Planet Mercury, a pop-punk band formed out of Worcester, MA, has made 2019 one of their most progress years to date. If you’re in the New England area and haven’t caught them live yet, you are truly missing out!
The band came together a few years back when guitarist Michaela and bassist Pat, and later lead vocalist Jerry, met on Craigslist. Newest addition to the band, drummer Chris Lovejoy, joined in this past season.
When it comes to their sound, Planet Mercury is bringing back the classic 2000’s punk-rock attitude, while adding their own spin to it. They say this style means focusing on “the roots of punk rock/pop punk and trying to be more focused on uplifting themes and energetic music to share”. With crowd favorites like Burn and I’ll Thank Me Later, they accomplish exactly that. “We all really enjoy playing “I’ll Thank Me Later” live a lot. It was the first song we wrote in drop tuning and we all get really into it.”
But what separates this band is their ability to bring in each member’s individuality and incorporate different styles into their mix. “Though we write very well together and like a lot of the same music, we also all have vastly different styles and musical taste at times. At first we definitely had to find our groove a little bit and see how our styles could compliment each other, and I think as time has gone on, we’ve melded everything together pretty well!”
Even though their inspiration may come from a certain era of classic punk-rock, their own music is certainly making an effort to experiment with new sounds as the band puts out new releases. On whether or not they have seen significant changes from the release of “Eunoia” to their latest album drop “None In A Million”, they say “we definitely have...Part of that comes from, again, learning how to work with each other more cohesively, and part of that comes from maturing as musicians individually.” As the members of the band grow further into their unique style, so does their music. “Eunoia was very “comfortable” and None In A Million and the new songs we’re writing are definitely more bold and unique.”
And, with new music comes new shows as well! The band has organized three shows so far at a venue of their own called “The Barn”. The space has welcomed numerous local bands and fans for intimate, yet lively performances. “We hope to host other bands and play shows there more regularly as time goes on. We’d love to have a nice and relaxed space for bands to come play and have a good time!”
If new music and a new performance space is still not enough, Planet Mercury has also announced an upcoming tour for this January! Having toured last winter, as well as setting out for a weekender at the end of last summer, Planet Mercury’s experiences on the road have helped shape them as a band. “[Tour] was an experience to say the least, but a very good one. I think we learned a lot about how to travel and how to maintain focus/energy while constantly driving around and sleeping in various places”. This tour will begin in Providence, RI and ultimately end in St. Petersburg, FL. “We would love to go to Canada or Europe, but until we get passports, we’ll focus on branching out further south and west in the US.”
Although they may be traveling far this January, the band will always appreciate the local music scene in New England. “Making music is a completely unique experience for everyone, yet while playing a song to an audience, everyone is able to feel the same camaraderie and joy regardless of what’s happening outside of those four walls, a show is a totally carefree and enjoyable place to connect with people.”
Planet Mercury’s newest single, Maybe, is now available for streaming!
Written by Caroline Moll