Thanks to the Internet, Phantom Planet inspires and involves fans

The band uses videos on the Internet to connect with fans.

By Joey Vergara

Published Sept. 18, 2008

There are only a few rules to being part of the Phantom Planet cult. First, "LOST" is essential.

"I think 'LOST' was an inspiration for the song 'Quarantine,' at least the title," drummer Jeff Conrad said. "That show is a big inspiration for us, as far as how mysterious it is, and there are so many questions that never get answered. We are eagerly awaiting the next installment."

Second, the band's mantra: "Hadouken." Taken from "Street Fighter 2," the war cry either stands for a burst of blue energy shot out of Ryu's palms or a joke-turned-motto.

"It's become so widespread that there were even some fans last night that made homemade shirts that said 'Hadouken,'" Conrad said.

There's an audible shout as vocalist/guitarist Alex Greenwald yells "Hadouken!" from the front of the van.

Beyond that, the cult remains in the planning stages. As the band makes its way on a tour schedule that began in March and has allowed for breaks no longer than nine days, Conrad considered what exactly this cult means.

"I'm consulting Sam about what our cult would be," Conrad said, pausing. "We kinda feel like our band is our cult and anyone that wears our logo is part of the cult. I don't think we've worked out the manifesto of what we stand for."

Taking the idea of a "cult following" a little further than most bands, Phantom Planet built its latest album, Raise the Dead, around the music of groups like the Jonestown cult.

"(Alex) was taking inspiration from these cults, making this really uplifting music that also has a really dark aspect to it," Conrad said. "There are spots on the record where on the surface things may seem happy and joyous but if you dig deeper there's a dark undertone."

Fittingly, the band's fate seemed a little mysterious and dark for some time. Four years passed after the release of Phantom Planet's self-titled record while the band changed labels (moving from Epic to the indie Fueled by Ramen) and recorded Raise the Dead.

Today technology keeps Phantom Planet well-connected, active and, well, happy - whether it's Conrad hoping for a new "Street Fighter" game ("I wish they would come out with it on the iPhone"), blogging or capturing the band's acoustic parking lot performances.

Conrad films and posts each acoustic performance on YouTube, along with clips of the band surprising No Doubt onstage (dressed as Pussycat Dolls) and Greenwald and guitarist Darren Robinson engaging in Dr. Dre rap battles ("And muthafuckas act like they forgot about Dre/HADOUKEN!").

"I know in the early days of Elvis Costello he used to do parking lot shows," Conrad said. "Alex may have gotten the idea from that."

These acoustic shows break down the barriers between fan and artist, something Conrad and his bandmates try to achieve each night.

"It's pretty difficult to form a connection with the fans these days, so we really try to go out of our way to make them feel like they're part of something," he said.

Every cult has its dark day, and Phantom Planet is no exception. A couple months ago, while on tour in Montreal, the Californians found their van had been broken into.

"We had actually just read about Iggy Pop getting his entire van stolen in Montreal, so we were very cautious," Conrad said.

More than anything, Phantom Planet takes risks - a move Conrad sees as the most important factor in maintaining momentum.

"We kind of thrive on making mistakes or taking chances," he said. "We try to throw ourselves curveballs to keep us on our toes."