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OUTFITTERS
PUNK KOCK FROM ANOTHER PLANET
*@®m3 mm m returns
T he disciples of punk rock have always
worked to capture its attitude, while some
bands seemed to capture punk's antiau
thoritarian stance. Few bands seem interested
in capturing the sheer fun of punk. But if it's
fun audiences are looking for, Peelander-Z might
have something for them.
"We are from Planet Peelander... we just were
flying through space and our space ship didn't
work, so we landed here. Now we don't know how
to get back to our planet." These are the first
words heard as Flagpole interviews Peelander-
Yellow, otherwise known as Kengo, the vocalist-
guitarist for the New York City-based group. The
bandmembers insisted on being interviewed in
character, and so it goes.
At first listen, Peelander-Z sounds like by-
the-numbers punk rock, but upon closer listen
ing, the music is smartly written, and, while
still keeping with the time-honored traditions
of punk, contains anthems that line up perfectly
with the manic intensity of the band's live
shows, which are more theatrical than those of
most groups.
W hile other punk bands are screaming with
righteous indignation about heady con
cepts like capitalism and societal marginaliza
tion, the men of Peelander-Z are busy worrying
about their other love—professional wrestling.
This creates a challenge for Peelander-Z; much
like the members of The Clash, who often worried
about balancing their pop songs with socially
relevant themes, Peelander-Z is busy trying to
reconcile love for that very earthly pursuit of
play fighting with punk rock. It's a struggle
that comes through in the act's music and live
performances. "I love punk rock music, like MC5,
The Stooges and Johnny Thunders, but we are
more influenced by wrestling; people like Andre
the Giant, Mil Mascaras and more Japanese wres
tling," says Peelander-Yellow. "That's why we do
wrestling moves on the stage. We wanted to be
wrestlers, but we don't have good bodies. So we
play punk rock like wrestling."
Peelander-Z's live show is not only an ideo
logical battle of arm-bars and barre chords; it's
also a chance for the band to move a bit further
down the road from your standard punk rock
shows. Audiences are treated to something closer
to GWAR than The Buzzcocks. As a practitioner
of what the band calls "Japanese comic action-
punk," Peelander-Z is known more for its stage
show, which usually features a Jack Kirby-style
Space Opera as well as music. While that may
be a burden for some bands, Peelander-Yellow
thinks it's a good thing. In fact, it could mean
his band's survival. "We never eat food, we eat
everybody's smile," he says. "That's why we do
comic punk. We need everybody to come to our
shows and to have a good time so that we can
eat. Humans eat food, our band is not human.
We have to get energy from everybody. That's
why we do the human bowling [onstage]. We
don't understand it because we aren't human."
But it's not just the stage show that keeps
the fans coming back. According to Peelander-
Yellow, the band has built in teen-idol-like
quality. "Peelander-Red has long hair that is like
tentacles, and he is super kinky. He is an 8th-
level sexy hunter."
onsensical qualities aside, it's the ram
pant pop culture and lost-in-translation
asides that endear Peelander-Z to its audiences.
Veterans of more than 150 live shows a year,
the bandmembers have taken their refraction
of Japanese and American culture and turned it
into an art-form. It's the New York Dolls fight
ing Mothra at Wrestlemania, and it's a winningly
versatile formula. "Because we play punk rock,
and because we get energy from our audiences,
we are able to play with any style of band," says
Peelander-Yellow.
This fall, the band's U.S. tour will culminate
with an appearance with Kaiju Big Battel, a
Boston-based performance art group that com
bines Peelanuer-Z's love for professional wrestling
with a Godzilla film aesthetic. "We are so excited
to play the Big Battel. Hopefully, they will let us
try our moves, and help us find our way home,"
says Peelander-Yellow.
Finding the way home is Peelander-Z's latest
cause. According to Peelander-Yellow, finding
a way back to their home planet is the entire
reason for their tour: "That's why we tour; we are
always looking for how we can get back to our
planet."
So while returning home may be in the cards
for Peelander-Z in the future, right now audienc
es can help feed the band (smiles, remember?)
by catching its live shows. "We want everyone
to come see us, because their smiles and their
energy make Peelander-Z stronger, and help make
this planet happier," says Peelander-Yellow.
So while some call Peelander-Z's career thus
far brilliant marketing, and others call it a stage
show in place of any actual discernible talent,
the Peelanders prefer to call what they are doing
a vehicle for making people happy, and that's a
good thing, right?
And what is with those manga-style cos
tumes? "These are not costumes," says Peelander
Yellow. "This is our skin, because we are not hu
man beings." Right.
Jason Bugg
>
WHO: Peelander-Z, The Captains,
The Emeralds
WHERE: Tasty World
WHEN: Friday, September 21
HOW MUCH: $6
V )
NEWS & FEATURES I ARTS & EVENTS I MOVIES I MUSIC I COMICS & ADVICE I CLASSIFIEDS
30 FLAGP0LE.COM • SEPTEMBER 19,2007