{image1}Power-pop rock quartet The Saltshakers stepped onto the Milwaukee music scene last April with the release of their debut album, "Poptastic." The group, based on the East Side, plays no-nonsense rock and roll tunes with two reoccurring themes: alcohol and women. Songs with lyrics like "tomorrow I'm gonna get up sooner," and "alcohol is a known romancer" are likely to find fans around the UWM campus.

"All too often I get my inspiration from past relationships," says guitarist Chad Curtis. "I'm trying to start writing about other things though, because I realize that I can't write when I'm happy. I also think I need to learn that everything doesn't have to be so serious. Beck wrote a song about a taco, for God's sake."

Although Curtis is the primary songwriter, everyone in the group -- Tim Peck on guitar, Seth Jamieson on bass and Mike Minor on drums -- gets a chance to add their two cents to the mix.

"Often I try to leave a few things undone when writing so everyone can add their own flavor to the song," says Curtis, "and that's worked out really well so far. I like to come to practice with the chord progression and melody, and then have Seth, Tim and Mike play different things along with it and we eventually come up with something everyone likes."

Influences range from hard-edged bands like Nirvana and The Pixies, to the more tranquil Coldplay and Nick Drake. The diverse influences are apparent in their album with fast paced rock tunes like "Clarity," and on the tamer side," Rain Fell Down." The release of "Poptastic" has created a buzz over this young group.

"For the past few months we've just been playing low-key gigs like parties," says Curtis. "Those are great because you're playing for a lot of your friends and they're really supportive, but it's hard to gauge how good your songs really are, because your friends aren't going to tell you if you suck, unless you really suck."

The Saltshakers get their chance to perform in front of strangers soon enough when they play Vnuk's Lounge, 5036 S. Packard Ave. in Cudahy on Sat., July 12 at 10 p.m. Trolley and Maxtone Four also play.

The transition from playing basement parties to entertaining in clubs is a necessary one for a band attempting to make a name for itself.

"I'm looking forward to playing in Milwaukee in general," says Curtis. "Playing at places like the Cactus Club is going to be a big deal to me. The fact that bands like The White Stripes and local bands that I admire like The Etiquette and Nice Outfit have played there makes it important to me to play there. I love that place."

So, what does a condiment have to do with rock and roll? The truth is that the name The Saltshakers has nothing to do with the table item.

"When a guy is going up to 'put the mack down' on a lady, his main opposition will be the girl's friend that she is with," says Curtis. "She is known as 'the saltshaker,' because she is going to try and throw salt in his game. The name has nothing to do with table salt."

While the band's future is not written in stone, there's no plan to leave the city anytime soon.

"I'm going to stick around Milwaukee for awhile and keep writing songs," says Curtis. "Songwriting is the most challenging thing I've ever tried and I'm on a constant quest to write the perfect song. I hope our band can do something with our music over the next few years that that would let us travel across the country or overseas to Japan or Europe."

For more information on The Saltshakers go to www.thesaltshakers.com.