Technically they would loved to be known as a San Francisco/East bay (by way of Alameda) band, but these boys roots run deep in the Santa Clara Valley. Red Planet is/was (??? Not too sure of their current status) an amazing band that as the rumor has it met while attending Santa Clara University. I heard they were part of a small allegiance of tribesmen working at the college radio station attempting, once again, to resurrect a flailing southbay scene. I don't know much about them except this was another Jeff Okubo find during his all-too-short tenure at Zero Magazine. He was really diggin' the bands on the Gearhead Records label when he got his hands on "Let's Degenerate", which happened to be the sophomore full length effort by these local boys and it definitely their best. This genius production is loaded with sniveling adolescents that creates a masterpiece of an album . The sheer energy in which they go through the line up of tracks turns this whiner-fest into attitude packed fist punch to the face. I love it. Through and through. They run the gamate for straight ahead punk rock to Van Halen & Cheap Trick inspired licks and solo's that firmly place Chris Dunn into the "master-craftsman" status of noodling together loose riffs into a powerhouse of rock and roll.
To see the live show is to really believe the magic. My introduction came by way of an 80-something toyota corolla hatchback and Sylvain Sylvain. Colin Kutch was an intern at the now defunct Zero Magazine. He had offered (maybe forced into) giving his co-worker and I a ride up to San Francisco's legendary The Pound to the Sylvain Sylvain show where he got to take care of us. Red Planet opened up the show and just blew down the doors. I heard it was the first show of a tour across the U.S. with Sylvain Sylvain and you could tell they were pumped up on what lay ahead. You could feel the energy they were soaking in from the hometown crowd. I immediately tried to see them again when the tour was completed and they were opening up for The Epoxies at the Bottom of the Hill. I learned my lesson and had to listen to RP from the stoop of the entrance due to it being a sold out show. Next, I tried to catch them at The Starry Plough in Berkeley. By this time family obligations led the drummer, John Messier, to leave the band. This is unfortunate because John is a tasty drummer and his chops would be missed (as luck would have it I had the opportunity to jam with Mr. Messier out in the east bay way back when. An honor bestowed upon my little consciousness). The Starry Plough show would falter with a broken bass drum and an unenthusiastic motivation to move forward, soon after brought the band to a halt.
Where are they now? Good question. I believe Jeremy is still rocking with The Parties. I hate to say it, but it is a luke-warm power pop band that I caught once. Chris Dunn is behind the board engineering albums from The Parties as well as taking part in Trevor Childs & The Beholders along with Gordon Evans. John Messier did a stint with The Police cover Band, Stung and now it looks like he is getting paid with PopFiction.
I understand that their was personal differences of opinion in the band, but I truly believe that this line up mentioned above was definitely a "sum of the parts" making one of the most energetic live shows to come out of the bay area. Heck, even Lennon and McCartney didn't get along all the time! I think they owe it to the fans to reunite plays some more shows. Or at least, if they have old video footage put it up on Youtube. Their is very little video out there on the web.
And I am not the only one that thinks so highly of this band. I found this little jem of a quote on the web about the boys in RP,
"But the crowd, the rock & roll crowd, wants more. They need closure. Red Planet has to take the stage. Yes! That sound! Those songs! It's only rock & roll. But, oh, it is such a show! Punk rock energy (if they could afford it, you just know Red Planet would smash stuff), smoke bombs, and tin cans full of fire. An audience member holds up a bottle of Jack Daniels; the band passes it around. How very rock. How very roll. All the time, Scotty Bruno--the manager--sits behind the stage, chain smoking, and looking like a Brit-pop music mogul. Right here in San Francisco! Can you believe it"-Melinda Whitehouse, PosthocPlease reunite forces and conquer the world!
While researching for this article, I came across this video. Looks like the boys played a "one off" gig down in L.A. back in August. This is really positive to see. Please enjoy!
