A few years ago, on the coattails of its first release, “Headstrong,” Chicago’s Giant Step had an intricate game plan for its hungry young band: to rip out and tour hard behind a well-spaced series of EPs before plunging into a full-length project–and industry domination, of course.
Five years and four EPs later, the band is well-seasoned and ready to liberate its first LP, “What Would the Neighbors Say?”
“We’re still not sure who’s putting it out, and I don’t want to jinx it and say who we’re talking to, but there are a few people who are interested,” frontman Geoff Sabin said. “If we don’t know for sure real soon, I think we’re just gonna put it out ourselves in a couple months. Either way, we want it out before summer comes.”
And what about the plan?
They are no longer programming Giant Step’s future or trying to get a gilded record deal, but any ideas of a formal disbanding have been written off as “silly.”
“We’re already proud of what we’ve done. I’m not begging anybody to take my money, and that’s what most of those [major label] deals do. We’re do-it-yourselfers, and we dig that,” Sabin said.
Despite having no formal plan of action, the future looks bright for this band of rock enthusiasts–including bassist Rich Arendt, guitarist Jason Sabin and drummer Jose Correa–who play straightforward alt-rock with a brooding, impassioned edge.
“We were supposed to be off for the past three months, not playing a single show, and we’ve opened up for Cheap Trick and for Jimmy Chamberlin’s new band, out of just people calling our agent and wanting the band to play,” Sabin said. “And we’re doing some cool benefits and playing with some great bands.”
Giant Step has had a track record of landing itself coveted live spots, including at South-by-Southwest and Lollapalooza. The band is on the lineup Tuesday for Schubas’ tsunami relief benefit concert, which also includes Chris Connelly, Star People and the Waco Brothers, among others.
After building up a healthy following in the region and playing on some high-profile bills, Giant Step is comfortable with its established place in Chicago’s rock scene and unafraid of each member growing in different directions.
“We kind of feel like there’s a bigger community that we’re part of now, and nobody feels threatened by side projects,” Sabin said. “We’re not owned by Giant Step. Each of the four of us considers themselves an accomplished musician at this point, so we’re not gonna stop being Giant Step, but we’re not going to close the doors to any other opportunities that come up for any individual in the band.”
Don’t avert your gaze just yet, though. There’s plenty of heat coursing through the veins of Giant Step, and Sabin divulges that the band’s finest work may even lie beyond its upcoming album.
“We’ve probably written our best song ever now, and we don’t even have it recorded. We’re gonna put this record out without having that on it,” he said. “That kind of always happens. Your next thing’s always better. So I think we’re just gonna keep on being a band until the next thing isn’t better anymore.”
Giant Step
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave.
Tickets: $20-$25 suggested donation to benefit The American Red Cross.
———-
fauzia.arain@gmail.com
Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
