Remember the hard rock supergroup called Planet Us? If you don’t, that’s not a poor reflection on the band. Realistically, they were only together for about a year or two. And like many supergroups, they were the result of their members having some downtime between active periods in their respective bands. It wasn’t built to last. But boy, was Planet Us fun. It’s a shame that Guns N’ Roses’ famed guitarist Slash didn’t want to get involved.
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Planet Us was formed back in 2002. It featured Sammy Hagar (Van Halen) as the lead vocalist, Neal Schon (Journey) on the guitar, Deen Castronovo (Journey) on the drums, and Michael Anthony (Van Halen) on the bass guitar. Later in the band’s short tenure, they recruited Joe Satriani (of Deep Purple). However, their first choice was Slash. He ended up turning them down.
I can’t help but wonder what happened to this supergroup. They were actually quite good, with what little evidence we have of their existence. But, as previously mentioned, it seems like this group was meant to be a temporary thing.
The Short-Lived Lifespan of Planet Us That Didn’t Yield an Album as Planned
Planet Us was formed back in 2002 when there was some free time between Journey albums, and Van Halen had not yet gotten back together. Sadly, though, despite having the best intentions, it seems like the band faced nothing but hiccups when it came to recording. They initially planned to start recording music after their announcement in early 2002. However, outside forces like tours, an illness that Castronovo was dealing with, and other issues kept the band from recording much material.
The only two songs by Planet Us that got recorded include “Peeping Through A Hole” and “Vertigo”, and neither of those songs was officially released. According to Hagar, Sony planned on using “Vertigo” in the first Spider-Man film, but skipped it due to its heaviness. Schon would later re-record “Peeping Through A Hole” through his project, Soul SirkUS.
According to lore, Planet Us only performed together four times in their short lifespan. They never finished their debut album, and it all comes down to its members just being way too busy with other projects to get it done.
While Planet Us didn’t last, it did lead to the formation of another band called Chickenfoot. That group featured the magic of Hagar, Anthony, Satriani, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith.
Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage
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