It’s not every day a hometown Iowa band has the opportunity to sign a recording contract with a major label.

But for Indianola-native band Index Case, the long-awaited day has arrived.

“Every young kid had that dream,” says guitarist Josh Parker. “We weren’t joking [about it.]”

Index Case recently signed a contract with NoName/Elektra. At the end of October they’ll go to California to begin the recording process for a new album, playing out their dreams.

“It was really weird for me to sign the deal,” Parker says. “I’m paid to play music now.”

The group says they got together the normal way; they were all looking for a band, so they found each other and started working. The four members of the band went to the same high school in Indianola, but didn’t connect until after two members had graduated.

“I didn’t even know that Josh played guitar until we were out of high school,” says singer Joe Ansley.

The time since they began Index Case has bonded them as a group, band members say.

“We passed the friendship thing,” Parker says. “We’re like brothers.”

Index Case has spent the last three years showcasing and chasing record labels to get signed. Their efforts were upgraded by a manager who’s been through it all and has been able to help steer them from incessant troubles. Manager Chad Calek, former member of 35″ Mudder, is as aggressive as the band members themselves, Parker says.

“He helps protect us from everyone who wants to ruin us,” Parker says. “He made sure we didn’t make all the mistakes that his band did.”

With Calek overseeing, the band members write and produce all their own music. Ansley says he doesn’t know how to play any instruments, but he writes most of the lyrics. The other three take care of the music and Parker concentrates on production.

“[Signing the contract} is kind of a release,” Parker says. “I’m gonna love it because I don’t have to be in charge of producing.”

The band hopes to improve its sound and maturity when recording in the California studios.

“We change with every record,” Ansley says. “We always try to keep it new. It’s gonna do nothing but make us better.”

To add to the excitement of the new contract, Index Case will be featured on the soundtrack of the movie remake “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

“That was very cool to get that phone call,” Parker says. “[The soundtrack] will come out before we can even get to the studio. This is great timing.”

Once the new album is finished, Index Case is looking forward to touring in promotion of its first major label release. Being a local Iowa band, the group members love touring and doing live shows to advertise their name and where they’re from.

“We did this show in San Francisco once and somebody just yelled ‘Slipknot!'” Ansley says.

“On a national level, people think we’re from Iowa so we must sound like Slipknot. We want to make people think of Index Case,” Parker says. “We like Slipknot, but it’ll be nice to have something else.”

Parker says when people hear the new album, they will hear the real Index Case. The lyrics, the music and the production and recording will all be a lot more mature.

“We don’t have a bunch of tattoos and don’t do a lot of drugs and drink a lot,” Parker says. “There’s no fallback for any of us. It’s like jumping without a net.”

Index Case has continued to stay focused on the music and it’s paid off. So far, the small amount of fame hasn’t gone to any of their heads.

“We’re regular individuals doing something not so regular,” Parker says.