redg is lost somewhere on campus loop. Apparently no one told them where they’re playing or how to get there.

“”We’re on North Torrey Pines,”” their manager John tells me. “”I’m passing the Muir apartment buildings.””

I tell him he is going the right way.

They are trying to find the Price Center, where they’re scheduled to play the daytime portion of FallFest. As I try to guide them via cell phone around campus loop, I pray that they eventually reach an information booth.

When their caravan does pull up, out walks the band. I apologize for my failed attempt as a tour guide while they introduce themselves: “”Mark,”” “”Dino,”” “”Gavin”” and “”Drew,”” in a fashion very reminiscent of The Doors getting out of their airplane.

Formed in Los Gatos, Calif., the Dredg story is not unlike that of most bands. Four high school friends who grew up listening to the Misfits and Sepultura, among other things, loved playing together and eventually got a record deal.

However, in listening to Dredg’s album, “”Leitmotif,”” you will realize they are not like every other band. When you pop in their album, you won’t hear the same hard rock that has been coming out of your speakers for the last four years. Hints of Radiohead and Pink Floyd are there, but the best way to describe Dredg’s sound is to say that it sounds like Dredg.

You should just get the album.

When you open up the CD jacket you will not find pictures of the band or song lyrics, but rather the story of a person’s journey.

“”There’s a character who travels and [the album] follows his travels,”” Mark says.

At the band’s Web site, http://www.dredg.com, you won’t find publicity photos but rather a collection of Drew’s paintings.

“”Its just not really in our people to go out and pose for pictures,”” explains lead singer Gavin.

Not since Nirvana has a band deviated from the tried-and-true formula of the record industry publicity machine. Most musicians might tell you they’re “”all for the nookie,”” but Dredg appears to really care about music as an art form.

“”We just like doing music — we never really thought about the lifestyle as an influence to make music,”” said Dino.

A recent Hollywood Reporter article pegged them as the new young guns of progressive rock — a title they shun.

“”Labels are labels,”” Mark says. “”I think the only reason that the label is put on there is because we don’t follow normal structures.””

The independently recorded album “”Leitmotif,”” which has been re-released by Interscope, certainly did not follow the normal structure. Their upcoming major label release, due in early 2002, will definitely be one to watch for.