There isnOt a single band in the history of the Maintenance Shop that has played more shows there than Cedar FallsO House of Large Sizes. The group has played 40 shows at the M-Shop during a span of 16 years.

A lot of bands would like to say they have played the historic venue located in the Memorial Union once, let alone 40 times.

Friday the three-piece rock outfit will play its 41st M-Shop gig, which also happens to be the release party for its new self-titled album. But you would never guess itOs an accomplishment when talking to guitarist and vocalist Dave Deibler.

OI thought it was 40,O Deibler says with a laugh about FridayOs show. OMy show business instincts tell me not to hype that up but what are you going to do?O

For those who have never been to the M-Shop, its walls are plastered with autographed publicity photos of bands that have played the club.

So you would think the band that has played there more than anybody else would get its picture on the wall, wouldnOt you?

OThey were suppose to put some damn picture of us up or something. They keep saying OyouOve played here 40 timesO well put up a damn picture then,O Deibler jokes.

No picture yet, but the M-Shop does have a salad on its menu called the House of Large Salad. Deibler and the rest of the band, which also features wife Barb Schilf on bass and drummer Brent Hanson, have yet to taste the leafy treat though.

OWe usually order pizza or something. I donOt think I have ordered the salad there but I guess we should just for the hell of it,O Deibler says.

Something you pick up on while talking to House of Large SizesO principal songwriter is the fact that he and the band try not to put much emphasis on accomplishments or anything else that draws attention away from the music itself.

OYou just canOt think about it too hard,O Deibler says. OWhatOs really important is playing. ItOs very simple, weOre a band, we write songs and we play.O

There are plenty of accomplishments to draw attention to, though.

House of Large Sizes has put out seven LPs since its career started in 1986, not to mention the numerous EPs and 7-inch singles. The band also enjoyed a short stint on Columbia Records in the early O90s. Long before Slipknot put Iowa on the major labelsO maps House of Large Sizes was carrying the torch.

This frame of mind has been a formula that has worked well for the band, as has DeiblerOs songwriting formula. Anyone who has heard House of Large Sizes before knows that the band has a very signature sound.

In a way, House of Large Sizes was a pop punk band long before it was ever cool. As Deibler explains, when the band first started it didnOt really fit in. Although it had strong punk roots, House of Large Sizes didnOt belong with the fast and furious punk rock of the time like Minor Threat or the Dead Kennedys.

The new album still carries that signature sound; DeiblerOs quirky lyrical delivery and guitar riffs still drive the song and BarbOs bouncing bass lines are still the heartbeat. But this time around the band tried to get away from the jerky stop-and-start arrangements that were so often used on prior efforts.

OThe twist and turns we did in arranging songs were different than our old approach which was to just have more parts and more tempo changes,O Deibler says. OI donOt think we were lazy in arranging them; we just took a different approach and I think it led to covering some new ground for us, which after 16 years is fantastic.O

So what is the secret to the longevity and success of House of Large Sizes?

There must be some tasty nugget of knowledge that Deibler can pass on to the next generation of rock OnO rollers, right?

ItOs a question heOs heard before but still canOt answer.

OI donOt think there is a secret that I can whisper in your ear and tell you,O Deilber says.

OThere are a bunch of corny show biz sayings that I can throw out but I think we love what we do and it shows. We never set out to be together this long and thatOs probably why we have been able to do it.O