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WOODEN PLANET Orbits the Acoustic Stratosphere By Robert E. Martin There are few three-piece groups that possess a dense and intricate sound free from the clutter of extraneous chords that can propel an audience purely from the strength of their talent. 3-piece groups like Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience come to mind in terms of electric progressive Rock 'n Roll, but to name an acoustic oriented 3-piece outfit becomes a tad more daunting task. Although only together since the summer of 1999, Wooden Planet has earned well-deserved notoriety as a truly unique entity in the world of acoustic music. The beautifully smooth vocals and haunting poetry of Paul Bauer combined with guitarist Ray York's expertise with alternate tunings & intricate rhythms, rounded off with the classical experience of guitarist Steve Meyers is like experiencing a welcome musical oasis in the desert of raging metal that populates the RustBelt. The music they create is a studied combination of acoustic rock and folk rich with melody, strong harmonic structure, and a decidedly easy-going approach that harkens back to such neo-Medieval classic pop artists such as Fairport Convention and Sandy Denny, yet the sensibility is totally current and something rarely heard in modern music today. While all artists possess influences harvested from their predecessors that works to inform their sound, perhaps it is the band's ability to assimilate those influences that makes them unique. With Ray's 'folk' roots and Paula's fondness for Riot Grrls like P.J. Harvey and Patti Smith, combined with Steve's 10 years of private training studying Classical guitar preceded by stints in Punk Bands like The Pissants, something 'special' was destined to evolve. "For me personally, "explains Steve, "I have a wide range of influence from classical guitarists like David Russell to bands like Black Flag and Flipper, so in a way our influences come from everywhere. In a nutshell, I think everything you hear becomes an influence." The opening textures of Wanderlust on the band's newly completed demo CD, produced & engineered by Ray & Steve and recorded at Dick Wagner's Downtown Digital Studios, is lush & symphonic, laying a perfect bed of sound for the smooth & soothing clarity of Paula's vocals. And in live performance, the experience is identical - leaving one in rapt disbelief that such a full and inviting body of sound can be emanating from simply two guitars and a very petite & lithe vocalist. Origins & Pathways The formation of Wooden Planet began in a manner much like their music with an idea introduced at competing levels. "It was sneaky, the way we got together!," jokes Steve. "Paula asked me if I wanted to play some guitar with her and work on some ideas and have some fun. I had a couple of tunes that she had written lyrics for, so I was throwing guitar on it. But at the same time she was saying the same thing to Ray. She was working on stuff with Ray and me simultaneously. Then one night I went to rehearse and Ray was sitting there. It was cool, because I'd known Ray, but it was pretty funny because we already had all the tunes to play, so it was like - here we go!" With Paula a veteran from the rowdy 'n rollicking Alterna-Ska band Agent Superfizz and Steve a veteran from the Punk scene, why did the trio decide to pursue this radically opposite acoustic vision? "Acoustic music is the main focus I like to play around with," explains Ray. "I love electric music, but prefer acoustic." "You could say it's because we're older & slower," jokes Steve. "Actually," chimes in Paula, "a lot of the ideas that I have today wouldn't fit in with the old band. Besides, Ray and Steve are incredible guitar players & musicians. Even if you're not familiar with our type of music, you have to give credit for the talent of these two guys." The full sound of both the recording and live performances Ray attributes to the quality of instrument. "On CD much of that lush texture comes from doubling up some of the acoustic guitars, but you need good instruments. We use Taylor, Guild, Tacoma, and Gibson, and you need the right kind of microphones as well." Thus far the group has 10 original songs and in addition to the aforementioned Wanderlust, has recorded the haunting Figure Eight and Strange Game in the studio. "We've talked about doing cover songs, but I don't think we'll delve into that," says Paula. "We intend to keep it original, except for the occasional Benefit Show." Thus far the band has opened for The Process at the Westown in Bay City, and has played The Hamilton St. Pub, CAGE Sessions, Rubbles in Mt. Pleasant and has a gig slated March 9th at The River Rock Café. Additionally, they will be showcased at this year's 15th Music Award Ceremony at Hollywood Nights on April 23rd. "I think we're trying to experiment with music a bit more," reflects Ray. "Thematically, we're going to incorporate different folk instruments into our sound, such as mandolins, a bazouki, and a cello." "I bought a cello a while back," notes Steve, "and I've been studying it with a girl from the Midland Symphony." As it stands, the group is uncertain as to whether they will add a drummer at a later date. "It depends upon the drummer," states Ray. "If he can use mallets or brushes it would be better for us. I'd like to add percussion to some of the recordings, but whether we'll do that live I'm not sure. It's hard to find players that want to do what we do in terms of original music." "If it enhances the music, we'll add a percussionist," adds Steve. "We have a full sound with just the two guitars so a drummer's role would be to expand on that texture, rather than making more noise in the middle. A simple 4/4 beat wouldn't work." A True Collaboration Š and Visions of Sand Gnomes In terms of their material, Wooden Planet always looks toward the theme of a particular song. "Sometimes I have a theme or Steve has a theme," explains Paula, "but we go more by what kind of feeling you get. Like Sand Gnomes." At this junction, both Ray & Steve break into laughter and I get the distinct feeling I'm sitting on the outside of an inside joke. Sand Gnomes, come again? "That's a long standing joke," answers Steve. "Once we were working and Paula told us to think of sitting in the desert writing a song. So I started joking around and said, 'And then the Sand Gnomes crawl out from the dunes and start nipping at your legs!" You see, my Mom has this most bizarre thing in her garden - this ceramic gnome riding a pig - so basically it was a bizarre image that just snowballed into silliness." "Back to your question, though, in terms of writing, Ray is the riffmaster," continues Steve. "He spits 'em out left & right. Paula does the same thing with lyrics, so it's kind of a hodge-podge. I'm best at taking what they've done and working up something that fits. I don't have a lot of material on my own, so my role is the arranger. I tend to feed off what they have and blend it together. I take the bridges and figure how to assemble it." "I definitely find myself more vocally challenged performing with these guys," adds Paula. "I come up with more harmonies and can use my voice better with this band. Sometimes it's even a challenge to fit my voice in with their music, because there isn't always open chords to take refuge in. They have this intricate finger picking going on, so it's a challenge to put vocals over that. But the final product is worth it." Ultimately, however the beauty & power of Wooden Planet comes down to each member individually working for a collective vision. Songs come alive as never before, with lyrics often drawn from Paula's visions - a moving story in her mind inspired by the musical talent of Ray & Steve. Indeed, Paula sums it up best when she notes how part of her message is exploring our paths as individuals as a way of realizing our interconnectedness. "We can't always understand what someone is not saying, their pain or need to connect at any given moment. What we can do is share smiles or music - very powerful stuff." "In some songs there is an underlying theme of nature, where union is found. Lyrically, I'm drawing upon the healing vibrations of sound." "A song will have a different meaning for each person and that's a wonderful thing for me. I'm not trying to force some profound meaning on anyone. Just take from it what you need, explore the different possibilities if you want, or simply enjoy it!" |
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