PHOTOS BY DAWNMARIE SANNWALDT Clockwise from top left: Tammy Coffin, James Bailey, Wally Trebecky, George Carmen and Dave Rucci from the band Slack. Originally out of New Brunswick, the band now rehearses in their studio in Sayreville.

Take five people, each with talent, a love of music and a sense of self, put them together in an old garage behind a house in Sayreville, pad the walls, set up the amps ... and you’ve got Slack.

But it really wasn’t that simple.

The members of the band Slack — George Carmen, vocals; James Bailey, guitar; Wally Trebecky, bass guitar; Dave Rucci, drums; and Tammy Coffin, keyboard and vocals — have been around the world and back. Now, they’re in their homeland of Middlesex County trying to spread their music and their message to the youth of New Jersey and beyond.

"I can’t stand the term (heavy) metal. We’re more cerebral than that," Carmen, 34, said when asked how to categorize Slack’s sound. According to Carmen, the band’s music could be described as "industrial hard rock" and "psychedelic hypnocore."

Slack, originally from New Brunswick, is currently working on their soon-to-be-released album, Moments of Clarity. The title of their last album, Driven, is a perfect description of the band members themselves, Carmen said.

Carmen is the glue that ties Slack together. All of Slack’s original members, besides Carmen, are now off pursuing other projects. Carmen said he was inches away from signing a record deal when his former band members quit, all at once.

"I was a singer with a name and a reputation, but not a band," Carmen said.

That was when Bailey, 33, came into the picture. Bailey’s namesake may be recognized since his great-great-grandfather, Maximillian Bailey, helped found Sayreville. Bailey’s Park on Washington Road is named after his grandfather, Bailey said.

Bailey has also been a musician since his teens. He played with several local bands, including Exodus and Static Island, which also featured Rucci. However, Bailey said he was eager to hook up with Carmen and the rest of Slack, and the loss of his former band mates presented a perfect opportunity.

"He auditioned for Slack over the phone," Carmen said. "I said, ‘This guy is amazing.’ "

Coffin, 32, was raised in Edison and began playing instruments when she was 4 years old. She switched from the drums to acoustic guitar to bass and now to keyboards. Coffin said she has been in various bands including Demented Offspring from California and Ice Age from Sweden. It wasn’t until 1991 when Ice Age broke up that she met Carmen. Amazingly, Coffin again ran into Carmen 10 years later at Packee’s Pub, Route 1 north in Woodbridge.

Coincidentally, Packee’s Pub is the same place where Carmen rekindled a business relationship with manager and promoter Nancy Lanza, of A.N.G.E.L. Wings Productions, Unlimited.

"Packee’s is a vortex of power for the band," Carmen said.

"It’s amazing how they’ve all come together," Lanza said.

That brings us to Slack, as they are known today. The band rehearses in the garage behind Bailey’s house on Deerfield Road until roughly 10 p.m. as often as possible. According to Carmen, some neighbors have complained of the noise, which resulted in a 10 p.m. curfew.

The band members hold various day jobs — some work days, others nights, while some work from home. But the main focus, the band members said, is playing music.

Slack has never had a record label. However, prior to the enlisting of the new members, Slack released three albums, with Driven being the most successful. Skateboard Marketing Ltd., a nationally known radio promotion company, handled much of the radio promotions, Lanza said.

Lanza, who up until now has mainly been involved with publishing, uses her personal funds to help with the production, managing and promotion.

"A.N.G.E.L. Wings Produc-tions is basically our sugar momma," Carmen said.

Slack’s goal right now is not to make money, Carmen said, but to get their name out there.

According to Carmen, Slack’s mission is "three-fold." First, the band members want to bring music to youth to let them know that they have experienced a lot of what they are going through, and that they are not alone, Carmen said. Second, they intend to put everything into their music — they "will go for broke," the band members said. Finally, the band hopes to get a record deal that does not compromise its artistic integrity.

"I don’t want to be someone who sat around wondering," Carmen said, adding that all he needs to get by at the moment is some food and a futon.

Slack is scheduled to perform at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park on March 23. The show starts at 7 p.m.; advance orchestra seats are available for $10 through Lanza, who can be contacted at 1-800-831-9464.

Slack is also performing at a benefit concert and fund-raiser sponsored by A.N.G.E.L. Wings on May 5 at the VFW of Manville.