After destroying multiple planets, Unicron performs at Club Khameleon tonight. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNICRON

Credit: Jason Hall

In the Transformers movie, Unicron is a giant transformer that devours planets and solar systems. In the real world, UNICRON is a three-piece jam band that looks to devour the planet with its music.

“It (UNICRON) just kind of fits with the loud, disruptive nature of the band,” Richard Meara, UNICRON drummer, said. “You know, he goes around eating planets, so it’s just kind of a silly name for kind-of a meaningless band – we’re not really a meaningless band, but there’s not necessarily any kind of overt meaning to our songs.”

Meara and singer/guitarist Neal Campbell are Kent State students. Meara is a senior political science major and Campbell is a junior classical guitar major. Current bassist Antoine Henderson is not a student, but he is also the bassist for another Kent-based band, 1959. Henderson joined the band in March after the original bassist left.

Each member of the band has different influences, from Frank Zappa to King Crimson and Primus.

UNICRON started almost two years ago when Meara and the band’s original bassist quit another band and began jamming with Campbell. After only a few practices the band started booking shows, choosing to freeform jam for the first three to four months instead of writing songs.

All of UNICRON’s songs have a basic structure, are mostly instrumental and leave room for improvisation. The few lyrics that the songs have are meaningless.

“We are an instrumental band, predominantly – we do have the occasional lyrics,” Meara said, “We named the band UNICRON because a band needs a name, and we have lyrics just because a band needs to have lyrics, occasionally, but they really have no meaning at all. Usually … we’ll write a song, an instrumental song, and we’ll give it some random name.”

The name the band members give the songs are random words thrown together that sound funny, like “Fat-People Leotard Snack Mix.”

The three UNICRON band members only practice together two to three times a month, but they perform regularly. The band members often practice on their own but play shows regularly enough that they know the song structures. The only time they get together to rehearse is when they’re learning new material or a cover song.

The thing Henderson likes most about the band is that it is fun to play its music, and the shows are fun for the crowd.

The members of UNICRON don’t take themselves very seriously, but they do take the music seriously, Henderson said.

Contact ALL correspondent Gabe Gott at [email protected].

UNICRON at Dr. Teeeth’s CD Release Party Where? Club Khameleon When? Today What time? 8 p.m. How much? $5 21 and over, $7 18-20