Infectious songs create fans.

Crafting infectious songs, frankly, is also a means of survival for bands not predestined for fame by the infamous "powers that be" in the not-so-black-and-white world of entertainment. Luna Halo front man Nathan Barlowe knows a bit about contagious tunes himself, having penned his share of them over the years and handing them over to a very dedicated fan base. Barlowe and his band mates, in essence, earned their ticket aboard the hulking ship known as Columbia Records the old-fashioned way -- by being damn good at what they do.

Evidence of Mr. Barlowe and crew's musical genius can be found on their new, self-titled album. Eleven songs, including the radio-friendly single Kings and Queens, are helping to breathe life into a musical genre that is always in search of the next fresh, infectious standard.

If this 2007 release is indicative of things to come for Luna Halo fans, we say put away the TheraFlu and bring on 2008...

XMFan: You were singing down in your basement on a little stage at the age of seven. When did you begin learning your first instrument?

Nathan: My first instrument was actually the drums, which I learned in junior high band, then later switched to the trumpet. I injured my leg in a skiing accident when I was sixteen, and was laid up in bed for several weeks. This was when my mom gave me my first guitar.

XMFan: Do you remember your first time singing to an audience?

Nathan: I was five years old, and my parents had a gospel singing group that traveled to different churches. Every night they would pull me out on stage to perform the two numbers I used to do. I remember that my very first time singing was in Dallas, Texas, and there were a thousand people there -- after I finished my song, they rolled out a brand-new bicycle for me. My mom always jokes that that's how I thought it was going to be every night. So that's how I became a singer... I thought I'd get rewarded.

XMFan: Have you always known that music was going to be your full-time passion?

Nathan: Yeah, I have. I've never wanted to do anything else. I mean, even at that age, I remember dreaming about it. Every kid goes through their "I'm going to be a cowboy or a fireman" phase, but as far as a serious career goes, this is all I've ever wanted.

XMFan: What was an unexpected source of inspiration for one of your songs?

Nathan: The song Big Escape stems from a conversation I had with a girl years and years ago, that I had completely forgotten until it popped into my mind for some reason. We were joking around one night about leaving the town we were in, because of how boring it was, and we wanted to get out and live life. We talked and just kind of joked about robbing banks and stealing cars, then meeting in the streets of Rome -- so that's how the first chorus of the song came about. It says "Meet me underneath the trees in Rome," and is referring to the conversation we'd had.

XMFan: I appreciate the insight. The inspiration there was really cool.

Nathan: No one else has ever heard that... It's the first time I've told anyone that story. (Laughs)

XMFan: Your self-titled album recently hit the market and airwaves, but this certainly isn't your first album. I get the vibe that Luna Halo is a fresh start artistically, or a rebirth of sorts.

Nathan: Absolutely. It's a brand-new project in my mind, kind of our real debut. I think a lot of that stems from the guys in the band, because it was just me in the old version. So yes, it's a rebirth -- it's a brand-new band.

XMFan: Your younger brother, Cary, had already established himself as a top-notch guitarist in the industry. Now that he's been on board with Luna Halo for a while, what do both of you think about the fit?

Nathan: It's incredible for me... To have your brother, your best friend, playing together with you in a band is like nothing else. For him to be such a great guitarist, on top of that, is quite a bonus.

XMFan: What are a couple of things the Nathan Barlowe of today knows that the Nathan Barlowe of ten years ago didn't?

Nathan: First of all, ten years ago I was the kind of person who really wanted to please everyone. As I have gotten older I've realized you're just not going to make everyone happy, and need to create and live for yourself and your loved ones. I believe I've learned a lot in the music industry. The band has been through ups and downs continuously over the past six years and we were probably turned down by fifteen different labels before getting a deal. So persevering and believing in ourselves -- and not trying to please anyone else -- is what I think eventually helped us.

XMFan: I probably read at least a hundred comments on your MySpace site that were posted just in the past week, many of them females wanting to marry you guys. One might think that people are feeling a connection with your work.

Nathan: There feeling a connection with something... I'm not sure exactly with what. (Laughs) I can't complain about that, and it's good for a band to appeal to as many people as possible.

XMFan: Having your song Kings and Queens featured in places like the NHL 2008 video game and as the intro for the last season of the King of Queens TV show seems to be a testament to the universal appeal of your music. But at that point in time, the album featuring the song hadn't even been released.

Nathan: At the time we were under the Warner Brothers umbrella, because we were assigned to American Records. We had already recorded the song, but the album hadn't been released, and I think management passed the song along to TV placement people. Everything just kind of snowballed from there -- it happened very quickly. We had two TV spots going at the same time, which was really good.

XMFan: Is it tempting to take the easy road during the creative process? Have you ever had the uncontrollable urge to pen the Luna Halo version of Oops, I Did It Again?

Nathan: No! (Laughs) Some people would argue that we've already done that, but no. I'm not artistic or creative just for the sake of trying to be cool. I mean, these songs come right out of us and it's a natural thing. It's a natural culmination of growing up and being influenced by so many different artists. I loved the pop-sensibilities and cheesiness of Duran Duran and a-ha when I was younger, then loved the darker stuff like The Smiths and The Cure. I think we pull in different directions, and it comes out a Luna Halo song.

XMFan: You have always made it very clear that you feel the need to move forward artistically. I believe this dedication is self-evident on your new album, and new and old fans alike have eleven excellent reasons to hear this album.

Nathan: I think any band that is worth a grain of salt wants to grow. I think we're going to be a band that -- as different as this album sounds from Luna Halo version one -- is going to sound even more so on the next one. We are constantly pushing ourselves and wanting to grow, whether it's in the studio or in our songwriting. I think we're still discovering our sound, and on this record I believe we found a lot of it. But there's still a ways to go.


Luna Halo's MySpace page is http://www.myspace.com/lunahalo