In his latest movie, The Woman In Black, Dan traded his Hogwarts uniform for a totally new role as a Dad.
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The Kooks released a new album called “Junk of the Heart,” and you would think Hugh and Luke would be very excited about it. Well, they seemed rather indifferent to be honest. We spoke about that and why they don’t care about critics.
Natalia dishes the latest in entertainment news on Joan Rivers, Lana Del Rey and a brand new trailer for the movie Hunger Games.
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It definitely hasn’t been an easy road for British indie rock band People in Planes.
However, after going through three band names, three record labels, three albums, a new band member – and after seeing their latest album undergo four producers and seven studios before its completion – the group from Wales is slowly seeing the path to success.
Starting out as Robots in the Sky in 2000 and then Tetra Splendour in 2001, the five-man band – consisting of Gareth Jones (vocals), Peter Roberts (guitar), Kris Blight (bass), John Maloney (drums) and Ian Russell (keyboard) – went through its fair share of growing pains, with legal repercussions, record label mishaps, and a search for the right musical sound.
“When we were Robots in the Sky, it was a bit difficult because of the legal issues with it and with other bands having the same name,” Jones told andPOP. “So we thought why not just come up with a new name. Then we went through Tetra Splendour, which was another step to start us off, but there was still too much baggage.”
In 2005, the band pulled a third title switch, while also adding a new musician to the group with Russell on the keyboard.
“We got a fifth band member, and then we recorded a new album,” said Jones. “So it was either to keep Tetra Splendour and the baggage and all with that record deal, or take a new path with a new name. So we did it, and we came up with a new concept and brainstormed like 50 names, and People in Planes was born.”
And with the new image, the band attracted three things: a new record deal with Wind-Up Records, a new album with As Far as the Eye Can See, and some good old fashioned excitement.
“We were just having a great time, getting drunk, partying,” Jones said about their arrival in New York City to find a record deal. “But all the record labels, all the wining and dining happened so quickly, and then suddenly were doing showcases for labels, or maybe in some sky scraper talking to the CEO of some company.”
“We’d been together for so many years,” added Roberts. “So getting even a glimpse of anything like that was amazing. We were just having some good times really, because it was the first time we had ever been abroad as a band.”
In September, the group released their second and latest album with Wind-Up Records, Beyond the Horizon.
But like the band’s history so far, the album also underwent its own soul searching before finally wrapping up. The production required four producers – Doves/Massive Attack producer Dan Austin, Our Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida, Queens Of The Stone Age collaborators Eleven, and Panic At The Disco producer Matt Squire – as well as seven studios while going back and forth from the US to the UK.
“It was a little long winded obviously, but it turned out really well,” said Roberts. “We didn’t want to go with big name producers who did a lot of big indie rock albums, firstly because we thought the motivation to make a great record wouldn’t really be there, and also the cost was ridiculous, but it was definitely a lot of hard work, and trying to get the sound right, but it’s been good.”
The album ranked at No. 21 for U.S. heat seekers, with their most popular singles being “Last Man Standing” and “Pretty Buildings.”
“Those are definitely some of the songs which grab our fans, but I’m sure each of us had our own favorites while recording,” said Jones. “I think it was probably the later ones for me, because singing wise, I felt better.”
And coming off a recent tour with The Toadies, PIP was able to show off their latest work all across America.
“It was awesome, definitely one of our greatest moments,” said Roberts. “It was definitely the longest for us, probably around three months, all over America, a bit of stuff around here in Canada, Montreal, Vancouver, but also had some awesome shows in New York, Chicago and Seattle.”
Now, the band is literally looking “beyond the horizon,” having announced that they’ll take their album on tour to the UK in 2009. But as they continue their streak of success, the group still strives to find the right combination of elements to take the band to the next level and stand out from the rest of the crowd in this ever so bustling industry.
“I think that sometimes you have a good gig, but then the next night a not-so-good gig, so it’s all about consistency,” said Roberts. “You have to figure out how to give the same energy and same sound every night. I think that’s an important issue that we gotta keep up.”
Pete Roberts, guitarist and co-founder of Welsh rock band People in Planes, was finally on the line from New York—and only 45 minutes late.
“Most people are taking it at face value, as like a self-loathing song where they need help,” he began when I asked about their new single, “Mayday (M’aidez),” which means SOS or “help me” in French. “[But] it’s kind of the opposite of what most people think. It’s partly about, ‘I know you better than you know yourself,’ and that is possibly the most ignorant thing you can say to someone. …So, it’s kind of a ‘fuck you’ to those people.”
Nice.
“Mayday (M’aidez),” which can be heard on the People in Planes MySpace page, was released via iTunes on May 6 as the band’s first official single off their upcoming sophomore record, “Beyond The Horizon.” It comes bundled with two other tracks off the 12-track album—”Last Man Standing” and a video of their much-hyped “Pretty Buildings.” The video, which originally debuted on PureVolume as an exclusive, is now streaming on YouTube. Newsweek called it a ballad “rich in melody with strong searching lyrics”—and named it the reason why the band is one to watch.
People in Planes is a five-piece indie rock band from Cardiff, Wales. The quintet was formed by Roberts and lead vocalist Gareth Jones, who first met in elementary school when Roberts accidentally smashed a tennis ball into Jones’ face—(“I guess that’s when I first introduced myself to him,” Roberts chuckled)—leaving Jones with a bloody lip. The band was originally called Robots in the Sky in 2000—and then Tetra Splendour in 2001—before settling for People in Planes in 2005. Now, signed to Wind-Up Records in New York and with a final lineup of Roberts on guitar and backup vocals; Jones on lead vocals, rhythm guitar, and keyboards; Kris Blight on bass; John Maloney on drums; and Ian Russell on keyboards, People in Planes has just kicked off their first-ever headlining tour in promotion of “Beyond The Horizon.”
The upcoming sophomore release boasts collaborations with some well-known producers in the music industry—including Panic At The Disco producer Matt Squire and Canada’s own Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace. In total, the quintet worked with four different producers in seven different studios, making for an eclectic mix of ideas.
“We didn’t really know any of the producers beforehand [so] it was kind of a shot in the dark—we didn’t really know what was going to happen,” Roberts admits. “I just think—as we always did—we tried to explore different musical stuff and tried to be as creative as possible.”
But the creativity didn’t stop in the studio. “I did perform most of the demos in my bedroom on my laptop, and sung most of the songs myself,” says Roberts, who acts as the band’s main songwriter. “I’m singing a couple of lead bits on the new record too, [which] adds another dimension to the band.”
Although fans will be able to buy a digital copy of “Beyond The Horizon” on June 24, they won’t be able to get their hands on a physical copy for another month and a half—the album hits shelves August 12. But why the wait? “I don’t really know the reason,” Roberts admits. “I think it’s just [the label's] little game they have to play. There [are] a whole lot of things I’ll never understand about the music industry.”
One thing Roberts does understand is the importance of making friends. One click to the band’s MySpace and it’s clear they keep in touch with their old tour mates. In 2006, while People in Planes were promoting their debut album, “As Far As The Eye Can See,” they toured with Canadian indie rockers Pilot Speed and Wintersleep. Two years later, both are still on the band’s top 5 friends list. So exactly how important is it to make friends with the bands they tour with?
“It’s very important,” explains Roberts. “When you get back home, nobody really understands what you go through. You are sort of outcast when you try to get in with your friends again, because most of [them] have 9-5 jobs. …When you’re on tour, it’s like everyone you’re around understands. It’s the best place to meet friends.”
So far, People in Planes have only scheduled dates in four Canadian cities— they just played in Vancouver and Victoria and hit Ottawa on Tuesday (May 13) and Toronto Thursday (May 15).
But that’s not to say the rest of their Canadian fans will be out of luck. “We don’t want to say we’re only playing four shows in Canada [because] the whole schedule is literally being worked out as we speak,” says Roberts. “We’re gonna be touring constantly this year. We really want to get on the road as much as possible.”
With 21 tour dates already set for the rest of May and June, it looks like People in Planes will be keeping busy this summer. But while life on the road can eventually get dull, there’s bound to be moments of unadulterated hilarity—especially for five attractive young guys living the life of rock ‘n’ roll. So what’s the craziest thing they’ve ever done on tour?
“Ugh, I hate that question.”
“Oh—uh, I’m sorry.”
Silence.
“I really hate that question.”
Guess I’ll never know.
Yeah, so we happen to be a few months late in reviewing “As Far As the Eye Can See?” by People in Planes (it came out way back in March). But not to worry, because the delay fits in perfectly ? both this review and the band’s sound have come long after they’ve been done by everyone else.
The five-piece band (probably the biggest export from their hometown of Porthcawl, Wales) plays fairly standard Brit-influenced indie rock. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that there are numerous other bands (Muse, Supergrass, Snow Patrol, etc.) already doing exactly the same thing. There are big guitars, wailing vocals, “deep” song titles, but this kind of music has just become so derivative and passionless.
There is one thing, however, that People in Planes seems to hold over all the other bands in their vein ? they managed to pen some truly terrible lyrics. On “Light for the Deadvine,” for example, front-man Gareth Jones sings, “My, you have grown/You, were left alone/Scroll, like the messages off the page/You, can only come of age.” Uhh?
Fortunately, I predict that the most we’ll hear from this band is the overplayed radio-friendly hook-fest, “If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode).” In a telling situation, the song was actually changed from its original title, “Talking Heads,” to make it more recognizable to listeners. It’s a cheap tactic that may have sold a few records for People in Planes, but it certainly didn’t make up for the tired and unoriginal sound that plagues the rest of the album.
