Bands don't usually form during sleepovers. They typically don't define themselves by Jack Black movies either. And while high school romance has long held a place in the pop tune landscape, set lists that combine middle school angst and global consciousness are harder to find.

But don't let R.A.T.E.D.'s story fool you. Over the past half decade, the precocious, North west-based rock quintet has made the improbable transition from grade school fantasy to teenage reality. They've progressed from cover songs to their own material. And most importantly, they've finally made it to an age where they're being taken seriously. "We're not very old." Said Alexander Levy, 14, the band's keyboardist. "But we're old enough now that people see us and they say, 'We can have a 14-year-old group play,' and it doesn't sound bad. That's very cool." It helps to have their resume.

Levy, the unrelated Becca Levy (13, vocals), Danny Guimaraes (14, drums), Edoardo Pisoni (14, Guitar), and Nathan Corn Blatt (14, bass) have appeared during events at some of the city's most famous venues. The group, all eighth-graders at Georgetown Day School and residents of Northwest D.C., has conducted a backstage interview with nationally famous kid rock group the Naked Brothers Band, for The Washington Post's Kids Post section.

Their first original song, called "Sorry," has its own music video. And their second composition, "All Your Might," enjoyed its live debut at a Georgetown Day fundraising benefit this month. "When we were done with the second song and we played it completely through, we felt so good about ourselves," Pisoni said of "All Your Might," which contains an anti-war message. "We felt like we could do anything."

It's a confidence build from a foundation in music basis that garage brands rarely receive. R.A.T.E.D. is one of the first success stories of local progressive music school Bach to Rock (B2R), the brainchild of former school music teacher Jeff Levin. He founded B2R to teach the same structure and theory that students would get in the school band or chorus, but through the vessel of popular music styles—an approach he didn't find in the school system.

While Levin was putting touchup paint on his first location then envisioned as a summer school program, called East Coast Music Production Camp—Guimaraes and Pisoni were watching "School of Rock" at a basement sleepover as third-graders. The movie ended, and their lives changed. "For the next 45 minutes, we were playing air drums and air guitar," recalled Guimaraes. "It was really inspiring for us."

A few months later, in summer 2004, Pisoni's mom stumbled upon B2R's first location while looking for a parking spot in Bethesda. Guimaraes, Pisoni, Corn Blatt and Alexander Levy soon became some of Levin's first students in what grew into an after-school program. Levin's B2R now has two locations in Montgomery Country and there in Northern Virginia.

Becca Levy joined the group not long after. And when Corn Blatt returned after a sabbatical from classes a year ago, a special nucleus was formed. "I remember how young we were and how excited we were," said Becca Levy, who marvels at the group's progress since then. "We used to laugh at my lyrics, but now they're good. We would laugh at Eddie's riffs, and now they're amazing."

Alexander Levy and Pisoni have evolved into mentors of younger bands at B2R. They often tweak songs into a format that works for the students, an experience Levy says has helped him learn "how to manipulate music, not just play it." The journey into the collaborative song-writing process has been equally enlightening. "It takes a level of maturity to be open to other types of music," Guimaraes said. "The only kind of music I really don't love is heavy, intense metal, and that's something our guitarist really loves. We had to really grow up to let the music grow on us." Which is all part of what Levin envisioned.

"What we really are, I consider us analogous to a K-12 education," Levin said of B2R. "You get the early fundamentals; form a band in early elementary school. At the end of the day [in middle and high school], you learn how to produce records, write songs and use the technology."

As R.A.T.E.D. matures, the band has stayed true to its roots, said Levin, playing benefits for B2R and remaining visible at school functions. They've also won the B2R battle of the bands at D.C.'s legendary 9:30 club, despite competing against older—if not more seasoned—opposition. "I think they're a tremendous band," Levin said of the group, whose photograph is featured on B2R's homepage, b2rmusic.com. "They're professional on many levels...I think they're great ambassadors for out concept."

R.A.T.E.D.'s members say they hope to hang together into high school and adulthood. In an industry where five years together is a major accomplishment—even for adults—early solidarity is a good sigh. "It would be fantastic if we could grow up as a band and stay together and be a professional band," said Guimaraes. "Hey, we love it, so why not get some benefits?"

Regardless, they've already achieved more than they'd imagined, in venues larger than they'd ever dreamed. And they've created a sound much deeper than the sum of their years. "I want people around me to listen to R.A.T.E.D.'s music...and feel inspired and know that they can do anything they put their mind to, "said Becca Levy. "I think if people can listen to our music, it will speak to them."