Phantom Planet consists of Alex Greenwald (lead vocals, guitar), Darren Robinson (guitar), Jaques Brautbar (guitar, vocals), Jason Schwartzman (drums, keyboards), Sam Farrar (bass, vocals).
Phantom Planet is a frequently evolving 4-piece alternative music band based out of Southern California that has achieved fame for its song " California", that has gone on to become the theme song for the popular TV show, The O.C.. Phantom Planet has also performed a cover of Jackson Browne's "Somebody's Baby" for Not Another Teen Movie. Their first record is a surf-rock collection of tunes reminiscent of The Beach Boys. Their second is classic rock harkening to U2 and Blur. Their third and most recent album is an amalgam of sounds, described by the band members as "a fight between" bands such as Fugazi, The Who, The Cure, The Flaming Lips, and The Clash.
The band is named after the theme song of a 1961 b-movie called The Phantom Planet. They decided on the name in 1994 in a Pizza Hut.
The band has opened for many well-known artists, including Sting, Elvis Costello, Incubus, Guided By Voices, The Hives, American Hi-Fi, Maroon 5, and even Ludacris.
The band has helped both Los Angeles bases bands Rooney and The Like, as well as Maroon 5 get their start by providing them with their first proper club gigs.
