Laybourne is the newest member of Everclean, chosen by Will and Danny after another member left. "I was really lucky they needed a third member. I play a major supporting role." He admits he sometimes feels overlooked by the brothers, "but when we're on the road, they let me do all the cooking and cleaning, so I really feel at home."

He admits, too, that people have trouble remembering his name. "But I don't mind. My parents do, too. They used to call me 'Thing.' Actually, I'm named after my great aunt who came across the Plains in a covered wagon. She was a baritone, too, just like me, so I have music in my family."

Everclean recently released its first CD. "My favorite song is 'Love Me, Don't Show Me,' " said Kerwin . . . er, Kirby. "It grabs at the heart of what we do. We need to let people know that sometimes even a handshake goes too far. But cleanliness is what we're all about. Not just spiritual cleanliness, but physical cleanliness, too. I mean, we always have our fingernails clean and we all bathe at least once a day."

Danny, on the other hand, prefers "Sweet Spirit," a song that "shows how everyone needs to love and be loved." But maybe, he said, that's because of his interest in Eastern philosophies. "I'm a Mormon, but I also meditate once or twice a day. Being onstage fills me with wellness, and I hope everyone can find their inner peace."

He has watched a lot of martial arts films, and has a mantra: "love, peace and happiness." That philosophy helps him in dealing with his fellow band members. "Sometimes Will — he's obviously the leader of the band even though it's my pipes that carry us — gets what you might call 'controlling,' and I have to be the one to put him into perspective, to bring him back down. Sometimes that's hard because I do have a temper, and I have to decide whether or not to wrestle Will to the ground and beat it into him."

Will, however, sees his role as one of leadership. "You look at every great leader, and they control. President Bush controls. I think it's a compliment to say I control the success of the band." Even if it means he has to take time out of his busy schedule to plan little drills, such as scavenger hunts at the malls, to teach punctuality, it's something he's willing to do.

He dismisses any tension among band members. "You show me a band that gets along 24 hours a day, and I'll show you a band with no passion. If you're happy, happy all the time, you won't know how to express anger."

Besides, Will is pondering more serious questions, such as the direction to take the band. "We let Kirby write a song, and it's really slow, so that took us in one direction. But I think we need to go the other direction. We got an electric metronome for Christmas, and we found that if we turn it all the way up we can go really fast.