Phantom Planet – Interview [2004]

Did you grow up buying those mags when you were growing up and wanted to learn how to play?

Of course. Totally.

Are you more of a player buy ear or do you read music?

For me personally it’s more by ear. I think it’s like that for everyone in our band. Reading music for me is a pain in the ass. I can read some individual notes but I can’t sight read.

When did you come together as a band?

1994, we’ve been together for eight years.

How much have you grown over that time?

Tremendously. The whole guitar playing thing was something I always loved doing. Anytime anyone ever asked me what my main passion in life was I’d say ‘guitar’. It defined me. But when I joined the band I didn’t know the difference between a major and a minor chord. From playing in the band I now have a pretty good concept of music theory.

Did you pick it up from the other guys?

Yeah. We would come up with parts for songs and we wanted to figure out what was this chord and why certain chords worked better than others.

Do you remember anything from back in the day where you hope it never sees the light of day?

I bet Jason does. He keeps all that stuff. (We both laugh) He’s got tapes upon tapes.

What is the song writing approach?

Alex is our main songwriter. Jason writes a little too. Jason or Alex will bring in a song and we will discuss whether we like it or not and if we all agree upon it we will learn the structure and then try writing our own parts to it.

Do you have a sound you hope to achieve? You have a voice, do you think its because you have one main songwriter?

Yeah, I think it is because Alex writes most of the stuff. But you know each song is totally different. To me there are different feelings. But if Alex brings in a song we think about how it makes us feel.

When you are working on something, do you hear something going in and tell it’s going to be a great song?

It’s weird how that works, its kind of hit and miss. Our producer’s opinion meant a lot to us and he told us what he thought the best songs would be. We had some great songs that didn’t make it, but I don’t think they would have fit on this album.

What do you think about being compared to other artists?

There are songs where we try to sound original, but there are some songs that definitely have a certain sound like another artists. Like “Nobody’s Fault” is total Elvis Costello. It’s pretty obvious and we aren’t denying it.

Does it bother you to be categorized?

Kind of.

Like the idea that you have smart lyrics that you are lumped in with Weezer.

I’m not doing it, but if it makes people comfortable to each their own. If you were to ask me what I label Phantom Planet as I’d say rock music. We’re not trying to be anyone. We just write music.

Was there a lot of pressure in putting together and finishing the album?

There are so many different kinds of pressure. First you have to get the album done, then you have to do artwork for it, then take pictures, and then do press. There are so many different inlets of pressure.

I read you are trying to master Protools.

Yeah.

What are you doing with it these days?

Just experimental stuff, I’m not producing bands or anything. I hope to master it one day and maybe make my own album.

When did you get signed by Sony?

Last February.

Was the album done already?

No. I think it was finished last year, I’m horrible with dates. It was a pretty quick album to do.

It seems like it went to an extreme with arresting kids and going after their parents and with a better solution it could have been solved sooner.

Yeah, but at the same time I think people needed to realize the damage they were causing.

That is true.

I definitely think that people are coming around and supporting bands with ITunes.

It’s the best way to go because you don’t always want the whole record.

The only drag is that you don’t get the artwork and lyrics, but that will probably come next.

What about the future, do you think that far ahead?

You know I’m just content living day by day and seeing what happens. If this record hits huge we can make another record or four, but if it doesn’t then maybe we’ll just go and do our own thing.

+ Charlie Craine