Everyone needs a little help sometimes. Batman had Robin, Siskel had Ebert, Tom had Jerry and now, the Chicago-born band Powerspace has tiny but mighty label Fueled By Ramen.
“It’s great,” said guitarist Tom Schleiter about being signed by Fueled by Ramen in 2006. The little label that could has produced such acts as Paramore, Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco over the last 10 years, molding them into the famous acts they are today. Now, however, it is Powerspace’s turn.
Before becoming the newest pet project of a highly touted music label, the members of Powerspace could be found roaming the dormitory halls of Miami University of Ohio. Schleiter and bassist Daniel McMahon met in high school, where they often talked about working together musically. Schleiter and McMahon then got together with fellow Miami University students and suburban Chicago natives Kevin Kane (drums) and Alec Cyganowski (vocals), and Powerspace was born.
Once together, the band took to performing in small venues around the Miami University campus and Cincinnati area. That summer, the men recorded their first demo with the help of music producer Mark McClucky. The resulting EP, Houston, We Have a Party, drew attention from numerous labels, none of which related to the men’s artistic views and goals like Fueled By Ramen.
“It’s actually a really small organization considering how many big bands they have,” said Schleiter, crediting Ramen’s strong street team for “making [the success of small bands] possible.” Schleiter said that John Janick, one of the founders of Ramen, was upfront and straight with Powerspace, which was the band’s main reason for choosing the label.
Once signed, the band members decided to take an indefinite break from college and focus solely on their music. With more time to concentrate on their writing, composing and practicing, Powerspace was able to start recording their first full-length album, Kicks of Passion, in December 2006. Then they toured with bands such as Hawthorne Heights, Amber Pacific, From First to Last and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
“We hadn’t played as many shows as the other bands,” Schleiter said, reminiscing on the band’s earlier tour dates. “.we were rough around the edges.”
Rough around the edges or not, Powerspace soon gained a following, as Schleiter said that the band tries to make their live shows “as crazy as possible.there’s a lot of energy and bouncing around, and we have a lot of fun with the lights, too. It gets pretty sweaty.”
Though the band is currently on tour promoting Passion, which was released on July 31, they actually would not mind being back at school.
“Yeah, there’s definitely some nostalgia there,” said Schleiter. “All of our friends are back at school now, and we miss them.but I think I’m OK with where we are now.”
The men from Powerspace also have ties to Saint Louis University, as Schleiter proclaimed SLU senior John Curry as “the band’s biggest inspiration.”
Powerspace, which has been compared to famous label-mate Panic! At The Disco, was credited by SPIN Magazine as “apply[ing] fluttery dance pop to their hook-heavy emo.” Their lively, electronica-inspired pop has helped them gain a strong fan base-hopefully one strong enough to fill Schleiter’s prophecy. In one year, he claimed that Powerspace would be “the biggest band on the planet or.dead.” Hopefully for Powerspace’s sake, Schleiter and the powerful minds behind Fueled By Ramen will be right.
