Look out Slipknot. Another band is plowing its way up the music ladder to challenge your coveted spot as Iowa’s claim-to-fame in the music industry.

With the addition of a female vocalist and a few big names on their side, Mr. Plow’s chance at rock stardom is looking brighter.

Almost seven months ago hometown heroes Mr. Plow played its final show in Ames before leaving to tackle the often brutal music scene of Los Angeles, Calif.

Coming together from the Ames-area towns of Gilbert, Slater and Huxley, the sextet worked their way to the top of the Ames music scene, pumping its blend of hip-hop, funk and rap into the ears of anyone willing to listen.

Mr. Plow decided to make the move after receiving national attention in the music industry, and being flown numerous times to Los Angeles and New York for record label showcases.

Due to contract stipulations and the rules of the game in the music industry, the band couldn’t divulge many of the details surrounding the success its had.

“The big news is that there will be big news soon,” boasts Sam Johnson, Plow bass player, who is busy house-sitting for the band’s manager, Mark Adelman.

Adelman’s management history includes Prince, Luther Vandross and Kiss, along with others. He isn’t the only important person connected to the Plow posse.

Since their move to Los Angeles, Mr. Plow has also managed to acquire the services of Mike Klink, the producer behind all of the Guns N’ Roses albums.

While taking time out from playing video games, Dan Fjelland speaks about the band’s relationship with Klink.

“It’s just been a great experience,” he says. “There was some interest in the band before, but after Mike Klink came about, there’s been more label interest. Right now we’re talking to a couple labels.”

The band can’t reveal the names of those labels.

When Plow’s members got to California they put their music on hold for a month to make sure they could pay the bills and support their music and video game habits.

They finalized the move by getting their new driver’s licenses and opening bank accounts.

Plow found itself a practice studio, and regained the lost leg muscles needed to fuel its high-charged live shows.

As of Mr. Plow’s move to Los Angeles in February, the band’s lineup was Johnson, bass; Fjelland, vocals; Ubong Stowe, drums; Nick Pearson, vocals; Paul Thacker, guitar; and Ben Harrelson, guitar. Two months ago the band acquired its seventh member.

The band decided to add a female element to perfect the constantly evolving Plow sound. It put an ad in a local music industry magazine and held auditions.

After turning down many girls who were just looking to meet boys, and a few short stints with a couple girls who didn’t pan out, the band eventually found a permanent spot in the Plow outfit for Katie Morris.

“The first rehearsal she came to we knew she was it,” Johnson says. “There was no decision to be made. She was it.”

Having this new element in the band re-sparked their creative side, and a burst of new songs followed.

“We’ve written, since [Morris] joined the band, seven or eight songs in the course of a few months,” Johnson says, adding that the band hasn’t, in the past, been very quick in the song-writing process.

Despite the addition of a little more estrogen, the band hasn’t changed. They are still obsessed with their music, “The Simpsons” and video games.

“Obviously with a female element it’s going to change,” Johnson says. “It will be different. We’re still doing the same thing we have always done.”

Mr. Plow has yet to make its Los Angeles venue debut, but there are plans to do so in the near future.

“We used to play three shows a week when we lived in Iowa, and we really miss it,” Johnson explains. “It’s not like we’re stagnant. We rehearse every day and we practice for three or four hours every night, but now we’re ready to channel that energy into our shows.”

Not only are they starting to play shows around the area, but they have also started to play for music executives again.

“Everyone heard us a year ago, and obviously we didn’t get signed,” Johnson comments. “Looking back on that, we know what we had to work on and our strengths and our weaknesses. We’re really confident now that we’re ready to be seen.”

Mr. Plow is also working on a new demo to distribute throughout the industry, which will hopefully land them the record label contract they’ve been vying for.

In the mean time, most of the boys wake up at 6:30 every morning, put on their ties, dress shirts and khakis – uncharacteristic of their typical garb – drink their coffee, and make their way to desk jobs that temporarily support their music.

“Everyone comes home from work and they’re taking off their dress shirts before they get up to the apartment and it’s like `let’s go rehearse and go crazy for a while,'” Johnson says.

Mr. Plow has heard some crazy rumors from friends, fans and family still in the Midwest. The band did not break up. Fjelland didn’t quit the band to start his own rap group, nor is he the leader of a religious cult in San Fernando Valley. Thankfully, Stowe has not run off to join Sugar Ray, and Johnson is not dating a celebrity, yet.

“All we do is hang out with each other because we’re working so hard,” Johnson laughs in response to the rumors. “After we’re done with rehearsal we don’t even really go out.”

Plow is enjoying their new home in sunny California and working hard to make the people back home proud.

“We’re going to keep on working on making a different sound that the music industry needs right now,” Fjelland says. “We’re trying to make it happen. Hopefully everyone will hear from us soon.”

Look out Slipknot, scary masks may help build a nationwide fan base, but good music can, too.