"Our Goal?" Andrew Volpe, Ludo's front-man, pauses and reflects in a very rare moment of silence. "To entertain people without making them dumber!" Perhaps it's Volpe's way with words along with the band's commitment to achieving that goal that has made Ludo so successful in the year they've been together. Perhaps a more accurate description of their goal would be "to entertain everyone without making them dumber."

The band's touring schedule rivals that of most major label bands. Ludo played their first show August 8th, 2003 in Indianapolis and just 10 months later the band celebrated its one-hundredth show with a performance in Kansas City. But a lot happened in those 10 months.

Ludo put out their self-titled album at the end of August 2003. Eleven songs were chosen for the record, ranging in theme from unrequited love to social isolation to high school mythology. All are united by clever, engaging, often hilarious lyrics and Volpe’s unique story-telling ability. But the music on the record sticks out as well. Jake Leonard, of the University of Wisconsin's Badger-Herald, says, "It's the aggressive playing, the catchy melodies, and the fun lyrics that can make you actually bang your head, tap your foot, and laugh hysterically all at the same time."

After just a few months of touring, it was clear that people loved being entertained without being made dumber: Ludo was making a name for themselves. Ludo brought their heavy-humored, high-energy rock show from New York to Houston, selling albums at every stop. Before too long, Ludo was headlining clubs and colleges throughout the Midwest and Texas, playing to crowds that were decked out in Ludo cherries and screaming every word.

Radio soon followed. College and independent stations throughout the region added "Hum Along," "Saturday Night Thunderbolt," and "Good Will Hunting By Myself" to their playlists. Commercial stations responded as well. "Hum Along" was first played on St. Louis's WVRV in October of 2003. By year's end the band had received more requests than any other independent artist had in the entire year.

2004 has proven to be an even busier year for Ludo. They've maintained their strenuous tour schedule, playing more high-profile shows with several major-label artists. Early in the year, Ludo began work with national distributor Harvest Media Group who placed the album in stores including Best Buy, America's highest grossing CD retailer. With a large college radio campaign, and a July appearance on cable network Fuse's "Daily Download," things are sure to get even more hectic for the band.

Ludo, which consists of Andrew Volpe (vocals, guitar) Tim Ferrell (guitar, vocals) Tim Convy (Moog, vocals) Marshall Fanciullo (bass) and Matt Palermo (drums) is based out of St. Louis, MO, or as they call it, "The Birthplace of Rock n' Roll" (Ludo is notorious for their loyalty to all things Chuck Berry). The band's success has not been without assistance though. They boast one of the most ambitious and aggressive street teams on the independent music scene. The "Ludo Ninjas," a unit over 200 strong, span all across the country. Whether it's grass-roots promotion, online activity, radio campaigns or holding program directors hostage, the Ludo ninjas are as much a part of Ludo as the cherries that hang from the "D" in the band's logo. As any St. Louis concert-goer will tell you, rarely can one leave a show without experiencing a "ninja attack."

The band shows no signs of relenting in their attack either. They plan to continue their rapid rise to the top with hard work, stellar songs, a never-ending tour and a little help from their beloved ninjas. In September, Ludo embarks on "Breaking Fall 2004," a 6-week, 30-show tour with fellow popsters, Anything But Joey and The Dog and Everything.

ludo site: www.ludorock.com