Most people probably think glam/power-pop is dead in today’s music industry. But Box-o-Car frontman Skid Marks isn’t convinced.

“It seems like there’s a new pop movement going on. I’ve been meeting more and more bands that are into that stuff, just much more into style and how they present themselves,” Marks says. “Having hooks that people can grab onto and that stick in their heads is pretty much what we are about.”

Box-o-Car is a five-piece band straight out of Chicago and molded in part after bands such as The Cars and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust era.

The band formed after Skid and guitarist Kenny Sluiter’s prior group, The Charming Beggars, disbanded. But it didn’t take long for the group to make a name for itself around the Chicago area. Box-o-Car demos caught the attention of numerous area radio stations and eventually the attention of its label, Veronica Records.

The original aspiration of the band was to sign with a major label. But when this didn’t take place quite as fast as the five of them wanted, the band decided to sign with the smaller Veronica Records instead.

“We made some demos and shopped them around, and they were well received, but nobody was really doing back flips or anything,” Marks says of the band’s unsigned days. “There was a lot of other smaller labels that we could put something out on and keep our career moving forward. The main thing was to get a record out.”

So far, the relationship between Box-o-Car and Veronica Records has been flawless. Marks believes the two are on the same track together since they both have the intent of getting the group more air time on the radio.

The band’s debut album, “Faster Than The Sound of Speed,” was released in December, and Marks strongly believes if the songs from the record were to get some radio time, people would really like the album.

“I can see people listening to us on the radio and wanting to buy the record. Sometimes I listen to our stuff and think, man, if I heard that on the radio, I would buy that,” Marks says. “Radio airplay makes a huge difference; it’s like taking it to the next level.”

But at the same time, don’t expect Box-o-Car to change musically just to achieve radio play.

“We definitely have some commercial potential, but I don’t want it to happen at the expense of what we’re about, as far as changing our sound just to get on the radio,” Marks adds.

The thing that really excites Box-o-Car, though, is the chance to tour outside of the Chicago area and play gigs across the country.

With the exception of a few out-of-town dates, the band has been confined to the Chicago area. In fact, it haven’t been out of town since September, but that all changes this Saturday when Box-o-Car brings its energetic show to The Maintenance Shop.

“I think we have kind of a unique live show,” Marks says. “I think we play really good together. It’s a big sound. A lot of spastic energy goes on.”

Marks would love the band to have the opportunity to be able to tour and put on their show for a living. He has been in the music business for almost ten years and would love to see Box-o-Car go the distance.

“I would like to put out one record a year and keep going out on the road to where this eventually becomes our job,” Marks says.

Box-o-Car would rather gain attention at a more progressive rate than to come out of nowhere with that one hit song.

“If we could be selling out like 500 to 1,000 capacity places, pretty much that would be great for right now,” Marks says of the band’s ambitions. “In a way, I think it would be a drag if you had a really big hit song and you went to playing much bigger venues. I think sometimes you’re thrown into a much bigger situation than you can handle.”

Dedication and hard work will keep pulling Box-o-Car down the long tracks to music stardom.

“Some people think of musicians as being lazy, but I think you have to be very mentally strong,” Marks says. “I’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars that I don’t know if I’ll ever get back.

“If it’s something you really want to do, you just make it happen, whatever it takes,” he continues. “I figure if it does work out, it will be much more enjoyable knowing all the work you put into it. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be near as rewarding.”