Change, while sometimes difficult, can also be a catalyst for something new and great. Such is the case with P.O.A., a project that came together when Gov’t Mule went on hiatus earlier this year. The Mule rhythm section - drummer Matt Abts and bassist Jorgen Carlsson - wanted to keep their outstanding chemistry going, and thus was born P.O.A., or Planet of the Abts.

“P.O.A. was conceived by, of all people, Brad Sands, one of Gov’t Mule’s many – but rating right up there with one of my favorites and most interesting - road managers,” Matt Abts explained. “ ‘Matt Abts! Planet of the Abts!’ just started spewing from his mouth after a few weeks on the bus together, and the term stuck. So fast forward to April 2010; Jorgen Carlsson, my favorite bass player, suggested, ‘Hey - let’s start Planet of the Abts as a band. Come on over to my place – I have a recording studio and I want you to meet my friend Torbjorn - T-Bone.’ J.C. and T-Bone know each other from growing up in Sweden and playing in many bands together over the years. Both - but not together - came to America, the land of opportunity (I’m not sure about that) in the 1990s. Jorgen did a lot of session work in L.A., and T-Bone performed the guitar work on the computer/video game Quake III Arena, which has sold over ten million units.

“Anyway, when I met T-Bone for the first time, we both faced off each other, circling, snarling, teeth showing - and immediately hit it off. T-Bone is our secret weapon (well, not any more); he plays everything, sings and now is part of our family. Two Swedes and me - hey! It’s the P.O.A. We cut the entire Planet of the Abts CD at Jorgen’s Roger’s Boat Studios; it was recorded analog, on a Studer 820.”

A volley of horns, courtesy of Gov’t Mule cohort Danny Louis, announces the beginning of “Planet Part One,” giving way to the explosive, driving guitar work of T-Bone. This edgy instrumental is pushed along by an undercurrent of bass lines from Jorgen and Matt’s flaying percussion, with Danny’s horns making intermittent appearances throughout. Energy is the key word here – constant, relentless energy, which is the basis for and trademark of P.O.A. on Planet of the Abts.

Planet of the Abts are:
Matt Abts: Drums, percussion, lead and background vocals
Jorgen Carlsson: Bass, guitar, percussion, tamborine, background vocals
TBone: Guitar, keyboards, percussion, lead and background vocals
Steve Holroyd: Engineering, background vocals

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