices,” he said. “There is a lot of mind-numbing busy work that goes in to being in a band. School can get to be too much.”

Roth obtained an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts and Science from Parkland Community College. Roth has a part-time job and has focused more on the band recently than in past years.

While they get paid for their gigs, Roth said the main motivation is connecting with the audience.

“Anytime you get to play for more than 10 people, and they’re digging the music, it shows you why you still perform,” Roth said. “All we ask for is enough money to put gas in the tank. We just like to share our music.”

Kyle Prillaman is the drummer for The Signal.

“Being in a local band is just like having a part-time job. Of course, it is a really fun job, but it is still a job,” Prillaman said.

Bryant Fritz plays drums in the local band Learn to Fly. Along with the band and class, Fritz also hosts two music based radio shows on WEIU-FM.

“It calls for a busy workload, but it all revolves around music so it is worth every minute,” Fritz said.

Fritz’s says each band member does his part to make the band work.

“We all work around each other’s schedules and on the same band schedule,” Fritz said. “We fit in practices and performance whenever and as often as we can,”

Even with all the scheduling it is impossible not to feel the pressure of keeping up with the schoolwork load and “a part-time job”, the band said.

“I can remember playing shows on a couple of Sundays and not getting back until late in the evening. Then I had to stay up and study for an 8 a.m. (class),” Fritz said. “That’s when you really start to realize how hectic your schedule is.”

Most local musicians don’t play music to make it famous or to even gain money from it. It is something that they love to do.

“Playing music is a virus,” Prillaman said. “It is something that takes a hold of your mind and totally consumes you. It is better than any drug.”

Photo by Robbie Wroblewski

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