Published 2008-04-01T00:00:00Z”/>

Leslie Williams

The music industry is a funny thing. Bands come and go, one song can make or break a career, and artists can be tossed around different labels as if they were the spud in a game of hot potato.

Southern-California-based alternative rock band Phantom Planet may be best known for its former drummer, actor Jason Schwartzman. Oh, and they have that little song, “California,” which almost everyone has heard as the theme song for teen drama “The O.C.”

Having been a band for 15 years, Phantom Planet knows a thing or two about the unpredictability of the music industry. This Sunday, the band will bring its wisdom and talent to the stage of the Bell Memorial Union before hitting the road with labelmates and the posterboys of the new face of rock Panic At The Disco.

For anyone familiar with both artists, the two seem like an unlikely match. But the different sound styles make Phantom Planet’s relationship with its new label, Fueled By Ramen, so appealing, said Sam Farrar, the band’s bassist.

“We’re so different than a lot of bands on the label,” he said. “We’re all very excited to stand out a bit on such a great roster of artists.”

With a roster including bands that have more of an “indie-punk, emo thing going on,” Fueled By Ramen is home to bands such as Paramore, Gym Class Heroes, Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco. The latter two bands also made waves in the BMU Auditorium in 2005 before hitting it big.

“Raise the Dead,” Phantom Planet’s newest album, which will be released April 15, boasts a lot of firsts. It’s the band’s first album on Fueled By Ramen, its first album since its departure from Epic Records, which Farrar calls an “unfortunate experience,” and its first album in four years since 2004’s self-titled effort.

On tour with Paramore and The Bravery before embarking on the Panic tour, Phantom Planet members said audiences have embraced the new tracks from the album. The songs aren’t even available for download, but the catchy nature of certain tracks and the powerful anthem-like sound have captured attention.

“We’ve had kids actually come up and sing ‘Leader’ with us,” Farrar said. “The other night, some kids knew the words better than I did.”

Because Phantom Planet has a young generation of music fans and tour mates, the band members take on a familial role.

“It definitely feels like we’re the older brothers,” Farrar said. “And I love that role. It’s a great one to be in.”

This familial role isn’t a surprise, considering Farrar calls Phantom Planet a “very tight band of brothers,” he said.

The closeness and bond is apparent on “Raise the Dead,” and the themes surrounding the album. On the band’s MySpace page, every photo shows the guys wearing the same outfit – a hoodie or T-shirt with a circular piano keys logo.

“We enjoy the experience of being unified,” Farrar said. “Plus, it’s also easier to decide what to wear onstage each night, too.”

Farrar hesitates to call “Raise the Dead” a concept album, but lead singer Alex Greenwald’s study of cults and cult music the past few years had an influence on the material, Farrar said.

“I think he finds it fascinating – the control people can have over others and how charismatic people can be,” he said.

And if one band knows the power a small group of people can have over others, it’s Phantom Planet.

Before the song “California” appeared on “The O.C.,” it was relatively unknown. Virtually overnight, the soaring, passionate song about returning home to, well, California became a hit synonymous with the show.

“It’s crazy how many people know the song,” Farrar said. “The only problem is that no one really knows it’s Phantom Planet. People know the song’s out there, but I think our whole goal now is to connect the dots and make people aware that’s our song and that we now have a new record out.”

As expected with any song that becomes extremely popular, “California” has experienced backlash, even by the band’s fans.

“We’ve had a lot of different stages on how we feel about the song,” Farrar said. “It’s gone from a great reaction when we play it live to our audiences backfiring on us and booing when we play it.”

Even so, the band members appreciate the impact the song has had on their careers.

“You can’t really hate something that’s helped your life that much,” Farrar said. “If it hadn’t been for that song, I don’t know that we would’ve lasted this long.”

Audiences at Sunday’s show are sure to hear the song, as the band still enjoys playing it, Farrar said.

“It’s almost like a cover song at this point, it doesn’t really feel like our song anymore, so it’s fun to play,” he said.

Fans can also expect to see the band take the stage in a new way – as headliners. The band has been opening for Paramore and The Bravery, and will soon open for Panic At The Disco, Motion City Soundtrack and The Hush Sound.

“We had this funny moment where we realized we’re more comfortable being the openers,” Farrar said. “There’s less pressure. When you’re an opening act and you blow the audience away, it’s like 10 times better.”

Not to worry, though, the band is working on returning to the stage as leaders.

“We’ll have about four shows as headliners before coming to Chico,” Farrar said. “We’ll have some time to figure out.”

Leslie Williams can be reached at <a>[email protected]</a>