The music industry may be more dominated than ever by soulless mega-corporations, but the DIY spirit of bands like Leiana is still alive and definitely still kicking. The female-fronted, Philadelphia-based band of seasoned musicians has a rapidly growing fan base in the hardcore and skatepunk worlds. With two self-produced and self-released studio albums and a third on the way, as well as stateside and overseas touring under their belts, Leiana are proof that talent, inspiration, and hard work are still the most important things you need to make good music.

Singer Leiana and multi-instrumentalist Chuck Treece form the foundation of Leiana. The two met through a mutual friend who heard that Leiana was auditioning for bands, and also knew that she had been writing songs for a long time. Music had actually been her saving grace throughout a troubled suburban childhood that included the loss of a brother. She began playing piano and drums as a kid, but soon took up writing and harbored a desire to sing. It took a number of years before she could overcome her fears and get up the nerve to actually perform. She cut her chops in standard rock cover bands, but was personally inspired by ‘70’s British punk and ‘80s SoCal hardcore. “These bands spoke to me. As time went on and pop music got more and more horrible, I would dive deeper into a particular scene from the past.”

Following a stint at the Musician’s Institute in L.A., Leiana returned to Philadelphia and ran into that infamous friend who suggested that she meet Chuck. “It seems like you like the same music. You write, he plays…” Leiana recalls of the conversation. Chuck helped her sort through her 15 years of writing to craft what would become the first Leiana EP, which he went on to produce and play all the instruments on. A former pro skater and prolific musician, Chuck has been a driving force in skate rock for over 20 years. He’s also a founding member of punk legends McRad, and a well-respected tour and session player whose resume includes such diverse acts as The Roots, Bad Brains, Urge Overkill, G.Love, and Billy Joel. “Chuck has had so much studio and live experience that he really is like a mentor,” explains Leiana. “Plus he helped bring me credibility when I was just starting out and no one knew who I was.”

The EP didn’t go unnoticed, especially its first single “Surfy Punky Jaunt,” which made its way onto several punk compilations as well as the soundtracks to the skate film “Call to Fly” and ESPN’s women’s downhill skiing show. The band seemed to find an instant niche. “Chuck, skates, I surf — our audiences are young kids who are into that. It’s kind of where we fit in the most.”

In May of 2005 Leiana released their first full-length CD “Page.” The well-received album featured the singles “Follow Blind, “ which was included in the Gnarly Dude compilation, and two versions of “Dirty Car” — one remixed by Mike Elizondo (Dr.Dre, Eminem, Fiona Apple). Also in 2005, Leiana and Chuck started their own label, Page Records. Originally the label was formed as a home for their own releases, “but now we’re going to start putting out other bands, “ says Leiana. “We’re gonna release the next McRad record through Page, too, and see where that goes.”

The band has toured the U.S. extensively and also did a UK Tour in fall of 2005, which included a sold out show with Seattle indie rockers Minus the Bear. They’ve also played such festivals as the Boston-area LocoBazooka, and headlined at South by Southwest in Austin. The touring line-up of Leiana varies, but includes Chuck on drums and Dave Woodman (Peter’s Cathedral, Idle Wilds, Black Beans, and AM60) on bass for East Coast dates. For the West coast version of Leiana, Chuck switches to guitar, Roy Mayorga (Soulfly, Ozzy, Abloom) takes over on drums, and Eric Bootaw comes aboard on bass.

Currently, Leiana and Chuck are busy recording the follow-up to Page at Bombshelter Studios in Los Angeles, owned by STP drummer Eric Kretz. “Going in, we sort of had the idea that we wanted it to be more stripped down, kind of, and more to the point. But you never really know how a song will turn out. Once you’re in the studio you write and re-write, and you don’t really know where the song is going. But I know enough to trust Chuck wherever he goes.”

Once the album is complete, Leiana plans to tour the U.S. and Europe to support the album. “We’re just like working on building a fan base at this point. You know, it starts slowly, but it’s growing. We’re definitely going to put more money into this next album and more money into promoting it.”

It can be a 24-hour a day job, but Leiana wouldn’t even consider cashing in for the easy route. “The hardship and frustration are worth it if you don’t have to sing crap or be a puppet.”