Chapter 1 - Forming a band

What do you get when you take the two oldest Planeteers & Captain Planet? The
hottest eco-rock group that was more of a boy band called The Power Is Yours.
On Behind the Music, we'll learn the rise & fall of this popular boy band.

It all started when Linka & Gi teased Wheeler that he was jealous of Sky Runner.
Wheeler told the girls that he could start a band & be like their idol.

WHEELER: No one ever knew of my hidden talent. Before I was a Planeteer, I
hung around Brooklyn with my friends since I had no one to turn to. Anyway, a
friend of mine played the bass guitar. So he gave me some lessons & in months,
I was poppin to play. Around Christmas, I got my own bass & amp. Then when I
became a Planeteer, I shoved the bass underneath my bed & forgot about it until
I started the band.

It was during a camp-out that Kwame developed his talent. The Planeteers
gathered round a campfire, singing songs. Links played her keyboard while Kwame
drummed on a hollow log, having drumsticks. Wheeler stared @ Kwame while he
played & his brain started to click.

KWAME: Wheeler scared me that night. After the camp-out, he asked me about my
drumming & I told him that I have natural rhythm. So Wheeler asked me if I
wanted to try out an American drum set.

Wheeler got Kwame an American drum set. The only problem Kwame had was using
the foot pedals, but he got over that quickly.

But what about Captain Planet?

CAP: Wheeler caught me in the waterfall singing. Then he asked if I wanted
to join his band. When I went to his hut, there was sheet music on his bed.
Wheeler was serious about that band. So on his birthday, I surprised him
playing an eco-electric guitar & singing. Then I told him that I would be
honored to join his band.

Captain Planet, Kwame & Wheeler had officially formed a band. The band's name
came from Captain Planet himself.

CAP: Wheeler wanted to call the band Planet Posse. It sounded more like a
rap gangster group then a rock group. Just as I was about to bail out, Kwame
suggested they use my exit cue as our band's name. That's why we're called
The Power Is Yours, an eco-rock band that can teach as well as rock.

Whenever there was free time, the boys would have band practice. They would
work together writing songs as well as producing a sound.

CAP: I felt a little guilty playing electric guitar, though I play a green
sunburst hollow bodied guitar. Wheeler didn't like me to play acoustic.
WHEELER: So Cap came up with a cool idea. He developed amps that run on
solar power to save energy. He has a solar amp as well as my bass solar amp.
KWAME: Man, I had so much energy when I started playing the drums. Wheeler
thought it was cool for me to develop my talents as a drummer.

When it came to vocals, each member had its own opinion.

WHEELER: I can't sing worth a (BLEEP)! So I was known as a rap dude who
also plays bass.
CAP: I can sing, but felt a little embarrassed being a singing super hero.
Hey, Mighty Mouse use to sing opera, The Ninja Turtles had a band going, so
why not Captain Planet. So I told Wheeler that I would only sing eco-songs
that I would approve of.
KWAME: It was hard on me who to please. So I would rap as well as sing,
whatever the song called for. Whenever I had the spotlight, I would like to
sing. Then Wheeler had me do a rap tune with him.

Weeks passed. The band got their sound together. Fortunately, the Planeteers
had a friend in the music business.

WHEELER: We were good friends with Sky Runner, an eco rock star himself. I
didn't care much that Linka & Gi went crazy over him.
KWAME: But he does have a recording studio & his own label.

When the Planeteers were invited to Sky Runner's pad for the weekend, Wheeler
made his move. He had Sky listen to their tape.

SKY RUNNER: I couldn't believe that the laziest Planeteer would form his own
band. But why did he leave out the girls & Ma-Ti?
WHEELER: It's my band. Linka & Gi are way too good that they would take over.
So I wanted to make it a boy band, but Ma-Ti didn't have any musical talent.

Sky Runner told Wheeler that they could record a demo. When they saw his music
studio, Kwame was impressed of all the percussion instruments Sky had. Kwame
tried out the congas, timbales, hand drums. Then came the tympani.

KWAME: When I first played, I was only kidding around with Wheeler! After
messing on it, I took off my ring & placed it in my pocket. Then I shouted
"Earth" & played a drumroll.

When Wheeler saw Kwame play that drumroll, it clicked!

WHEELER: Cool!
KWAME: He was dead serious that I should also play tympani as well. Thought
it was embarrsing to have a tympani in my drum set.
WHEELER: First off, Kwame's stuck behind a set of drums. Fans would get to
see him when he stands there playing his tympani. So I asked Sky if I could
have his pair of tymps, he let me have them. So we started recording again,
adding tympani riffs.
CAP: I thought Wheeler was nuts adding a tympani to the band, but Kwame told
me he didn't mind & likes playing the instrument.

The day came when The Power Is Yours became recording artists. Working in Sky
Runner's studio, the band recorded four songs for their demo CD.

CAP: I couldn't believe that I went from being a super hero to a super rock
musician. But @ least we're doing eco-tunes that any Planeteer fans would dig.
KWAME: Man, it was hard. Switching from drums to tympani & back to drums.
Even when I played my tympani solo, Wheeler played my drums to back me up.
WHEELER: Surprised? We recorded the instruments first, then we did the vocals.

During their session, the band got to work inside the studio.

WHEELER: Not only we were a band, but also producers. We worked inside the
studio, mixing & arranging the tunes we did.

Months later, the demo CD came out. It was near Earth Day when the band got
a break.

SKY: I got a call from my manager, telling me about an upcoming Earth Day fest.
I told him I'd do it, if I could break in my new act. Fortunately, one of the
acts couldn't make it, so he agreed.
CAP: I'll never forget we were invited to the Earth Day Fest. When we were
backstage, Wheeler was very scared & nervous, performing for a crowd. So I
told him to get over it, I should be doing super hero feats instead of playing
the guitar.
KWAME: And I told Wheeler that I was a little nervous as well. Then I told
Wheeler that when we get out there, to picture everybody in their underwear.
WHEELER: Man, I got over my nerves that fast!

After Sky Runner did his concert gig, he introduced The Power Is Yours. The
crowd couldn't believe that Captain Planet & only two Planeteers would have
the nerve to play as a band. But when they heard their music, they changed
their tune.

WHEELER: Man, I felt electrifying performing on stage in front of a stadium
crowd!
KWAME: Never thought that playing music would work. Had fun playing the drums
& tympani.
CAP: I got to admit, Wheeler had a good idea with this band thing.

When their gig was over, they went backstage to rest, only to find young girls
begging for autographs!

WHEELER: When all those babes came to me, it was cool! I'd bet Linka would
be jealous of all the fans I had.
KWAME: In your dreams!

The Power Is Yours got its foot in the door. They started by touring malls all
across America, doing a concert as well as an autograph session.

WHEELER: I remember some babe asked me to autograph her boobs! She flashed in
front of me, thought I was on Jerry Springer!
KWAME: Some of the fans I had were guys who were also drummers as well. One guy
came with a tympani & asked to have me autograph his instrument. Is that a
compliment or what?
CAP: I had fans that either liked or dislike my singing career. One fan asked
when are we going to do a music video?

So, the band began making a couple of music videos. The first video had them
driving along a highway on their Eco-Cycles, stopping @ a small town where they
would perform in a park's bandstand. The next video would be shot @ a waterpark.
That's when Kwame outshined Wheeler.

KWAME: Man, when we did that music video, girls started surrounding me! They
wanted me to flex & pose, like if I was some sort of bodybuilder. I have been
working out.
WHEELER: I was disgusted that Kwame sported the Speedos in that video. A
resort hotel's one thing, but the music video was ridiculous!
CAP: Now Wheeler & Kwame were mad @ each other because Wheeler was losing
attention & that Kwame became the sexy star of the band. He got very upset when
Kwame did a poster of him playing tympani in that swimwear.
WHEELER: Man, I could sport the Speedos if I want to, I choose not to since
I'm an American.
KWAME: Wheeler was losing it. Thought it was all about the music, it turned
out to be a popularity contest.

The band decided to fold after one album & a couple of music videos.

CAP: I was relieved that the band failed after Wheeler & Kwame had their
creative differences. I was back to being a super hero & would only play the
guitar in my spare time.

But the boys didn't give up with their music.

WHEELER: I had a solo career that turned out to be a failure. People labeled
me as another Marky Mark or Vanilla Ice. Man, I threw in the towel & gave up.
KWAME: Sky Runner didn't give up on me. He liked it when I wrote songs that I
did myself. Problem was, I had Captain Planet write the music on the guitar
while I wrote the lyrics. So when we disbanded, I started taking up the electric
guitar.

(Kwame playing electric guitar)

KWAME: I learned basic chords, strum patterns & lead soloes. Man, I wish that
I would've played the guitar sooner.

Kwame's solo career went cool. Sky Runner provided a band for him. Kwame
not only shocked fans with his new talents of playing the guitar, he would
continue playing the drums & tympani on some tunes.

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