For some bands, breaking out of the local scene and into the mainstream is a top priority. But for Hog Mallet, leaving Ames is the last thing on their minds.

“There’s no point in going a thousand miles away where no one’s heard of you,” says bassist Justin Stoner, junior in mechanical engineering.

Guitarist and singer Michael Bosworth agrees, and says the band’s fans have a lot to do with group’s love for the local scene.

“As of right now we’re just having fun making music,” says Bosworth, sophomore in computer engineering. “We really appreciate [the local fans] a lot.”

Drummer Brett Barry, junior in history, says finishing college is more important than being successful with their music now.

“Right now education is our first priority,” Barry says.

The band formed when Stoner, Bosworth and Barry were still in high school in Logan, a small Iowa town near Omaha, Neb.

The three self-taught musicians in Hog Mallet have remained close friends after high school, and showcase their own brand of garage rock about once a week in the Ames area.

Stoner says playing in Omaha was a difficult experience because the fans didn’t understand the music, but a loyal fan base and the support of several venues in Ames have helped in the band’s success.

“[Playing at People’s Bar and Grill, 2428 Lincoln Way,] is a good way to reach people,” Stoner says.

Bosworth says although Boheme Bistro, 2900 West St., has not had a lot of local shows lately, it is a fun place to play.

“We like the Boheme the best because it’s all ages,” Bosworth says. “The atmosphere is cool, but it’s not too rowdy.”

Although Hog Mallet has seen success in the local scene, Stoner says shows out of the area can sometimes prove disastrous.

“We’ve had shows where everything’s gone wrong,” Stoner says.

Icy roads on the way to a performance in Lafayette, Ind., forced the three musicians to stay at the venue in which they had performed earlier in the evening.

Unfortunately, Stoner says the loud partying of other bands kept them awake all night, and forced them to drive back to Iowa on very little sleep.

Despite problems on the road, Hog Mallet is working on its sophomore album, which will be released this summer. Bosworth says the new album will be different than their first release in recording quality.

“We all live together, so we made it a point to work on it all summer,” Bosworth says. “We just nailed it.”

Bosworth says his responsibility as lead singer stretched as far as the songwriting process during the recording of the latest album.

“It’s a mellow hard rock [sound] with harmonic vocals,” Bosworth says.

“I write the lyrics because I sing them. Fair is fair.”

Stoner says his self-taught guitar methods have proven to be a challenge for him as a musician.

“It’s really hard to play the guitar and sing at the same time,” Stoner says.

Barry says local bands offer a lot more than commercial music can and urges people to check out the Ames music scene.

“There’s cooler music than what’s on the radio,” Barry says.

Download the MP3 “Pathetic” by Hog Mallet

Who: Hog Mallet, Casanatra, Lesser Known Saint, Crash Attraction, Organum Invictus

Where: Boheme Bistro, 2900 West St.

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Cost: $5