Ethel Mezerve, "A Penn State tradition since 1994," is the latest in a long line of bands that made a name for themselves in State College without catering to the downtown bar scene.

Instead of nightly gigs at Crowbar, The Saloon and Cafe 210 West, the band can be seen irregularly at The Asylum, west-end basement parties and shows put on by the Corvair West Club (currently housed at The Wesley Student Center).

With their punkish sound and driving hooks, the band -- which features Vargo on drums, Gerber on guitar, Simpson on bass and Baronner on guitar and vocals --took their name from area knickknack shop Ethel Meserve, 127 S. Allen St.

The store, which currently features decorative doorstops in its window display, is named after its owner, who Baronner said knows of the band's existence.

"We did change the 's' in Meserve to a 'z' to avoid any problems," Baronner said. "Somebody supposedly told her about us and she got a big kick out of it."

Except for Vargo, a recent immigrant to State College and a self-professed "former New Jersey, metal-head guy," the members of Ethel Mezerve are all home-grown products. All four members attended State College Area High School (Vargo is still enrolled there) and have known each other in related capacities since.

Baronner and Vargo were in a short-lived band called Wedge before hooking up with Gerber and Simpson last summer to form Ethel Mezerve.

Having attended local shows since their "wonder years," the band members have been heavily influenced by those who preceded them. Like many, listening to and watching punk shows at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post was an inspiration to pick up instruments as well.

"Although it's a college town with a lot of people, there's only a certain number of people who play in bands," Baronner said. "Most of the bands we were exposed to became others -- Junction turned into Samuel, T4 turned into Donora which became Glendale."

Simpson added that besides Ethel Mezerve, up-and-coming bands like Jenkin's Loop and Kettle have added more musicians to the mix of established punk bands in the area.

With influences ranging from Don Caballero to the Cocteau Twins (Gerb's band of choice), the band's sound is eclectic to say the least.

"We're pretty influenced and eager to try new things, which shows in our songs because I don't think any of them sound alike," Baronner said. "Most bands have a sound and maybe we don't have one yet, but I think it's cool that we're not locked into something."

For now, the members of Ethel Mezerve are busy working on new songs to strengthen their rather short set and hope to tour Ohio this summer in their newest acquisition -- a 1979 Dodge Van they shelled out more than $450 for.

"It's like the A-Team van," Baronner said. "I'm Hannibal, Gerb's B.A., Vargo's Face and Andy's Murdock."