Phantom Planet are: Alex Greenwald on vocals, Sam Farrar on bass, Darren Robinson and Jeff Conrad, who replaced original drummer Jason Schwartzman after he left to continue pursuing his acting career.
They played their first show ever in 1995 at The Dragonfly in Hollywood. Most of their friends couldn't attend because they were still in high school, while the Dragonfly only serves customers that are 21 and over. Two of the songs they played are featured on the bonus material of the Chicago, Chicagogoing, Chicagogone DVD. Among the songs performed were "My Friend Liz's Dad" (misprinted as "My Friend Liz Is Dead on the DVD), and a cover of the Beastie Boys' 1994 song "Sabotage".
Phantom Planet has appeared on the televison programs "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", Performing So I Fall Again, and "American Dreams", playing British rock band The Zombies. They have appeared in the remake of the feature film The Bad News Bears, playing a band called The Bloodfarts. In 2005 they covered the CSNY track, Our House for the movie The Chumscrubber.
The band is named after the theme song of a 1961 b-movie called The Phantom Planet. They decided on the name in 1994 in a Pizza Hut.
The band has opened for many well-known artists, including Sting, Elvis Costello, Incubus, Guided By Voices, The Hives, American Hi-Fi, Maroon 5, and even Ludacris.
Lead singer and song writer Alex Greenwald became a popular model and the familiar face of many commercials for clothing retailer Gap. Greenwald also played a sociopath in the 2001 film Donnie Darko. Bassist Sam Farrar is the son of John Farrar, the singer/songwriter known best for notable songs from the movie Grease ("You're the One That I Want" and "Hopelessly Devoted to You") and other hits sung by Olivia Newton-John.
Ex-drummer Jason Schwartzman is the son of actress Talia Shire, brother of Rooney singer Robert Schwartzman and nephew of famed director Francis Ford Coppola. Schwartzman is now an acclaimed actor. He starred in Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees, Shopgirl, Roman Coppola's CQ, Bewitched, and appeared in his cousin Sofia Coppola's film Marie-Antoinette.
The band released their fourth and most recent album in April 2008 called Raise the Dead.
They announced, on November 25th, 2008, that they are on an indefinite hiatus.
On November 4, 2011, an official Phantom Planet reunion Twitter account was created which stated they would be reuniting in 2012. Since then, they have held their first practice in 3 years. In late January 2012, Phantom Planet announced their first reunion show, June 13, at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. On January 31, they announced the addition of a second Troubadour show to be played June 14, 2012. Former member of the band, Jacques Brautbar, joined them for songs at the June 13th show.
Also on January 31, guitarist Darren Robinson hinted at a Phantom Planet tour with the following Facebook status update: "Preparing for June shows for 5 months, in a huge positive way." No tour was announced.
In Augusts of 2013, the band, under Alex Greenwald & Phriends, performed a new song titled Balisong, which ended up being on Greenwald's solo album. This performance did not have bassist Sam Farrar because he was touring with Maroon 5. He was replaced by Jamiroquai bassist Stuart Zender.
A Phantom Planet Instagram account was created on January 19, 2019, indicating that the band could be reforming. Additionally, band members posted the logo on their personal social media accounts. It was confirmed that the band played a small secret private show January 19, 2019, at No Name on Fairfax in Los Angeles.
On March 18, 2019, the band officially announced "Hiatus. Over." They announced their first "public" show in over 7 years at Hanson's "Hop Jam" Music and Beer Festival in Tulsa, OK on May 19, 2019. Before that event, they scheduled three shows across Southern California.
Black Belt
Phantom Planet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were so close and nothing came between us - and the world -
No personal situations.
Thick as thieves us, we'd stick together for all time,
and we meant it but it turns out just for a while,
we stole - the friendship that bound us together -
We stole from the schools and their libraries,
We stole from the drink that made us sick,
We stole anything that we couldn't keep,
And it was enough - we didn't have to spoil anything,
And always be as thick as thieves.
Like a perfect stranger - you came into my life,
Then like the perfect lone ranger - you rode away - rode away,
rode away - rode away.
We stole the love from young girls in ivory towers,
We stole autumn leaves and summer showers,
We stole the silent wind that says you are free,
We stole everything that we could see,
But it wasn't enough - and now we've gone and spoiled everthing,
Now we're no longer as thick as thieves.
You came into my life -
Then like a perfect stranger you walked away - walked away -
walked away - walked away.
Thick as thieves us - we'd stick together for all time,
and we meant it but it turns out just for awhile,
we stole the friendship that bound us together.
We stole the burning sun in the open sky,
We stole the twinkling stars in the black night,
We stole the green belt fields that made us believe,
We stole everything that we could see.
But something came along that changes our minds,
I don't know what and I don't know why,
But we seemed to grow up in a flash of time,
While we watched our ideals helplessly unwind.
No - we're no longer as thick as thieves - no,
We're not as thick as we used to be - no,
We're no longer as thick as thieves - no,
We're not as thick as we used to be -
No it wasn't enough - and we've gone and spoiled everything
Now we're no longer as thick as thieves.
The song "Black Belt" by Phantom Planet tells the story of a group of friends who were once inseparable, but as time went on, they drifted apart. The lyrics reminisce on the good times they had together, stealing and rebelling against authority figures. They were so close that they referred to themselves as "thick as thieves." The title of the song, "Black Belt," is a nod to the martial arts ranking system and could symbolize their loyalty and bond as friends.
However, the chorus reveals that something happened that caused their friendship to unravel. Someone, perhaps the lone ranger mentioned in the second verse, walked away and left a lasting impact on the group dynamic. The lyrics suggest that this event caused them to grow up and abandon their rebellious ways.
Overall, the song expresses the bittersweet feeling of looking back on fond memories while acknowledging that things will never be the same again.
Line by Line Meaning
Times were so tough, but not as tough as they are now,
We faced difficulties in the past, but they pale in comparison to our current struggles.
We were so close and nothing came between us - and the world -
Our bond was strong, and we were inseparable even amidst external forces.
No personal situations.
Our connection went beyond individual circumstances.
Thick as thieves us, we'd stick together for all time,
Our friendship was unbreakable, and we pledged to remain loyal to each other forever.
and we meant it but it turns out just for a while,
Our commitment to each other was sincere, but it was only temporary.
we stole - the friendship that bound us together -
We took for granted the deep connection we shared, and it ended up fading away due to our actions.
We stole from the schools and their libraries,
We engaged in acts of theft, taking away books and resources from educational institutions.
We stole from the drugs that sent us to sleep,
We indulged in drug use, stealing away moments of consciousness and awareness.
We stole from the drink that made us sick,
We drank excessively and recklessly, leading to negative consequences.
We stole anything that we couldn't keep,
We took anything we desired without considering the consequences, without the intention of keeping it for long.
And it was enough - we didn't have to spoil anything,
Our stealing didn't have an impact on our friendship, and we were still as close as ever.
And always be as thick as thieves.
Our bond was strong, and we trusted each other completely.
Like a perfect stranger - you came into my life,
You appeared in my life in such an unexpected way and yet we formed a close bond.
Then like the perfect lone ranger - you rode away - rode away,
Just as quickly as you entered my life, you inexplicably left, leaving me feeling lost and confused.
We stole the love from young girls in ivory towers,
We took away the affection and adoration of innocent women who believed in the best of us.
We stole autumn leaves and summer showers,
We took away the beauty and serenity of nature for our own pleasure.
We stole the silent wind that says you are free,
We appropriated the metaphorical idea of freedom communicated by nature's natural elements.
We stole everything that we could see,
We took anything that caught our eye without regard for the consequences.
But it wasn't enough - and now we've gone and spoiled everthing,
Our actions didn't fulfill us, and we ended up ruining everything as a result.
Now we're no longer as thick as thieves.
Our friendship has been irrevocably damaged, and we are no longer as close as we once were.
But something came along that changes our minds,
Something occurred that altered our perspectives and attitudes towards each other.
I don't know what and I don't know why,
The catalyst for our change in behavior is unknown and unexplainable.
But we seemed to grow up in a flash of time,
We had a sudden realization that our reckless behavior was immature and irresponsible.
While we watched our ideals helplessly unwind.
Our shared vision and aspirations seemed to unravel before our very eyes, and there was nothing we could do to stop it.
No - we're no longer as thick as thieves - no,
We are no longer as loyal or as close as we once were, and it is a painful realization.
We're not as thick as we used to be - no,
Our bond is weakened, and it is evident that we are not as close as we once were.
No it wasn't enough - and we've gone and spoiled everything
Our selfish actions ultimately led to the ruin of our friendship, and it is a sad reality to face.
Now we're no longer as thick as thieves.
Our bond, once unbreakable, has been fractured beyond repair.
Contributed by Landon E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.