By Kelley Simms
photo by Zach Spangler
T
he members of the Chicago power
trio Signal the Launch share a strong
musical bond. The Lane Tech
College Prep and Rolling Meadows High
School graduates — brothers Mariusz (gui-
tars/vocals) and Dan Owczarczak (bass),
and Kevin Karpa (drums) — formed the
band in 2016 after a life-altering incident
that happened to Mariusz while driving
down Lake Shore Drive.
A minivan cut off his Ford Bronco,
causing him to slam on his brakes, which
dislodged the tie rod on the truck, sending
him flip-flopping all over the road. The
vehicle then rolled three times, seriously
injuring Mariusz.
Before the accident, the three were on a
musical hiatus, but Mariusz always had it
in the back of his mind that maybe one day
they would resume playing together again.
Well, that one day finally came to fruition
soon after his accident as the three musi-
cians reacquainted themselves, and Signal
the Launch was born.
The band has crafted an intriguing
blues-based melodic rock sound, which
snuggly fits in with Chicago’s vast musical
culture. On their 2019 EP Dance Like A
Vampire — recorded by famed Nirvana
producer Steve Albini — the group gets the
chance to show off its unique and diverse
brand of rock and roll.
“We wanted to show with this initial EP
the wide range of musical influences that
bound us,” Dan said. “If it wasn't for the
Chicago blues, I don't think we'd be musi-
cians, because it offered us an opportunity
to know that people could pick up an
instrument and play whatever they love.
We were inspired to take that step.”
Recorded at Albini’s Electrical Audio
Studios near the band’s Music Factory
rehearsal space in the Avondale neighbor-
hood, the band felt right at home during
the recording process. “Going into the
studio with Albini was something of a
comfort zone, having him in our own
20 illinoisentertainer.com december 2019
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backyard,” Dan said. “[We were] a little
nervous at first, just because you have a
phenomenal name and studio. But he's just
extremely easy to work with, and he creat-
ed a relaxed environment. We wanted a
nice, happy sound, and we knew that from
our research and that experience listening
to the albums that he created, that he
would provide that.”
While attending Columbia College,
Mariusz and Kevin formed their previous
outfit, Balloonatic, which had minor suc-
cess on the local circuit, with Dan joining
the band at the tail end of its run. When
deciding on the band's name, the members
thought it best represented a new arrival, a
new identity, resulting in a new "launch."
Being family as well as band members,
it’s inevitable that arguments can brew at
any time. “Yeah, we'll fight like brothers,
but we'll also forgive each other,” Mariusz
said. “We know that what’s binding us or
gluing us together is the music and the
attraction to creating something out of
nothing.”
“The yelling and potential fist fights are
always for a common goal, to succeed and
take it to that next level,” Dan agreed. “If
we didn't care, we wouldn't get to that
level. I don't know if there's ever been a
band who’s always polite to each other.”
One thing is clear though, the love for
the music and the band's chemistry always
wins in the end. “There is a chemistry that
we have, it's very cerebral,” Mariusz reiter-
ated. “It's very organic when we create
songs and come up with ideas. I went to
high school with Kev, and I know him just
as much as he knows me. My brother has,
unfortunately, had to grow up with me
being the younger brother. It’s a family; it's
like you had no choice. We're very close.”
After receiving positive feedback on
their Dance Like A Vampire EP and their
ambitious F. W. Murnau inspired 1920's
horror film music video directed by Zach
continues on page 41