NYLON - June 2008 - (Page 115) DRINKING THE KOOL-AID Phantom Planet have long been a cult band—but now they’re ready to find a major following. By Fiona Byrne. Photographed by Bryan Rindfuss “I’m driving from Arizona to New Mexico,” Phantom Planet singer Alex Greenwald tells me via sketchy cell reception. “At our show last night we changed the words of ‘California’ to ‘Arizona’ and tonight we might do ‘Albequerque.’” The band is on tour opening for the Bravery, without the luxury of a tour bus or even a van driver. In fact, Greenwald admits that he himself is driving the van, “A-hole earpiece” in situ. Phantom Planet are usually mentioned in the same breath as Jason Schwartzman (their original drummer), Donnie Darko (in which Greenwald played the school bully), and of course The O.C., for which “California” was the theme song. But these three associations should finally be shot into oblivion with the release of Raise The Dead, the band’s brilliant fourth full-length album. The record is, for all intents and purposes, a concept album, built around a theme of cults and their leaders (think Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Charles Manson). The idea was spawned when Greenwald became fascinated with cults while reading through the Library of Congress. “I guess I like writing about deeply disturbing things” he muses. “I like exploring them, although sometimes I do it playfully on the record, like in ‘Leader’ which makes fun of a leader who claims to know everything. I never trust people who say they have answers to everything.” The album is the first from Phantom Planet since they signed to Fueled By Ramen, an imprint that’s been best-known thus far for its commitment to the emo cause. The move is a savvy one for the band, who are willing to hit the road opening for the likes of teen-idol giants Paramore and Panic At The Disco, in order to finally gain the recognition that they’ve been teetering on the brink of since they formed in 1994. “Fueled By Ramen is great,” Greenwald says. “I’m older than most of the people who work there, which is really funny. It seems more like a friendship than a business, but they know what they are doing and do it well. When you’re on Epic, which is a division of Sony, you’re competing with like Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam up to like, Shakira. You don’t even take a back seat: you’re in the bus behind the car.” The power of Fall Out Boy fans could give Phantom Planet the hit they deserve, and on Raise The Dead there are plenty of options. “Do The Panic” sounds a bit like Greenwald’s heroes and former tour mates the Zombies (Phantom Planet once played them on an episode of American Dreams), and “Leader” features a chorus of elementary school children, a cue Greenwald took from musical recordings of Jonestown residents. “I knew the day we recorded that song, that I am not ready to have children,” he says, laughing. “It was so fun, but I had no ability to control them whatsoever. They thought they were done after each take, and would just start talking about SpongeBob. I didn’t know how to corral them. There’s footage of it on Youtube; you can see me sweating profusely.” From the delicate Radiohead-ish chimes of “Quarantine” to the Killers-esque vocals of “Raise The Dead,” the album nods to an array of influences that the band have amalgamated over their 14-year career. But now that most of the members are nigh-on-30 years old, Greenwald says they’re not worried about getting long in the tooth—musically or otherwise. “People who fear getting older have more stress or anxiety than anyone I’ve ever met. I look forward to having grey hair and wrinkles and being accomplished and experienced and wise. Maybe a lot of musicians don’t suffer from normal societal stress because we’re all creepy, alienated ss weirdos. Like Peter Pan, but without the tights.” hout myspace.com / phantomplanet Phantom Planet so took Marissa Cooper out of their Top 8 after that life-ending car crash. (RIP!). : http://myspace.com/phantomplanet
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