The last break

Luke never lost that childhood fantasy growing up.\nHe's going to be a rock star.\nHe already has the look and swagger. Now he's working on the music. Luke, Toby and Jarrett started a band this fall. Their songs -- recorded in Luke's basement -- have already impressed some people in the music industry. They're ready to play shows. They're ready to make a record. There's just one problem.\nNo singer.\nThe three have devoted the entire spring semester to finding one. They've fliered campus and held auditions but no one cut it. They brought in friends and friends of friends. One would-be singer even added his own lyrics to an All the Action song (that's their name, after a series of trials). "It sounded like Creed," said Luke. "That was enough for me."\nAt a standstill with the semester halfway over, they're changing gears on their spring break trip.\n"I think Jarrett should sing," Luke said.\nThere have always been thoughts here and there of Jarrett singing. Of the three, he's best-suited to sing the music. Plus, he's written at least half of the songs. OK, problem solved. With Jarrett in front of the mic, they're all set. Here come the shows, the records and the women. But there's one more problem.\n"He can't play and sing at the same time," Toby said. "I don't think he can. He doesn't think he can."\n"He's gonna practice 24-7," countered Luke. "He's gonna work on it. I think he can do it."\nToby, who is anything but optimistic, still isn't convinced.\nWhen the group played at Luke's party a week before break, Jarrett missed some notes while he sang harmony on a Jimmy Eat World song, Toby said.\nLuke remains hopeful for the best. He just finished watching Sting lead the Police one more time after accepting their invitation into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He sees the potential of a bassist leading the group.\n"A bass player who sings, how cool is that?" \nThe three have a while to figure it out. Jarrett won't graduate until next December, and Toby and Luke will stay in Bloomington until then. During those months they'll work on playing. They'll work on singing.\nAnd hopefully, they'll work on playing, and singing, at the same time.\nBut for now they're in Memphis on their final spring break wondering what human organs have to do with maple syrup.\nRead Chapter Four: Brains and Blues, Tuesday.