By Jason Keil   Published Jul 01, 2003 at 5:10 AM

{image1}When high school friends Mark Speer and Sam Stubblefield were thinking of names for their new band, they were looking for something that sounded fun, catchy and easy for listeners to remember.

The result was the name The Attractive Female Twins, even though the members of the band at the time were all male. As the band continued to take shape, Mark found that the best people to round out the group were family, and that is where his sister Cassie Speer and his wife Nell Speer came in.

While The Attractive Female Twins now have two attractive females, they still fail to live up to their name -- no twins. But their sound is similar to the name Mark and Stubblefield came up with: fun, catchy, memorable sugary pop that combines the melodies of such 1960s rock bands like the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel to the edginess of today's rock bands such as Weezer and The All-American Rejects.

The six tracks on their just completed first EP, entitled "Rock Appreciation 101," perfectly demonstrate the captivating harmonies the band set out to do since its 2001 inception. Organization is a key factor in The AFT's success. "We decided early on what we wanted to sound like," Mark says, "We just build from there."

Growing from his experiences and quirky sense of humor, Mark's catchy lyrics, which can be heard in songs such as "Sing in Stereo" and "Without Arms", add to the group's pleasant appeal. "I just write whatever is at the top of my head," he says, "Kurt Cobain said that his lyrics are basically what sounded good in his songs, even though they didn't make a lot of sense."

"Rock Appreciation 101" is a culmination of a grueling year of work for The AFT. The closeness of family kept the group going through the grueling months of studio work. "We really took a long time," Mark says, "You try so hard because your money is on the line. Your emotions are on the line. This album made us better musicians."

"Were so comfortable with each other that we don't have a hard time telling each other what we're feeling," says Nell

The AFT's hard work is finally starting to pay off. In addition to the EP alerting listeners to their growing presence in the Milwaukee music scene, a recent Shepherd Express cover article used the band's likeness, down to the trademark Catholic school uniforms, and raised the group's awareness. The AFT feel that their biggest achievement to date is being awarded a gig at the Holy Grail of local shows, this year's Summerfest (Thurs., July 3, 7 p.m., Chevy Rock Tour Stage).

Their show at the Big Gig will help The AFT in their efforts to bring their music to a wider audience. Plans are being made to take their tasteful power-pop to the streets with a tour. As their already healthy fan base continues to grow, much bigger success seems to be just around the bend.

What's their secret?

Cassie seems to have the perfect answer. She says, "You can't take yourself too seriously."