While most bands only dream of finding the right chemistry, Los Angeles-based duo Mad Planet oozed it from the very beginning. Vocalist/bassist Cooper Gillespie and drummer Greg Gordon were bartending at the now defunct Hollywood nightclub Safari Sam’s when sparks flew–both musically and romantically–and they decided to pair up as a couple and a band.
The duo immediately discovered a shared love of trip-hop, rock and jazz. “We wanted to go in more of a Massive Attack, Portishead direction,” says Gordon, who had previously been a member of the Nervous Return, a punk-rock outfit that toured with the likes of Blink 182 and No Doubt. Gillespie had fronted Bang Sugar Bang, an aggressive punk-rock trio, and felt compelled to try something new.
Mad Planet began recording their debut album in early 2009, using their Silver Lake apartment as a studio. Gillespie and Gordon wanted to craft their own distinct sound and turn their musical vision into a reality, so they decided to record and produce the album themselves. “It felt great to do everything just the way we wanted it,” says Gillespie.
The result was “All Elephants,” a 12-track album that bursts at the seams with cool, melodic grooves and haunting female vocals. Released in the summer of 2010, “All Elephants” explores fairly dark themes of loss, love, breakups and depression but comes out the other side, offering listeners hope and beauty in their darkest hours. “I was in a deep dark place when I started writing the album,” Gillespie confesses. “I had just gone through a divorce and a family member was institutionalized. I found writing to be very therapeutic and healing. It helped me work through these things and deal with the loss.”
Gillespie’s smooth, breathy vocals provide a strong anchor for the down-tempo tunes, which are replete with scratching, complex electronic layers, addictive bass lines and Gordon’s explosive backbeats. Interestingly, the album’s unique cover art was created by comic book creator Nathan Hamill, son of actor Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the original “Star Wars.”
Since the album’s release, the duo have been wowing audiences with the addictive tunes at renowned Los Angeles venues including the SIlverlake Lounge, Spaceland, the Echo, and Bordello as well as festivals throughout California, and they’re gearing up to take their show on the road in the latter half of 2010. Meanwhile, the prolific pair have already recorded several tracks for a sophomore album, which is on the horizon.
Instrumentation
Greg Gordon – Programming/Sequencing, Drums
Cooper Gillespie – Vocals, Bass
Website
Discography
All Elephants (2010)
Song Samples
Blue Today
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Set on Fire
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