Typically, when members of bands decide to retire, they cite familiar rationales: creative differences, spending more time with their families. But when so-called Peelander Blue retired from his group, Peelander-Z, in 2008, he offered this explanation: As a prince of Peelander-Planet, he will “go back to the P-planet” because the “P-King will be retiring.” Can’t argue with royalty.
Peelander-Z, a punk quartet of New York City-based Japanese expats that has been performing its raucous form of theatrical rock ‘n’ roll since 1998, works out to cultivate its alien aesthetic. Image isn’t everything for these talented adopters of Western underground music, but it’s almost everything. As self-proclaimed ambassadors from the Z Area of Planet Peelander, the band members each wear color-coded uniforms that they refer to as their own skin. Wacky, retro-sci-fi humor is the band’s stock in trade; in just one of its music videos – for “Star Bowling” – we’re treated to visions of a six-eyed monster, a crude spaceship trailing a rainbow and a red gorilla swirling in the cosmos, not to mention the parade of characters seemingly scraped off the cutting-room floor of the Star Wars Cantina.
The band’s stage show includes such stunts as bowling demonstrations – with the Peelander members acting as the bowling balls – dangerous high jumps from theater balconies, and “steel chair” assaults straight from the WWE playbook, all while performing three-chord blitzkriegs in a manner recalling the Stooges, Husker Du and the Ramones. Understanding the band’s vocals can be something of a lost cause, but, as with any number of songs by Melt-Banana or Elekibass, lyrical comprehension is beside the point.
Peelander-Z’s newly released eighth album, Metalander, marks its biggest musical departure, trading its well-honed punk simplicity for the bloated riffage and flowing hair of arena metal inspired by AC/DC, Def Leppard, Motley Crue and more. The album even closes with a bona fide power ballad, in “My Shake.” The band has, of course, has retained its sense of humor and intergalactic cred through this transition.
Let’s see if the small stage at Propaganda can once again handle the insanity on Octobrer 22, less than a year after its last performance there. Tickets cost $8 before 10pm, $10 after 10pm, and the show starts at 8pm. 18+ Propaganda is located at 6 South J Street in Lake Worth. The band is joined by Daikaiju, The Toilets and The Muggles. For information, visit propagandalw.com.
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~ John Thomason
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