Punk Rock From Another Planet

Peelander-Z's "Comic Action Punk" Returns

originally published September 19, 2007

The disciples of punk rock have always worked to capture its attitude, while some bands seemed to capture punk's antiauthoritarian 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 listening, 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.

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While other punk bands are screaming with righteous indignation about heady concepts like capitalism and societal marginalization, 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 wrestling," 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 ideological 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."

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Nonsensical qualities aside, it's the rampant 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 fighting 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 combines Peelander-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 audiences 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 costumes? "These are not costumes," says Peelander Yellow. "This is our skin, because we are not human beings." Right.

Jason Bugg

WHO: Peelander-Z, The Captains, The Emeralds
WHERE: Tasty World
WHEN: Friday, September 21
HOW MUCH: $6