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LOG,
PLANET LOG, PLANET LOG 3000 -- Huh?
INTRODUCTION
Many
people have asked about the origins of the band's name.
(Well,
okay, at least a few people asked. Once, the question was
asked by this guy from Italy who wanted to interview the band
for his fanzine. Because of the great distance covered by
his question, it is weighted more heavily than a question
from your average, run-of-the-mill, local. You see, if you
assume that one average fan asks this question from a distance
of, say, 3 feet, then you can assume that for every 3 additional
feet the question had to travel over the regular 3 feet of
standard questioning distance, you add one questioner. Therefore,
the distance from Cleveland to Italy in feet, divided by three,
plus the number of locals who asked us the question, equals
the total weighted number of fans who asked the question.
Obviously, that's MANY people. Right?)
To
understand the name, you have to know a little about the band's
history.
*
* *
LOG
About
eight years ago, Dale and one of his co-workers decided to
form a band called Log, named for a theme from The Ren and
Stimpy Show. Dale played a little bass guitar and his co-worker
was taking guitar lessons. To complete the lineup, they asked
Martin, another co-worker, if he would learn to play the drums.
(A key reason for asking Martin to be in the band was that
Martin owned a house, so the band could practice in his basement!)
Because they all thought that Martin?s wife, Shelley, might
not like the noise from band practices, they asked her to
sing -- they thought that if Shelley was in the band, she
wouldn?t mind the noise! (It worked!)
Eventually,
the band decided that they needed a second guitarist, so Shelley
bought an electric guitar and everyone began to share the
responsibility for singing.
After
a few practices and a couple of minor gigs, the original guitarist
decided that he didn?t like playing in front of an audience,
so he quit.
*
* *
PLANET
LOG (a.k.a. PLog)
The
band decided to ask another person who worked with Dale and
Martin (Dave P. Miller) to join. At the time, Dave was just
learning to play the banjo.
Just
after Dave joined Log, the name of the band was changed to
Planet Log.
(Some
said that the origin of the band?s new name was a military
secret. At the time, it was rumored that the following items
were involved: a Ouija board, Pictionary, a large hunk of
wood, and a Little Astronomer-brand telescope.)
Planet
Log, in addition to playing in various Cleveland, Akron, and
Cleveland venues over about three years, self-released a CD,
Venus in Leopard Print, and recorded a 3-song demo tape produced
by Kramer in 1996.
Planet
Log existed until early 1997, when Dave took a job in San
Francisco. Planet Log continued for a short time as a power
trio. However, the remaining members preferred to have a fuller
sound, additional vocals, and another creative perspective
from a fourth member.
*
* *
PLANET
LOG 3000 (a.k.a. PL3K)
It
wasn't very easy to find someone who matched all of the requirements
of being a member of PLog. It was important to the band to
maintain the everybody writes and everybody sings motto. (The
band likes the idea of everyone having an equal role in the
band -- nobody owns the spotlight. This helps to give the
band a more diverse sound.) Other requirements were:
-
Plays a stringed instrument that can be amplified
- Sings both lead and backing vocals
- Writes songs
- Doesn't care that the band always operates at a financial
loss
- Doesn't expect to give up his/her day job
Incredibly,
the right person actually (and briefly) emerged -- Keith Kanderski,
former lead singer for the late, great Pudding and Fruit.
Around
the time that Keith joined the band, a new chapter in the
band's history (albeit, a very SHORT chapter) began. A name
change seemed appropriate. Although a job change forced Keith
to leave the band in June 1997, Planet Log 3000 elected to
keep the same name.
This
chapter in band history, although started by Keith, is being
continued by the band's current member, Suave DePietro, who
joined in mid-November 1997. Since Suave's joining, PL3K has
developed a more "rocking" musical style with more
edge. Suave's guitar leads have added sonic depth to the music.
He also is a gifted vocalist and songwriter.
The
addition of our manager, Sara Monsour, provided the band with
even more creativity in approaching our future. It all seems
to have come together!
Thirty
years from now, the words Planet Log 3000 will probably make
up only about 25% of the total words in the name of the band,
the members will all play electric autoharps, and they'll
play only lite rock.
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