By: David Schultz

It lacks the posturing and taunting of its rap counterpart and there surely are no recorded accounts of a feud degenerating into shocking acts of violence but in the world of high-octane, electronica fueled jambands, an overactive imagination can envision a rivalry amongst the East coast and West coast bands. The competition seems to take place on stage, with each of the bands amping up their sets to offer fans the liveliest show possible. While The Disco Biscuits and U-Melt are representative of the East Coast; the California based Particle have emerged as the band most identifiable with the West Coast sound.

Particle's road has not always been smoothly paved: their original lineup of keyboardist Steve Molitz, bassist Eric Gould, drummer Darren Pujalet and guitarist Dave Simmons was short lived, Simmons passing away shortly after the group formed. Wanting to keep Simmons' spirit alive, Charlie Hitchcock joined the band and Particle steadily built their reputation as one of the up-and-coming bands on the jamband scene. In 2002, they performed at the Jammy Awards with Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the B-52s, bringing down the house with an extended version of "Love Shack" that had the most jaded of music fans dancing with glee. In 2004, they released their debut album, Launchpad, a collection of instrumentals that succinctly captured the aura of their spacey, electronic live shows. In 2005, they paired up with the Grateful Dead's drummer Mickey Hart, touring as Hydra and offering their take on world music.

As with all stories worth telling, every flowing wave comes with its equivalent ebb tide and Particle's story is one of those; their last twelve months constituting quite a roller coaster. Even though they have spent little time off the road, Particle has endured a mutual split with guitarist Charlie Hitchcock; reemerged as a quintet with guitarists Ben Combe and Scott Metzger; recorded and released Transformations, a CD and DVD commemorating the band's new configuration only to see the lineup break apart with Metzger leaving the band a few months later.

In the brief break between their summer and fall tours, during which Eric Gould got married and Particle added "wedding band" to their resume, drummer Darren Pujalet took some time to talk with Earvolution about the band's various transformations, which while serving as the title of their latest releases also seems to be a good term for describing Particle's last twelve months.

At the outset of the discussion, Pujalet agreed with the assessment that "transformation" perfectly sums up Particle and their constant evolution. "Basically, we've always been a band that's transformed to the moment. We've done so many different things: we've played in Hydra with Mickey Hart; we've all done mix and match things; we've played with Satriani; we did a Doors song and then we did some hip hop," says Pujalet noting how Transformations succinctly encapsulates the band’s versatility. "There are certain styles that we like to play. I would say that Particle has a sound and vibe and there's a percentage where it's off the map that we like to do that as well."

Without question, the biggest transformation began at the end of their 2005 summer tour: a seemingly amicable split with their longtime guitarist Charlie Hitchcock. The search for a new guitarist yielded double bounty in the form of established RANA guitarist Scott Metzger and the lesser heralded but equally talented Ben Combe. "It's kind of funny that we are where we are today," explained Pujalet of the transition process. "When we first started looking, we were searching for one guitar player and we came up with two guys who brought something so different. We liked a piece of what they were both bringing to the table and it was hard to make a decision. We thought to ourselves, 'Well, we love what they're both doing and they bring different elements to the band, so let's hire two new guitar players.'"

Combe, who has now, in essence, replaced Hitchcock as the lead guitarist, came to audition for the band when a friend pushed him into sending Particle an audition CD. "When we heard the CD, we loved the production, the singing, the songwriting, everything about it," recalls Pujalet. "We thought, 'Hey, we've got to give this guy a shot, let's get him over here.' He came over four different times to audition for us. Any time we wanted to have him, he'd be over [from Arizona] within a day." On the other hand, Metzger came to the band in quite a different fashion. A longtime member of the East coast based RANA, Metzger came out west in search of a different fortune. "I knew he wanted a change and a challenge and maybe to be in a band that was a little bit further ahead on the touring level," says Pujalet of Metzger's desire to join the band. Noting that the RANA musicians are involved in various side projects, "I think Scott figured: 'Well, what can I do to venture out and do my own thing.' I think he saw it as a great opportunity."

Quickly gelling as a quintet, the new lineup debuted on February 24, 2006 at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, California. Memorable not only for the guest performers, which included Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger, Joe Satriani, turntablist DJ Logic and rapper Blackalicious, Particle memorialized the event on Transformations. "It was a really big risk for us to do that," said Pujalet of making the band's debut as a five piece the focal point of a major CD/DVD release. "It felt like putting all of your money on the line, putting it all on red at the roulette table. Part of that feeling was the nostalgia of getting that footage on DVD knowing that it was our first performance ever together." Recorded before their avid hometown fans, Transformations features Robby Krieger sitting in for a romp through The Doors classic "L.A. Woman" and Satriani and old friend DJ Logic helping out on "W," a Particle live staple.

Transformations illustrates a nice dichotomy inherent with Particle. Although Particle has crafted their own distinct style, they have not isolated themselves from other musicians. In fact, they have proven quite adaptable to all types of music. Their performance with Robby Krieger, who surreally wore a Doors T-shirt, seemed to be one-off deal; unlike Hydra, their pairing with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, which went so swimmingly that they took the whole shebang out on tour. "He [Hart] heard our music and wanted to try and pair up with a band that a lot more forward thinking and had a more modern type sound," relates Pujalet. "Particle really offered that for him. We had an opportunity to play together and from that point on, he was sold on the band." As any drummer hailing from the West coast would, Pujalet was excited to share the stage with Hart. "I'd heard their music for years and been to some Dead shows as a kid. To play with someone I'd always dreamed of having the opportunity to play with was really inspirational and nostalgic at the same time."

Although he's not featured prominently in the DVD, DJ Logic also has a hold on Particle's heart; a kindred spirit to what the band tries to accomplish. Logic has joined Particle on numerous occasions and Pujalet has returned the favor, relishing the opportunity to sit in while Logic works his turntable magic. "We've run in the same circle for years," says Pujalet. Keeping it all within six degrees of musical separation, Pujalet first played with his future band mate Scott Metzger at a DJ Logic and Friends show. "As the drummer of Particle, I enjoy having him sit in, but I've had much more fun playing with Logic when its his band," explains Pujalet. "Logic supported Particle on ten to fifteen dates last year. I would come out and play drums with him. To be able to play with him was great because he would spin beats and grooves and I would play drums over the top and just listen to what he was doing." Pujalet pauses for a moment before continuing, "It's a much more pleasing style. There's just a lot of good interaction,” he notes. "You have to listen really well. We are both rhythm oriented. It's a treat: I love playing grooves over the styles that he plays."

Transformations also features Molitz, Gould and even Pujalet utilizing the microphones, adding vocals to a couple new songs as well as to a randy romp through Beck's "E-Pro." Always considered an instrumental band, they have long considered bringing vocals into the mix, just recently reaching the point where they acted on their impulse. During the auditions for new guitarists, Particle explored whether they had a singing voice. On Transformations, the encore showcases the vocal (and guitar) talents of the new members with Combe and Metzger returning to the stage alone for an acoustic reading of The Verve's "Lucky Man." The guitarists' duet marks the critical conclusion of the show; the all-star finale consisting of a cover of "Superstition" hurt by too many cooks stirring Stevie Wonder's pot.

Regrettably, Transformations captures a short-lived moment in Particle's history. Metzger's Particle brief tenure with the band lasted only a few months as family matters requiring him to return to full time to New York. Pujalet looked at Metzger's decision pragmatically. "Unfortunately for Scott we work really hard, we tour a lot and we're based out of the West coast, which really doesn't allow us to be home that often. I know he has all his family [on the East coast]; there were troubled times going on and it was really hard for him to attend to them from such a distance. It didn't surprise me when I heard the final decision," said Pujalet. The drummer believes Metzger's decision to join the band was in earnest and he takes an existential view as to whether his departure from the band will be a temporary one. "You never know, we don't know," he explains. "At this point, the band is going on as a four piece. We're taking it as a four piece for now."

As Metzger left the band with some shows remaining, Particle's had time to reestablish themselves as a quartet. "The band sounds a lot tighter and really polished," explains Pujalet, making mention that he's not saying such as a slight to Metzger. "I think the motivation factors been a lot higher as well. With just the four of us, it's a little bit easier. We're really pushing the band to look for new directions and new ways of performing." In the wake of Metzger's departure, Combe's role in the band expanded and Pujalet has been quite impressed with Combe's handling of the responsibility. "Ben has really kind of picked up the slack on the other end and really stepped up to the plate. Now that Scott is not around, his playing has really started to flourish. I think it's really hard and takes a certain type of character to do what Particle does and work as hard as we've worked."

The hard work Pujalet describes bursts forth on stage where, given the lengthy nature of many of Particle's tunes, their shows devolve into a wonderfully groovy rave type atmosphere; a result that's not altogether unintentional. "We've all attended raves and that environment has infiltrated our world so much just because of traveling around to festivals where there are rave tents," explains Pujalet. "It's always present and it just kind of seeps into your pores. Plus, we've really been influenced by electronic music and dance music in general: the more and more you listen, you get that rave element."

Particle's incorporation of the rave scene's hypnotically trance-inducing music into their self-defined organically electronic jams has given rise to "livetronica," a term Pujalet loves. "It really connotes a more organic sense of what you hear coming from DJs. It's more of an interpretive, in the moment, improvisational style of electronic music," describes Pujalet. "When someone asks me to go through the evolution of different phases in our career, a lot of time I describe our music as high-energy dance music or funktronic rock. We have a lot of funk and dance influence as well as a large electronic influence. To be honest with you it's basic rock music, we hit hard we play hard, we have high energy, it's not as calm as you hear from a lot of electronic music."

Though nothing could replace the feel and fun of any live show, the Transformations DVD admirably documents the atmosphere of a Particle show. The crowd scenes, including many fans dressed in costume for the evening, give a good sense of the aura surrounding the band. When Particle played a late night show last summer at New York City's Irving Plaza, they created a rave-like atmosphere befitting the late hour of the show. The fans helped foster the mood, many dressing up in outfits varying from the traditional tie-dyes to one fan who found a leopard print suit with top hat. The outre environment that occasionally arises at Particle's shows isn't lost on the band. "We really encourage that. We love to see people dressed in costume," Pujalet says with pride creeping into his voice. "It just adds so much to the flavor and says something about the people that count when people come dressed up for the show and seeing that they're so steamed for the show. It's awesome to see them getting in character, getting in the spirit of the night. We've just done so many out of the box, zany type shows; people know that that's the type of band we are. So to see some guy dressed up in a Superman costume at the show is cool, it's great, we welcome it. It's not something you would necessarily see at a Black Crowes' concert," he jests.

In addition to digging the apparel during the show, Particle puts thought into the composition of their prospective audience at each venue. "Particle's so good at tailoring their set," says Pujalet, proudly. "A lot of the times when you play at night you can couple really high energy music with some drawn out cerebral music; people are in that type of head space late at night. Whereas during the afternoon, we usually play with a more rock and roll style to get people pumped up for the long day." To accentuate the point, Pujalet points to the band's recent sets at Lollapalooza, Milwaukee's Summer Fest and Wakarusa. "Each show: it's a different experience."

Pujalet expressed excitement over their current fall tour, which will take them to nearly every corner of the United States. While the tour will ostensibly be in support of the Transformations project, Pujalet looks forward to the opportunities to experiment as well. "We've got some new material that we'll be working into the new tour. I think you'll see a lot of transformations in the band over this tour as well. A lot of new directions, a lot of new styles and ways to show what we've put together." As the changes seemed to be in the process of developing, Pujalet was politely hesitant to prematurely discuss any future changes. "Some of it hasn't even been completely determined: a lot of ideas and thoughts have been tossed around and I know it will be a unique tour."

Beyond the music, Particle tries to bring something memorable to each show. When they last traveled through New York as part of the Green Apple Music & Arts Festival, Particle attempted to impart an environmentally conscious vibe onto their sold-out performance at the Bowery Ballroom by encouraging fans to ride their bicycles to the venue. Unfortunately, New York City was beset with torrential rains on the day of the show, making non-vehicular, uncovered travel extremely inconvenient. Pujalet's sense of pride over selling out the Bowery Ballroom, which featured a guest appearance by Mickey Hart (who seemed to be everywhere that weekend), is matched only by his anticipation of returning to the much larger Irving Plaza on November 8th. For Halloween, the band will faux-travel to the year 2070 to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the birth of funk at the Granada Theater in Lawrence, KS where they will award the title of God and Goddess of the Universe to a pair of lucky concert-goers.

In talking with Pujalet, it's easy to become wrapped up in his enthusiasm for Particle's future. Clearly proud of the band's accomplishments to date, Pujalet seems more excited about the experiences that loom ahead. Even though his eyes are focused on the recent album, the fall tour and newer music, he did not demur when asked about the split with Charlie Hitchcock, taking a very pragmatic view over his departure. "In a nutshell, we were heading in different directions," relates Pujalet. "In the musical sense, we wanted different things out of the band. I think Eric, Steve and I wanted to become a little more of a polished, refined band and show a little more depth. I think Charlie was more of an in-the-moment, let's just play what's in front of us kind of guy. We drifted apart in our musical styles." As to the split itself, Pujalet could see that a split was imminent. "It had been surfacing for a long time but we'd been working so hard together that it was challenging to do anything about it when you were so busy. You can only head in different directions for so long and still be close." Despite the differences, could Hitchcock ever return? "I don't think so, but stranger things have happened."

This Friday will mark another milestone for Particle: their sixth anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, they will return to the Henry Fonda Theater where they are encouraging fans to bring their parachute pants, Adidas and boom-boxes. Proving the adage that what does not kill you makes you stronger, the anniversary show will not only signify another year in Particle's young but fruitful career but will also serve as a testament to their durability.

Labels: Darren Pujalet, DJ Logic, Particle