We met up with Planet X just before their last show of the tour at the Couch House in San Juan Capistrano California, which was being
recorded for a live CD as well. I was able to take a bit of Derek
Sherinians time just before the show. If you don't know Derek, he's
been around for some time and played with a wide range of acts like
Billy Idol, Alice Cooper, Kiss and was a member of Dream Theater for
a couple years as well.
PRC: Hi Derek, it's good to see you, thanks for carving out a few
minutes to talk with me.
DS: Sure, thanks for coming.
PRC: Ok, let me jump right into it since I know you are short on time
before the concert starts.
PRC: How's the tour going, hows the turnout been?
DS: Really good, some cities are lighter than others, but in the
major cities that we play it's been really good like Boston, Buffalo,
Toronto.
PRC: So how do you think the word is getting out on the music?
Obviously the amount of air play you get is probably almost
non-existant on terristrial radio.
DS: I think a lot of it is through the internet. There's a lot of
people going to our web site and other places we are featured, and I
think that's been helpful for us.
PRC: Well that's one of the things we do at ProgRock.com, is try to
get this kind of music to people that wouldn't normally get it.
DS: Oh, that's great.
PRC: We're actually going to start reslling music as well and are
even starting a smallish record label. Try to help out bands that we
find just aren't getting any representation.
DS: Oh good.
PRC: Speaking of which, you changed personally from Magna Carta to
Inside Out Music.
DS: Yea, I just as an artist have specific needs, and Inside Out had
what I needed more at this time.
PRC: I've seen a lot of people changing and I've been curious, since
I've been talking to some of the bands like Under The Sun who sold
albums and consequently never saw a dime from it and was curious if
it might be their representation.
DS: Well there's all kinds of different deals you can do. I can see
myself doing something with Magna Carta in the future, it's just,
different labels have different programs, it sometimes depends on
where the artist is at.
PRC: How do you guys handle the writing process given how
geographically diverse you are? Do you get together for bits, or do
you email or fed ex tapes around or what?
DS: We get together for a lot of it, for example this last album is
very Virgil dominated in the writing, but on the next record it is
very Tony and Derek dominated. It's just timing of who can do what
with all our schedules. There's no real set rules, it's just
whatever kind of happens.
PRC: So is this the main gig for you three guys now?
DS: We all do other stuff, I mean, Virgil and Tony played with Steve
Vai last year, and I toured with Billy Idol.
PRC: Oh wow, Billy's still touring?
DS: Yea, actually I'm doing some holiday shows with him here at the
end of the year. So we all do different stuff, but when we get
together for Planet X we really enjoy it.
PRC: It seems like you guys really stretch out, I mean you wouldn't
normally get to play like that with most people.
DS: Exactly, so it's really cool that we have this opportunity.
PRC: So tell me what you're listening to, what's in your CD player
these days?
DS: I really haven't had a chance to listen to a lot of stuff, I've
been trying to finish up my new solo album.
PRC: Oh, I didn't know you had another one coming, is Simon
[Phillips] working with you again?
DS: Yea, Simons already on it, it's all done, it's just being mixed
right now. It should be out in the Spring of 2003.
PRC: Great! I'll be looking forward to it. Will that be with Inside
Out then?
DS: Yes it will be.
PRC: Now I'm curious, you recorded with Jughead. Did you mostly play
guitar on that?
DS: You know, I don't even remember doing that session. I know in
the credits I am listed with guitar, but honestly I don't remember
recording guitars, it's like a blur. Every time I do a record with
Ty [Taybor] it's hard to remember.
PRC: So what prompted you not to do Platypus anymore?
DS: Time. At one point I was just on too many records and I wanted
to focus on other stuff and my solo stuff.
PRC: I can understand that. Now here's the most thought provoking
question of the night. which Backstreet Boy do you look up to the
most?
DS: I don't know, I wouldn't have any idea.
PRC: Where the hell do you get the track names from?
DS: They mean nothing really. It's the hardest thing for us to come
up with so we just try to find something really obnoxious.
PRC: Now you called the band Planet X after you called your first
solo album Planet X and Virgil was on your first solo album. Is that
how it all came together?
DS: yes
PRC: So how did you you meet Virgil?
DS: Through Mike Varney at Magna Carta. I was looking for some
players for my solo album and he was recommended. I hooked up with
him right away and we had a good connection.
PRC: I hate to admit I hadn't heard of him until I saw him on your
album and then on Steve Walsh's latest solo album, and I was like "My
GOD that guy is really amazing, how have I not heard of him before?"
DS: Virgils a late bloomer, but he's sure turning a lot of heads.
PRC: Let me ask you, financially, do you see much out of album sales
or from touring?
DS: We pretty much just break even on the band, it doesn't cost us
money but we don't do more than cover expenses really when we go on
tour. We feel a duty as musicians and artists that play this kind of
music to a) satisfy ourselves, and b) no one else is doing what we're
doing and we need to take it to the people. So if for a few weeks
out of the year we go out on tour and don't make any money, then so
be it, as long as we get to keep it real, you know.
PRC: Well, I'll stop it there, I know you're pressed for time, thank
you again for talking with us.
DS: Thank you guys so much for the support, I hope you enjoy the
show.
Enjoy the show we did, the opening act was a pleasant surprise by the
name of Marc Seal, www.marcseal.com, I definitely suggest you check
him out. Now for the Planet X show itself:
The venue was marginally attended, which is a shame, but it was a
Monday night. The good part was the great seat we had just a few
feet from Derek. They all played their asses off, it was amazing,
but Virgil really took the cake, I've seen amazing drummers but my
draw was literally open through his 15 minute or so drum solo. I
can't explain it, but the man is a blur, you've never seen something
like this. I've also never seen anyone so physically exhausted but
continue on, just amazing. If you ever have a chance to see Planet X
live and love to see raw muscianship, you really have to go.
