Vitamin A may be playing its last show at Hangar 9 in Carbondale for an extended period of time. That’s because the neo-everything-sounding band has been selected to entertain servicemen at various military bases in Japan, Korea, Singapore and other countries in that region March 11 April 28,.

Tony Vrooman, vocalist/guitarist, said it is a nice opportunity to do something for others.

We’re going to bring the guys a small slice of home, he said. They are probably homesick over there. It’s also a chance for our band members to get some tax money back.

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Vrooman said the US Military is financing the 42-show, 50-day tour.

Bassist Jimmy Tebeau, said the band is trying to finish recording its new CD before heading overseas but is not sure about the release date.

We started recording the new CD, Tebeau said. But it has been difficult finding the money and time to finish. Nobody realizes how expensive it can be.

Guitarist Tracy Lowe, said the recording will be finished before the overseas expedition but won’t be out until after the band’s return.

It always takes the press about 60 days longer than they say it will, he said. The pressing of our CDs are sometimes bumped for bigger acts.

The band’s last CD, Perplexed, won best new local CD in St. Louis’ 1995 Riverfront Times poll. It has nearly sold out of its first printing of 1,100 units.

The group’s popularity lands them a regular monthly gig at the popular Mississippi Nights venue in St. Louis. Its assault of sound from every music genre keeps the fan base growing.

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Vitamin A’s songs are written about growing up along with the things and places that inspire the group. While camping at the scenic Garden of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest, Tebeau and Vrooman wrote a song about it.

It was a combination of the experience of being at Garden of the Gods and ingesting chemicals that inspired the song, he said. It was definitely an out-of-body experience, to say the least.

Vrooman said the name Vitamin A has to do with experience itself.

It has to do with the increased sights, mental awareness and individual psychedelic souls produced by Vitamin A.

Band members splinter at times to forge two bands other than Vitamin A. Vrooman said the band’s strong pro-marijuana beliefs inspired the group names.

The Schwag, a Grateful Dead-sounding group, gets its name from low-grade marijuana. The band consists of bassist Tebeau, drummer Dino English and two other guitarists.

Tebeau said the three-year-old Schwag, will basically come on stage and play a mock Dead show.

We played a Jerry Garcia tribute at Pinch Penny Pub to a pretty big crowd after his death this past summer.

The other side project’s name, The Kind, refers to a higher grade of marijuana. The group is comprised of English, Tebeau and Lowe. The five-year-old trio that preempted Vitamin A by a couple of years, plays a similar style as The Schwag by playing a few Dead tunes. Distinguishing The Kind sound from The Shcwag means including covers of Frank Zappa, the Allman Brothers and others including James Brown.

Lowe said he wrote all his efforts for the all-original Vitamin A while playing in The Kind. Tebeau said they also try out various improvisational jams at Kind’s gigs.

We’ll test out different sounds and maybe turn it into a new Vitamin A song, he said.

Vrooman said Carbondale is one of Vitamin A’s favorite places to play because of the enthusiasm the crowd shows. He laments the fact that Carbondales bar-entry-age has gone up to 20.

There has been a definite drop-off in the number of people attending the bars, he said. But we’ll still have some tricks in store for Carbondale.

Vitamin A performs at 9:45 p.m. tonight at Hangar 9, 511 S. Illinois Ave. Admission is $2.