Didn’t want to see them. Didn’t want to hear their songs. Had no idea what the hell the line from their hit song “Angeline Is Coming Home”, “resplendent in dignity” meant, nor did I ever want to find out.

I’m a musical snob of a sort, listening only to an eclectic mix of punk and power pop music. When I stared down at the tapes littered on the floor of my sister’s white convertible and saw the Badlees lying there among the mix of really bad tunes; I immediately ranked them with bands like Winger and Skid Row.

The ultimate decision not to partake in this Central Pennsylvania phenomenon was made when friends tried to convince me that I should listen because Pete, the lead singer, is “so cute”. As someone who bases her musical likes and dislikes based on craftsman-like instrument playing and killer pop hooks, I would never listen to musical advice encompassing someone’s good looks.

Then, one night in June, my world changed. Reluctantly, I allowed my sister to drag me to a Badlees show. The only reason I agreed to accompany her is because local power pop greats, The Jellybricks, were the opening act. We took separate cars so that I could leave immediately following my band of choice that evening.

After the opening pop performance, much to my wondering eyes (and ears) appeared five talented guys and their musical gear! There were mandolins, guitars and loud crashing drums; not to mention melodies, high energy and a packed room of devoted fans. There they were: Bret Alexander, Jeff Feltenberger, Ron Simasek, Paul Smith and Pete Palladino, known collectively as The Badlees.

It was an amazing sight. A room chock-full of people, young and old, all bopping to Ron’s glorious drum beat and singing along to Pete’s perfect baritone voice. I was hooked instantly. On stage, they seemed like genuinely nice guys and as if they were plainly having fun. Before breaking down the doors of a local Badlees Anonymous meeting, I had to prove these perceptions so I thought it would be a good idea to schedule an interview and MODE’s wise Publisher agreed.

In a quiet conference room at a local radio station, these five songsters bellied up to a corporate conference room table to answer grilling from the toughest critic in town.

With each member’s musical influences coming in all flavors, ranging from Johnny Cash to Steve Earle to Paul Westerburg, they seem to pull it all together and mesh and are counting on their longevity as a band. The philosophy for longevity, according to Badlees’ musical genius, Bret Alexander is, “As time goes on, even the greatest songwriter of the 20th century, Bob Dylan, looks at what he does as just a craft. If you just try to be a good craftsman, eventually it wins out.” He continues, “If you come out in the beginning with some sort of a niche or a vibe and then after you get under the surface and realize that if that is your only charm, you’re not going to last very long. As an artist, you have to really struggle. It’s kind of ironic, if you hear actors talking about this. They find a niche and that’s how they get recognized. With music, however, if you get pegged into a niche, you have to start backpedaling to show that you can do other things.”

Longevity doesn’t seem to be an issue for this five-some, however. Although the band has a freshly recorded CD hot off the press entitled, The Day’s Parade, they weren’t shy about discussing the history of the band which runs about 10 years. Their first release, It Ain’t For You, was released independently in 1990. According to Paladin, “It was the first thing we ever did together. We put it out to see how things would go.”

Admittedly, the Badlees have come a long way since then. “It took us a little while to learn how to be a band and how to really play together and fit in,” Pete reveals. “It probably took me a little longer than everybody else to figure out what we were trying to do. I’ve seen the evolution of everyone’s song writing and everyone has become a better player and singer as well.”

Before their big break, there were four releases and lots of high energy touring and they were being hailed as “Pennsylvania’s best and most entertaining band.” Their devoted fans were in the thousands and it was clear that a record deal was just around the corner.

Then in 1995, The Badlees independently put out, River Songs, which was then picked up by Polypro Records. This album met with critical acclaim and featured the song, “Angeline is Coming Home”. With the release of this album, they went on the road with acts such as Bob Seger, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page and The Allan Brothers.

Of their major label debut, the band comments that it is sometimes difficult to put out records for a record company. “Parts of [working with a record label] are very difficult. All along, we were the only five opinions that we had to please”, says Palladino. “Now you have people thinking about radio, people thinking about sales, people thinking about formats and everybody’s got an opinion and everybody’s right, so it is a bit difficult sometimes.”

However, the trials of working with a record label haven’t stopped them from moving on and recording yet again. They just returned from recording a new album in New York and Los Angeles entitled, Up There Down Here. The album is sitting on a shelf at the record company just screaming to be released. The schedule release date is early 1999, an eternity to a loyal fan.

Always polite and gracious, the band collectively and individually answered question after question and seemed honestly thrilled to do so. With Jeff’s favorite band being Son Volt, Paul grooving on Todd Rundgren, Bret a master of a gazillion instruments, Ron pleasantly surprised me with a reference to Big Star, and Pete being so gosh darn cute, with time, even the most cynical musical snob will be standing on the front lines of the Badlees army.