Phantom Planet have wasted no time in getting the word out about their fourth full-length, Raise the Dead. The record just dropped on April 15, and the band is already rocking out nightly on the 2008 Honda Civic Tour with Panic at the Disco, Motion City Soundtrack and The Hush Sound. Buzznet caught up with guitarist Darren Robinson, a.k.a. "Big D," to learn more about the man behind the guitar. Did you know that Robinson enjoys little butts, big smiles and beautiful hair? Perhaps we learned a little too much.



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Buzznet: Do you have a morning bathroom routine? If so, what does it entail, from when you get out of bed until you are dressed for the day?
 
Darren Robinson: This all depends on whether or not I have plans for the day. If I have a day off, I'll lounge in my bed until 1 or 2 p.m. — just because I can. Then I usually get up, eat something quickly and take a long shower.  If it's during a time when we're touring, there are some drastic changes. Usually we'll pull into some sh---y hotel at 2 or 3 a.m., get only a few hours of sleep, and then curse the second the alarm goes off. Once awake, I'll usually lie in bed for a moment or two making sure my brain and body are synched up enough for me to walk to the bathroom without falling over from exhaustion. I'll then shower, brush my teeth, put on deodorant and get dressed. And considering I almost always share a room with [singer] Alex [Greenwald], there are always a few laughs in there too.
 
Buzznet: Who was your first kiss? Details ... how old were you? Where were you?
 
Robinson: Ah, my first real kiss ... I was 15, just bordering 16. I had a few chances to make out with this hot girl next door, but I actually wanted to wait to have my first kiss with someone I loved, or at least felt extremely close with. I suppose I was a romantic 15-year-old, but it ended up paying off — I somehow ended up dating one of the most beautiful girls at my high school. Her name was Ashley, and she was quite literally my dream girl at the time. My first kiss was at her house, when I snuck over for a few hours just before her parents got home from work. My friend eventually picked me up, and as I was saying my goodbyes to Ashley. She smiled at me, gave me a hug, and then grabbed my face gently and gave me my first French kiss. I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day, of course. We ended up dating for 4.5 years, and to this day we're still friends.
 
Buzznet: Do you have any fetishes? Any pet peeves?
 
Robinson: Fetishes? We're gonna go there, eh? OK, I'll talk — but first let's get into pet peeves. I hate bad drivers. I hate ringtones. I really hate being poked in the belly button too, and have since the fifth grade. It gives me a stomach ache just thinking about it. I have many more pet peeves, but I'll get into fetishes now. No need to discuss everything I dislike when I could be talking about fetishes! I'd like to point out quickly that in order to talk about fetishes, I put on "Touch It" by Daft Punk to get myself in the mood, from the Live Alive 2007 disc. So good ... OK, enough stalling. I love natural women — not into tattoos or piercings, hair dye or any of that sh--. If a woman wears make up, I prefer it to do nothing other than highlight her natural beauty. I love women with skinny arms and nice boobs — "nice" doesn’t necessarily imply "big," by the way; it's more about shape, I think. I suppose I have a thing for girls who are respectful socially but uninhibited in the bedroom. I love little asses, nice legs and soft skin.
 
Buzznet: What is the first quality you look for in the opposite sex?

Robinson: I may have already answered this in the previous question. I love straight hair usually — color is unimportant as long as it’'s natural. Style shows a woman's personality in my opinion, so that's important to me. Nice teeth are a must. I like small butts, considering I am only 5'8 (5'9 on a good day) and not a big guy overall. But the FIRST quality I look for? I think it depends on the woman. Sometimes it's the smile that gets me. Other times it's the hair. Sometimes it's the ass. It changes constantly. I love women.
 
Buzznet: What do you wear to sleep at night?

Robinson: I tend to sleep buck naked, though sometimes with an eye mask. I can't deal with any light in a room when I sleep.
 
Buzznet: Do you have a nickname?
 
Robinson: I have a few nicknames. "Big D," "Double D," "Drob," are a few from the past. These days people just call me "D."
 
Buzznet: If you could be in the Summer Olympics, which sport would you compete in?

Robinson: If I could be in the Summer Olympics, I'd want to take up high diving. Currently, I'd be too scared to even jump off the platform, let alone dive or do flips.
 
Buzznet: What song do you know every word to but are totally embarrassed that you know so well?
 
Robinson: "Toxic" by Britney Spears. Well, I know most of it. I heard a cover of this song by The Chapin Sisters, and I realized it really is a great song, especially when sung with a finger-picking guitar.
 
Buzznet: Which era do you most wish you lived in and why?
 
Robinson: I'd want to live in the '60s. The music was the best then.
 
Buzznet: Do you have any scars? If so what happened? If not name one imperfection on your body?
 
Robinson: I have a scar where my hair meets my forehead. When I was much younger, 7 or so, my sister and I played "Monkey in the Middle" with our dog Dusty. She was the best dog ever. A yellow Labrador who was as friendly and sweet as any dog could possibly be. But on this fateful day, my sister threw the tennis ball too high and Dusty ran towards me, jumped up and caught the ball, landing directly on me and accidentally jabbing me with one of her front teeth. I bled profusely, but didn't have to have stitches or anything.

Buzznet: If we gave you sourdough bread and you could put anything on your sandwich, what would it be?
 
Robinson: I'd probably keep it simple. Eggs and cheese if it were in the morning ... I'm a picky eater. Otherwise I'd put some fake meat (I'm a fishitarian — only eat fish and veggies — no other meat) on it and maybe some BBQ sauce. Mmm ...
 
Buzznet: When you hear the word "oatmeal," what is the very first thing that comes to your mind?

Robinson: Healthy. Oatmeal is a very healthy food and should be consumed often if possible.

Check out DJ Rossstar's review of Phantom Planet's Raise the Dead.