Practice Makes Perfect

Taco Bell cups and cigarette butts litter the tables. The band's cover to Michael Jackson's "Beat It" penetrates through the abandoned warehouse's walls. The band's equipment-- electrical cords, amplifiers, guitars, drums, and microphones--scatter across the concrete floor.

The sound of the 19-year-old's voice is the only thing calming the banging of the drums and the strumming of guitars. Her voice reminds the men she plays with of the potential that their cover band has. The other three band mates are Bill, Burt, and Jeff. Bill is a married man dressed in Corona sleep pants. He wears his hair down to his lower back. Never without a Marlboro in hand, he's the man responsible for the beat of the drums. Burt is an average guy who plays the bass guitar. He too is never without a cigarette as he strums along to the songs. Finally, Jeff is a 300-pound man from a trailer park with gauges in his ears.

The band practices until 11 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They leave behind the warehouse with bed sheets covering the drums, doors locked, and the lights off until they return the following day for another practice.