Raleigh catches Lovedrug in full stride of its current headlining tour when it performs at the Brewery tonight with fellow labelmates Brandston and indie rockers The Myriad. Michael Shepard, lead singer for Lovedrug, sat down and answered a few questions we had for him and his band.

Technician: Who are the fellows in your band and what instruments do they play?

Michael Shepard: I am the lead singer and am from Canton, Ohio. Dave Owen is the guitar player, Korey Jones plays bass and James Childress is our drummer. We are all from Canton, Ohio actually.

Technician: How did you guys become a band?

Shepard: The band was started about five years ago after a short sabbatical I took from the world of sound and businesses related to it. When I came back from the mountain I was at a place mentally where I couldn’t move forward with anything in my life unless these songs that were in my head were written. So I bought a piano, learned to play it, found some blokes from the old neighborhood and started sequentially planning my own personal vendetta against the unruly wiles of modern music. Infectious, you know. So I called it Lovedrug. That’s how it started anyway.

Technician: Any of you guys go to college?

I did for a little while. Korey did for a bit too. Dave and James didn’t. An expensive library card is what that was.

Technician: Where do you get some of your ideas and what are some of your main influences?

Shepard: My ideas? I have a lot of ideas. I had one that involved turning my bicycle into a flying device. I got that idea from the Pippi Longstocking movie. But mostly I’m influenced by what I read.

Technician: You are on tour right now. How is it going and what are your plans for after it?

Shepard: It is going very well. Lots of good folks coming out and singing along with our tunes and waxing an endearing ear to what we have new for the world. Generally speaking I’m very pleased thus far with the tour.

Technician: You’ve toured with a number of high profile bands like The Killers and The Juliana Theory. What was your favorite tour and who was it with?

Shepard: We didn’t actually tour with The Killers. It was just a showcase show. They were just getting signed and we were just getting signed. It was back before Brandon, lead singer for The Killers, started putting those queer-looking jewels all over his keyboard. As far as tours are concerned, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the tour we did with Switchfoot. I guess because it was the first tour we did that we were actually treated really well on. The guys in Switchfoot have hearts of gold. It’s pretty astounding.

Technician: You just put out an EP. Any plans for a full-length album soon?

Shepard: Yes. In February, we hope to release a full length album entitled Everything Starts Where It Ends.

Technician: What do you guys like to do in your free time?

Shepard: (laughs) Free time? I’ve never known that.

Technician: You’re signed to Militia Group, an independent label. Why did you choose it over a major label?

Shepard: Because of their belief in artist development at a grassroots level. It’s about building careers not shooting stars for them. I personally don’t really want to be working at a grocery store or something when I’m 35.

Technician: All right, thanks guys and good luck with the rest of your tour!

Shepard: Thank you.

You can catch Lovedrug’s unique brand of indie rock for $10 at the Brewery with doors opening at 8 p.m.