I have always liked the band Pal. I liked them before I was in the group, I liked them during the few months that I played drums for them, and I continued to like them after they kicked my ass out. They’ve always been a unique band, and I’ve always dug their vibe.

Formed back in September of 2001, Pal is the product of a friendship between Keith Helt and Seth Emily. The two musicians (slash zinesters, slash artists, slash nice guys) had plenty of time to figure out the details of a new band while working together at Chicago Comics. Were they going to play punk, rock, or hardcore? Keith said something along the lines of “The only thing I’m hardcore about is friendship.” Thus the friend-oriented stylings of Pal began. They found a drummer named Nick, asked their friend Tim to play bass, and of course Michele plays that Farfisa brand keyboard—the one that gives Pal its signature sound.

Since then, Pal has gone through various stylistic changes, perhaps due to their changes in lineup. They’ve had a couple of drummers, and Keith is no longer with them; he now plays in a band called The Rories. But that same friendly attitude is there, as are a number of messages Pal tries to communicate to its audiences.

“I wouldn’t really say our songs are about working politics,” Seth told me, “but maybe more like everyday politics. We like to write songs about how people can make differences in their everyday lives.”

But being a political rock band in Chicago can be a challenge; we like our Rock n’ Roll simple! We want dirty guitar riffs and songs about drinking too much! Seth tells me that he understands the need for bands like that, but Pal’s mission is a little different. They don’t only want to entertain. They want to communicate, connect with the audience, and make people think. But don’t feel intimidated, because then you will miss their point entirely. Pal isn’t here to preach about the problems and answers of the world, but to open up dialogues.

“I think a lot of times people are afraid of sounding stupid. They start to feel like only the highly educated NPR listeners are allowed to voice opinions,” Seth explains. “But everyone should discuss politics, just like we talk about movies or TV. We need to voice our opinions, and tell each other how these daily events affect us.”

So that’s what Pal tries to do. They tell you about the things that affect them, and then they hang out after the show to listen to what others have to say in response. This chance to meet and talk with new people is exactly what Pal strives for. Their goals don’t center on financial success, but rather social and political success. The more people they can meet and talk with, the better. This is community building at its finest, and Pal plans on continuing the tradition for as long as they can.

Pal currently has a seven-inch record available, and plans to record another this spring. For more information, check out their websites:

palpalpal.net

myspace.com/palpalpal