Ian, Joel and PJ had been playing music together for years in their bedrooms and garages, not playing any shows, not solidifying a real rhythm section, not even bothering to come up with a band name, just writing lots of songs. A call from a friend, Chuckie Duff, and an offer to record a few demo songs seemed like a good next step for the friends. Chuckie recorded, mixed and mastered three songs in just a couple days. Some CD-R copies were made and given to friends, who all responded with amazement. Despite that, there was continued trouble finding a rhythm section and the boys decided shortly after the demos were recorded to call it quits. Months later, Chuckie, who had become obsessed with the songs he had helped record, called Joel, with the intent to convince everyone to get the band back together. He offered to play bass, finance a full-length recording and help find a drummer. Fate would have it that Ian, Joel and PJ had already decided to get together and play some of the old songs that same day.

So, Dear and the Headlights was born, now all they needed to do was find a drummer. After many failed try-outs, they found Mark Kulvinskas, thanks to an ad they had placed on Craigslist. He learned nine songs in one practice and was in, just in time for the band’s first show a couple weeks later. Things moved quickly once the band started playing out. Immediately Dear and the Headlights were opening for national acts like The Bravery, Matt Pond PA, Make/Believe, Idlewild, The Hold Steady and more. Their demo recordings got great reviews in respectable online publications including Music (for Robots) and Transform Online. Local press also praised the young band, including the dubious distinction of 944 Magazine’s “Best Local Band You’ve Never Heard.” Dear and the Headlights were quickly changing the “never heard” part. Along with playing bigger and bigger shows, they continued to write and re-write songs for their upcoming studio-time with local producer-extraordinaire, Bob Hoag.

So after just one year of being a band, Dear and the Headlights had a finished LP. But even before the record was finished, the calls had already started coming in. Record labels big and small were curious about this band with the annoying name making noise out in Arizona. However, none of the interest turned into any solid offers, and the band continued on a path toward self-release, went on three self-booked tours during the summer and started planning the release of their record.

After several months of talking, Equal Vision Records has decided to sign Dear and the Headlights and release their 14 song debut in early 2007.

Presenting acts from the U.S. and abroad, BMI will showcase an array of rising rock, pop and singer/songwriter acts. From the blues rock of the Isle of Man’s Back Door Slam, to the power rock trio of Inward Eye, infectiousness of Bang Bang Bang and John Paul White’s rhythmic guitar, BMI’s Lollapalooza stage is guaranteed to satisfy all musical tastes.

The schedule for the BMI sponsored Lollapalooza stage is as follows:

Friday, August 3
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. - The Switches: Hailing from London, England, the Switches debut album, Heart Tuned To D.E.A.D, is influenced by artists such as David Bowie, The Rakes, Super Furry Animals, and the Beach Boys.

12:30 – 1:15 p.m. - Tom Schraeder: With a delicate, drunken honesty and a knack for setting the simple desperation of young love against a background of Brit-pop-laced Americana, Tom Schraeder’s songs for his upcoming album, The Door, are not for the faint of heart.

1:45 – 2:30 p.m. - Bang Bang Bang: With influences like The Sex Pistols and Lenny Kravitz, Bang Bang Bang inked a record deal with Warner Brothers after dazzling them with their irresistible, infectious brand of greasy, sleazy Southern rock, spiked liberally with punk energy and songwriting smarts.

3:00 – 3:45 p.m. - Powerspace: This young quartet specialize in a cross between hooky power pop à la Fountains of Wayne, ironic glam metal in the tradition of the Darkness, and '80s-influenced dance-rock textures that recall early MTV stars like INXS and Duran Duran.

4:15 – 5:00 p.m. - Inward Eye: With a nod to the Jam and the Who, this rock trio from Winnipeg, Canada write and perform songs with the wit and guitar-based energy that have won them a global audience.

5:30 – 6:15 p.m. - Wax on Radio: Chicago' s Wax On Radio has emerged at the forefront of a new breed of important young rock bands. At once artistic, virtuosic, heavy, and reminiscent of an era when great songs and evocative aural atmospherics coexisted with strong hooks, the bands music resonates as an uncommonly multifaceted, engaging, and convincing statement.

Saturday, August 4
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Dear and the Headlights: Rock band Dear and the Headlights, calls Phoenix, Arizona home and consists of five members influenced by artists such as Radiohead, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, and Leonard Cohen.

12:30 – 1:15 - Ludo: Critics embraced their second album, The Broken Bride, as “a rock and roll adventure for the ages” and “a competitor for the best EP of the year.”

1:45-2:30 - Kevin Michael: With an irresistible blend of soul, funk, r&b and pop, Kevin Michael invokes greats from the past while bringing something totally new to the game on his debut album, YaDig?

3:00 – 3:45 - Lady GaGa: Lady GaGa’s debut album combines her love of Beatles’ melodies with retro dance beats, plastic synth sounds, and a quirky rock piano style. Her dramatic live shows have won over fans and critics in her hometown of New York City.

4:15-5:00 - Cage the Elephant: Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant formed in 2006, debuting their self-released album this past March. With a strong buzz off of their SXSW and Bonnaroo performances, the band is winning indie rock fans over with their no-frills,  no-boundaries performances.

5:30 – 6:15 - Back Door Slam: This blues-rock trio from the Isle of Man has made jaws drop when 19-year-old singer Davy Knowles showcases his exceptional blues-rock guitar skills and vocals, showing that the passion and heart of the blues is evolving outside the U.S.

Sunday, August 5
11:15 – 12:00 - The Graduate: After their debut album, Anhedonia, hit stores this past April, The Graduate has gained momentum due to memorable songs, an interactive live show and the friendly disposition of its members.

12:30 – 1:15 - Mr. North: This four-piece band, comprising two brothers, a first cousin and a next-door neighbor, started playing together when they were young teens. Their second album, Fear and Desire, showcases the bands’ powerful live sound.

1:45 – 2:30 - Smoosh: the first true rock Tween act to come from the indie scene, Smoosh offers a rare combination of honesty, perseverance, and passion for music.

3:00 – 3:45 - The Diffs: Inspired by early L.A. punk bands like The Germs, Black Flag and the Adolescents, the Diffs go back to the source and make the sound their own. The LA Weekly hails The Diffs as “L.A.’s coolest high-school band.”

4:15 – 5: -  John Paul White: John Paul White, a Lawrenceburg, Tennessee native, journeyed over to Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals this past fall to record his debut album with Capitol Records.

5:30 – 6:15 - Bound Stems: When reporting on the Bound Stems, Rolling Stone exclaimed, “These Chicago indie rockers build on Modest Mouse’s quirky popiness with low-fi samples and a bouncy groove all their own.”
Press credentials can be requested through Lollapalooza at www.lollapalooza.com/credentials_start.asp

BMI presents and sponsors a stage at all three of C3 and Capital Sports & Entertainment’s music festivals: Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival September 14-16, and the inaugural Big State Festival, October 13-14. BMI’s partnership with this elite festival is designed to offer more prime showcasing opportunities to its songwriters — a distinct priority of the organization. For more information on Lollapalooza, please visit www.lollapalooza.com; for information on the Austin City Limits Music Festival, visit www.aclfestival.com; and for details regarding the Big State Festival, please go to www.bigstatefestival.com.