Powerspace
Interview with Tom Schleiter
Words: Chris Henderson

Hailing from the power-pop hot spot that is Chicago, Illinois comes the fresh-faced lads of Powerspace.  Fueled by Ramen's newest recruits are currently on the "Show Must Go On Tour" with screamo heavyweights Hawthorne Heights and From First to Last.  I spoke with guitarist Tom Schleiter about the tour, their new album, and ostriches.

REAX: Any crazy stories from the road?
Tom Schleiter: I don't know (pauses).  Alec (lead singer) licked the singer of From First to Last’s guitar and we think he might have a disease now because he was bleeding all over it.  Oh, we saw some ostriches in Arizona and fed them Subway sandwiches, then we found some Gemini crystals, it was pretty sweet.

REAX:  You're playing Lollapalooza this year, how did that come about?
TS: One of our representatives helped us get on the BMI stage, which was pretty cool because a lot of bands were trying to get on that stage.  It's pretty sweet because I've gone to Lollapalooza every year since they started having it in Chicago.  It's crazy because last year during Lollapalooza we were showcasing for labels and we were sneaking into the artists area and after parties trying to meet our favorite bands.  It's cool that this year we're actually playing it and actually supposed to be there.

REAX:  You mentioned showcasing for labels, is that how you were approached by Fueled By Ramen?
TS: That's first time they had ever seen us play live but we had been talking to them a few weeks prior to that because they gotten our EP from a friend of ours.

REAX: What was your reaction when you found out they wanted sign you guys?
TS: It was awesome, we had always joked about it before, we were like "Man, we should just make an awesome EP and get signed to Fueled By Ramen" because it was just so far-fetched that we thought it was funny.  It was pretty surreal when all that started happening.

REAX:  Your new album "Kicks of Passion" is coming out on July 31, what can we expect and how is it going to set you guys apart from the other bands out there?
TS: I think it's a solid album, we spent what seems like a lot of time picking apart the songs, changing and rewriting stuff that we thought were weak.  I think that our sound is different than a lot of the bands that we are lumped together with because we're just doing whatever feels right.  Plus, it's the best album ever recorded so that will probably set it apart on its' own.

REAX:  There are a lot of dance elements on the record, is that something you have always tried to incorporate since the beginning?
TS: Yeah, we've always written some songs like that.  We didn't want to make the whole album like that, but some of the older songs on there are more dance-oriented, most of the songs are pretty upbeat.  It's a diverse album, there are some slow songs and some monster ballads.  It's kind of all over the place but it sounds like us.  I think there is something for everyone.

REAX:  What kinds of challenges did you guys encounter during the song-writing and recording process?
TS: Definitely, it was an intense process because we were trying to balance schoolwork with trying to write these songs.  I didn't sleep very much. I produced the demos and we tried to make the best quality as possible so we would have a good representation when we went into the studio with our producer.  It was frustrating I would be up until 5a.m. working on something and have an 8a.m. class.  In the studio with our producer it was a bit more relaxed because we had given ourselves enough time so that we didn't have to force anything creative to happen we could take break and just screw around with ideas until something worked.

REAX:  You mentioned balancing school with the band, are you still taking classes?
TS: I'm taking classes from the road, which is pretty difficult.  It's weird writing term papers from the road.

REAX:  Do you think you learning more on the road than you would in a classroom?
TS: Yeah, my major is marketing and music production and I've always studied the music industry and read a lot about it.  I think being involved in all these processes has definitely taught me more and I understand the ins and outs of the industry a lot better now.  I don't think I could have learned it any other way

Powercase's new album Kicks of Passion is out July 31st on Fueled By Ramen Records.  Visit www.powerspacetheband.com for more information.