H2 prepares for take-off

Plodding across country in a big white Ford van with orange and green stripes they lovingly dubbed “Beatrice,” the four members of Boston band “Helicopter, Helicopter” had a route to success that is much like their car — quirky.

Formed in Boston in the spring of 1998 by then-clashing guitarist/vocalists Julie Chadwick and Chris Zerby, the band has toured relentlessly ever since via Beatrice, purchased from an air conditioning company.

“We drove straight home from Santa Cruz, California [to Boston], stopping only for gas and to play Frisbee,” Chadwick says.

And when they’re not on tour, they’re immersed in the local music scene. On Thursday, March 29 they were decked out in dark club clothes and silver jewelry to see The Sheila Divine at the Paradise.

But by the next day, the band would be back on stage, performing tracks from their newest release “By Starlight,” and all of Helicopter Helicopter’s endless hours of practice and long rides in Beatrice will soon send the band soaring to national recognition.

Dominating the local scene of indie pop/punk, often headlining at TT the Bears, the four say they usually get along well.

Julie, H2’s only girl, admits she sometimes finds Beatrice a little claustrophobic.

“The guys are really intelligent and really respectful of me, but sometimes I need a girl to talk to, and that’s when I get away for a little bit,” she says.

Yet Chadwick never strays far. After the recent release of their third CD, “By Starlight,” Chadwick and band member Chris Zerby remember it all began with The American Measles and Flycatcher, competing bands whose members eventually brought the two together in the Spring of 1998.

And soon after the wheels of progress began to grind. Chadwick and Zerby went through a few different bass players and drummers before ending up with Ned Gallacher, drummer and Shawn Setaro, bassist.

Though Boston is their home, H2 has no intention of remaining a “Boston band” for long.

“It’s important to be proactive in promoting yourself,” Chadwick says. “You have to wave flags and let people know you’re around.”

Promotion was hard in the beginning. Chadwick and Zerby would drive up to whatever town they were playing a gig in that week, and stock up the record stores with free tapes and T-shirts.

They were a hands-on advertising duo, printing their own T-shirts on a small silkscreen press.

“We were covered in ink, but we could sell them really cheap,” Chadwick says, chuckling. “Each one was different and special.”

With promotion in the works and four members to complete the band, things began to harmonize. They became more dedicated, practicing eight hours a day, and working part-time jobs when necessary, but as little as possible.

Because of its active stance on promotion, H2 loves and supports what most big industry names abhor — Napster.

“It’s really important to give music away at our level, especially if it will make someone come to our shows,” Chadwick says.

Although they command the Boston indie scene, Chadwick says they still have side jobs to make ends meet.

“We’re getting smarter about spending now,” Chadwick says. “We usually break even or get a little money from our shows now.”

To keep extra cash flow around, Chadwick works part-time as a bartender, while Zerby does stints as an emergency medical technician when money gets tight. In addition to weekday practice, H2 also plays shows every weekend at clubs such as the Paradise, Karma and Bill’s Bar.

And without time for personal lives, neither Zerby nor Chadwick see time or have the desire to settle down with a family in the near future. The only things tying them down are Chadwick’s pet turtles Roovie and Penny, and the “tons of plants” which characterize the Boston apartment they share.

When they do have a little spare time, Chadwick likes to run and work on the band’s website, and Zerby can be found watching baseball, writing or reading his favorite book, “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway.

In fact, with a degree in English from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Zerby writes the lyrics to all of H2’s songs. The topics of his songs seem to have a life of their own. They can range from aliens to evolution to bugs or the ocean.

“Everything manages to creep into the lyrics unknowingly,” he says. “It’s just stuff that interests me.”

Zerby is currently enrolled in a creative writing course at Vermont College, and writes short stories in his spare time.

Thanks to their persistence and interesting lyrics, H2 is receiving positive feedback from fans around the country. There is no typical H2 fan; fans are college kids, high school kids and middle-aged folks.

“One of the most rewarding things is to see a fan from a Buffalo concert show up at one of our shows in the Midwest,” remarks Zerby. “[Our goal is to] continue fan bases in all places. We want to have careers as musicians, and we don’t need millions of dollars. We just don’t want day jobs.”

Yet keeping that goal clearly in mind is not an easy task and the members occasionally get discouraged. But Chadwick insists that it is important to stay focused.

“It’s really hard right now and it will continue to be hard,” she says. “It’s definitely not the wisest career choice, but no one has as much fun as we do playing music.”

Support from friends and family also keeps Helicopter Helicopter’s spirits high.

“My mom thinks we’re gonna be big,” Zerby says.

However, Chadwick says her family would probably rather see her in a more “stable” career.

Friends and other bands also support them, and their independent label, Lunch Records, gives them a lot of freedom and encouragement.

H2 says although they struggle in a competitive industry, they are the first band to congratulate another band on making it big.

“It’s fantastic when you see other bands that really deserve it succeed,” Zerby says. “There is enough room in the world for a lot of good bands, so we don’t really feel competitive with others.”