The question is raised up again and again - why aren't any of the good independent bands being signed by major labels? champion birdwatchers, The Lincolns, Skapegoat...the list is longer than Santa's beard. One of the premier indie bands functioning in Northern California is the Plain Janes, a rad, 4 piece melodic rock outfit that I was fortunate to see in concert at the Mama Liana festival that 5 Minute Walk put on last weekend. I got a chance to chat with lead singer Paul Deal for a couple of minutes to see where he’s coming from...

How did the band start? "The lead guitarist and I started writing songs in our spare time, just acoustic guitar-based songs. Then Frank Tate (5MW head cheese) told us that if we could get a band together, we could open up for Dime Store Prophets, and the rest is history..."

Where do you get inspiration? "God...just us wanting to express our salvation to other people."

How many years have you been going at it (the band thing)? "3 years."

What's your most memorable moment as a band? "When we sat down and prayed and made a commitment to not worrying about getting a record contract but serving God..."

What are your top five favorite bands, past or present? "Toad the Wet Sprocket, Dime Store Prophets, Vigilantes of Love, Matthew Sweet, and Jebby and the Trees (indie band out of Sacramento)."

What's the first album you ever bought as a kid?"Ratt - 'Out Of The Cellar'"

Favorite breakfast cereal? "CoCo Puffs."

The Plain Janes put on a great show, and they're al super nice guys. I spent about ten minutes just hanging out and talking...look for them in the future.