Element 115: the 1st & only rock band with an ET drummer.
Starting in 2003, the idea for an alien-themed band started to come into being. After a face-to-face visit with ET in 2001, Michael decided an alien band needed to be created to help give the message that was given to him by the ETs. The band was going to call themselves Alter Ego until a quick check on line found over 100 bands with that name in the US alone.
While sitting on the studio floor, Michael looked up at the spine of a VHS tape with BOB LAZAR on it, and said (while really just thinking to himself), “What about Element 115?” The other band members were unanimously on board, and the first band with an Alien Drummer had a name.
The search was on for a dummer who had the vision and an electric drumset. With over 2 million people in the Phoenix area at the time, one would think that finding a drummer with his head on straight wouuldn’t be a problem. That thought would be incorrect. In desperation, and with a dose of satire, Kev, the original keyboardist said, “Why don’t you MAKE a drummer?” As an engineer, I realized this wasn’t impossible. I responded with, “Yeah, I could make an ALIEN drummer.” The most famous line in the band’s history followed next. Kev said, “If you could do that…”
2005 - the Band Starts Gigging
With AL playing drums with his fingers, a single kick drumset, and very little animation, Element 115 started playing around Phoenix. The humans were Michael, Carla and Kevin. AL was displayed with a projector, which Carla often had lighting her up instead of the screen. It took over 300 hours to animate just 5 songs, and Michael knew he had to create a better way if a 4 hour show was to be available.
Introduction of 9 TV sets instead of a Projector
To eliminate the projector problem, Michael came up with a video wall solution. In 2006, he found nine 27″ TVs that could stack and AL’s video wall was born. Each of the TVs weighed over 80 pounds, and it was a finicky solution at best.
42" Plasma Screens WHAT?
In January of 2007, we upgraded to the 1,100 pound drummer. Nine 42″ plasmas weighing in at 72 pounds a piece, plus a 1/4″ thick steel support structure made the new show longer to set up, but AL was over 10′ from corner to corner.
The band made some other additions as well. We got towers, trusses, lights, and a 2nd guitarist for the band, Jess! He was just 15 but already played keyboards and guitar to all the rock favorites.
Bigger Shows and TV, too!
The band appeared on channel 3 and channel 10 in the Phoenix market. This was all leading up to probably the most exciting show in the band’s history, opening for Alan Parsons and War at the 2007 Roswell UFO Festival.
The Element 115 Album
The band’s home studio recorded and produced the Element 115 album, just before the trip to Roswell. Everyone was under the gun, but the tracks got done, and the CDs got made.
In addition, Carla did the main sketches, and a costume designer helped finish the jackets we all wore on stage. The first time we got to use them was at the 2007 Roswell UFO Festival.
The FIRST Roswell Concert!
We had 3 flat tires, we lost the transmission in the truck, and Kevin lost his power steering unit on his car, but we still made it to Roswell for the 60th anniversary event. We were the headliner of the first night, WAR was the headliner the second night, and Alan Parsons was the headliner the 3rd night.
Chase Masterson from Star Trek Deep Space 9 just HAD to sing a song with the band and AL. We said, okay, and she chose Jesus Is Just Alright from the Doobies and did an admirable job. AL is checking her out in this photo.