What started out as merely a dream for Luke Pettipoole has amounted to much greater things. With nothing but his guitar and a few songs, Pettipoole approached Bi-Fi Records hoping for a record deal and a chance to share his music with more than just his friends.

After a live audition, Pettipoole was given a deal. A few weeks later, he recruited drummer Derek Powers and high school friend and bassist Peter Bovenmyer, an ISU sophomore in general undergraduate studies, and The Envy Corps was born. In December 2001, with the help of Bi-Fi Records, the band released its first album, a four-song EP titled “Humble Hero/Lurking in the Shadows.”

Since the band’s inception in October 2001, The Envy Corps has been playing shows consistently. After a few roster changes, the band finally settled into its current lineup of Pettipoole on bass and vocals; David Yoshimura, an ISU sophomore in English, on drums; and Noah Gurz on guitar.

“I would love to do this for the rest of my life,” Pettipoole says. “My future goal is to get further promotion from Bi-Fi and maybe eventually get a deal with one of the major indie labels.”

The band has opened for such acts as John Wilkes Kissing Booth, Dressy Bessy, Mountain Goats, Duvall and a host of others. On Friday, the band will open for Appleseed Cast and Owen at the Maintenance Shop.

“We have played with a bunch of different bands,” Yoshimura says. “We love playing so much that it doesn’t bother us to play with bands from other genres.”

Friday night’s show will also double as the release party for “The Gregory Rumes EP,” the band’s second EP. The album will include some rare B-sides, a cover of Pedro the Lion’s “Of Up and Coming Monarchs,” a track from their upcoming full-length album and a live version of “Gnats,” recorded at Cafe Diem, 323 Main St.

Pettipoole says the name for the seven-track EP was something taken straight from his own subconscious.

“The EP’s name is a result of these dreams I’ve been having,” Pettipoole says. “I always dream that I am in some random place, and whenever I go to get some cash from my wallet, the name on my driver’s license is Gregory Rumes.”

The Envy Corps is putting the finishing touches on the band’s debut full-length album, “Amongst a Sea of Mopey Imitators.”

“We are hoping to have it done as close to April 1 as possible,” Pettipoole says. “I want to have it done before everyone goes home for break.”

Although there are currently no plans for a tour, Pettipoole says the option is not out of the question in the future.

“We would like to go on tour,” he says.

“But whether or not we can depends on if we could all get work off and if we were promoted to a larger degree.”