Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: The Verge

Kyle Goeken is the guarist and vocalist of The Signal

Meet our shot of the week. (Karolina Strack/On the Verge)

Goeken stands outside of Buzzard Hall with his axe case. (Karolina Strack/On the Verge)

As a graphic design major and member of a band looking to get signed to a record label, Kyle Goeken is a busy man.

The sophomore from Bloomington is the guitarist and lead vocalist in a band called The Signal.

He has been with them for a little more than a year, but the other members have played together for years.

The Signal is comprised of four other members who all live in Champaign. Drummer Kyle Prillaman is Goeken's cousin; Jake Roth on guitarist and vocals; Paul Little as the bass player ans Jake Lee, lead guitarist.

"(Lee) is the best guitar player I know," Goeken said.

Before Goeken got involved with his band, he went to see them perform. After that show, the lead singer was let go. Prillaman, got Goeken an audition. The band liked him and he got the spot.

Now they collaborate when it comes to creating music.

"Kyle has a real marketable sound to his voice, so that's a plus," Prillaman said. "It's really exciting to see him develop as a musician with us."

The Signal is an all-original guitar driven technical rock band.

"They have a hot beat, smooth lyrics and nice acoustics," said Melissa Kearns, a senior elementary education major.

Kearns plans on seeing The Signal play at 7 p.m. on May 24 in Urbana for the Darfur Benefit Concert.

A 16 hour class schedule and trip to Champaign every Friday for a show or practice leaves Goeken with little free time.

Despite his busy schedule, Goeken can't help but be happy with where he is.

"I wouldn't change it at all," Goeken said. "There's nothing better than playing music."

With both parents as singers who enjoy music as much as he does, Goeken has been exposed to music all his life.

"Honestly," Goeken said, "I can't remember a day when I wasn't listening to, thinking about or playing music."

He learned guitar on his own when he was 12 years old.

Goeken hasn't had any vocal training until this semester when he enrolled in chorus.

But being in a band is not all fun and games.

"There are times when songs just won't come together," he said. "But one good show makes it all better. It's strange how shows can do that."

The Signal recently bought a van and a trailer for its summer tour from June into July.

The tour will go through Missouri, southern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Mississippi.

The Signal plays about one or two shows a weekend between Champaign and southern Illinois.

The band has a four track extended plays, EP, it sells at shows. They are currently looking to make shirts, buttons, stickers and posters.

Goeken creates designs depending what his band mates like, but they plan to get a professional designer.

The Signal is currently recording a nine track EP that is scheduled to come out at the end of summer. Goeken said it has "harder metal riffs without the screaming."

The track is being professionally recorded at Pogo Studios in Champaign.

"We want to make sure we take hold before we take any offers," Goeken said. "We have really just started writing music we're completely happy with, and we've only done five songs with me."

Although Goeken wants the band to become successful and sign a label, he plans to work with labels or design posters if his musical career doesn't work out.

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