People in Planes
Encyclopedia
People in Planes are a five piece Indie rock
band from Cardiff
, Wales
. They are signed to Wind-up Records
. Prior to 2003 they were known as Tetra Splendour (during which time they moved to Cardiff from their original hometown of Porthcawl
) and before that (circa 2000) they went by the name of Robots in the Sky. The current name is derived from the band's obsession with travelling (flying in particular - this is also present in song titles and lyrics of their début album as Tetra Splendour).
in Cardiff
), and in 2000 they released their début, a red 7" vinyl with two tracks - "E.T.A." and "Muriel's Motorhome". Only 500 copies of the record were made (incidentally, it was also the first ever release on the Complete Control Music label).
This attracted the attention of EMI/Chrysalis
' brand new sub-label, Wishakismo, and the band were offered a deal. Fearing legal repercussions from other bands with similar names (most notably Robots in Disguise), the first name-change was implemented and Robots in the Sky became Tetra Splendour (the English translation of a Spanish
jazz
quartet, Quatro Esplendido).
, Biffy Clyro
and Miss Black America
, among others, and played the famous Reading Festival in 2002.
On April 9, 2001, the band released their first single as Tetra Splendour - "Mr. Bishi" (on CD and on 7" vinyl, of which only 500 copies were made). It was met with positive reviews (and was, incidentally, the first Wishakismo release). On October 1, 2001, the band released their second single, "De-Rail" (on CD and 7" white vinyl). As the release of the album neared, the band were promoted from Wishakismo to the main roster of EMI/Chrysalis. On this label they released their final single, Pollenfever, on February 25, 2002 - it would be the only Tetra Splendour release to be backed up by a video (which received limited airplay) and a dedicated headline tour.
On 20 May 2002, the band's début album, Splendid Animation, was released.
The album received mixed reviews from the rock press, and many disagreements arose - mainly over Radiohead
comparisons and whether or not their "meandering jazzy nonsense" was a good thing. However, the general consensus was that the band had potential, and EMI/Chrysalis allowed them to return to the studio.
While recording new material, EMI was the subject of a management change, which led to the subsequent releases of many bands from their old contracts, including Tetra Splendour.
In 2005, they released their first single under the name People in Planes - "Talking Heads" (another limited release, being made in a batch of 1,000). The single featured two unreleased Tetra Splendour tracks as B-sides (and being accompanied by a music video, which again received limited airplay). Talking Heads - which has since been renamed to "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)", a line from the song's chorus (a decision Wind-Up made to make the songs more recognizable on the radio) - has since had a new video made, shot in an airport, that was directed by actor Joaquin Phoenix
. It is also scheduled for re-release as a single.
At the 2005 South by Southwest
festival in Austin, Texas
, the band met Jeff Klein
, with whom they would later tour in June 2005. Shortly after their South By Southwest appearance they were approached by Wind Up Records and in May, the band signed a deal with them.
Their debut album, As Far As The Eye Can See
... (which has been the speculative title from as early as 2003), was released on March 28, 2006. The single "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)" reached #33 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock chart. The band toured the United States, opening for Blue October
in 2006. The band also features on the soundtrack for the 2006 film John Tucker Must Die
(and were also given a cameo in the film itself).
On June 23, 2008 at Trash in Brooklyn, NY, People In Planes mentioned that they had become residents of New York City and were working on getting the correct documentation to make it official. They announced the winner of their cover contest as well and played a rendition of Hall & Oates
' song "Maneater."
On February 7, 2008 People In Planes released "Pretty Buildings", the first song from Beyond the Horizon as an internet download through MySpace and the band's mailing list.
The band headed out to SXSW in March to showcase songs from the new album before joining Jupiter One on a co-headlining tour with The Toadies across the States between March and April. Guitarist Peter Roberts blogged from the road on the band's myspace revealing that the first radio single is set to be M'aidez, M'aidez, due sometime before the end of the first run of shows.
On March 26, 2008, the first video from Beyond the Horizon, for the song "Pretty Buildings", was released online as a purevolume exclusive. The video was directed by Walter Robot
. In addition, on this date the splash page of the band's website changed revealing Beyond the Horizon as the title of the album with a release date of September 9, 2008.
The track "Last Man Standing" taken from the album Beyond the Horizon was featured on the Spike TV mini series UFC Primetime on January 31, 2009, documenting the build up to UFC 94
Georges St-Pierre vs B.J. Penn
The track was used in the closing scene of the last episode.
The band closed out 2008 with a U.S. tour opening for The Toadies.
On June 2, 2009 the Band released "Gung Ho For Info EP", a digital only release featuring the songs "Lay In The Road" and "Baked", which were previously unavailable in the US.
The band blogged on Myspace that their next US single would be "Know By Now", and that the band was working on new material, referred to as People In Planes 3. A radio edit single of "Know By Now" was released in the U.S., but no additional songs have been featured on the single. A myspace update in late 2009, the band has recorded 8 new songs for the upcoming record.
They supported Biffy Clyro on their European tour during the fall of 2009. They mentioned upcoming new music on a myspace blog from February 2010, and hinted fans might get an advance glimpse by signing up for their emailing list. Also, People In Planes 3 is either an EP, or an EP will precede their third full-length album. On small tours they've tested some new material. New song titles that have leaked are "For Your Eyes Only", "Sitting", "Right Behind You", "Fade Away", "Wreckage", "Avalanche", "Glorious", and "Silhouette". No official updates from the band since 2010 beside Peter's scattered comments about Susan Boyle.
In August of 2011, Steve Osborne reported on his website that he is producing a forthcoming album by People In Planes. No tracks or title were mentioned.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. They are signed to Wind-up Records
Wind-Up Records
Wind-up Entertainment, Inc. is a record label based in New York City. It was formed in 1997 by Alan Meltzer, former owner of CD One Stop, following his 1996 purchase of Grass Records. Wind-up is currently the largest independently-owned record label in the world...
. Prior to 2003 they were known as Tetra Splendour (during which time they moved to Cardiff from their original hometown of Porthcawl
Porthcawl
Porthcawl is a town on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, 25 miles west of the capital city, Cardiff and 19 miles southeast of Swansea...
) and before that (circa 2000) they went by the name of Robots in the Sky. The current name is derived from the band's obsession with travelling (flying in particular - this is also present in song titles and lyrics of their début album as Tetra Splendour).
The "Robots In The Sky" years: 1998–2000
The band began as a four-piece under the name Robots in the Sky. They received assistance under the Community Music Wales scheme (the same organization behind Complete Control Music and the annual Compass Point FestivalCompass Point Festival
Compass Point Festival is a yearly music festival founded in 2000 by Simon Dancey, former Director of Community Music Wales. It takes place in the grounds of Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
), and in 2000 they released their début, a red 7" vinyl with two tracks - "E.T.A." and "Muriel's Motorhome". Only 500 copies of the record were made (incidentally, it was also the first ever release on the Complete Control Music label).
This attracted the attention of EMI/Chrysalis
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
' brand new sub-label, Wishakismo, and the band were offered a deal. Fearing legal repercussions from other bands with similar names (most notably Robots in Disguise), the first name-change was implemented and Robots in the Sky became Tetra Splendour (the English translation of a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
quartet, Quatro Esplendido).
The "Tetra Splendour" years: 2000-2005
After signing to Wishakismo, the band headed into Cardiff's Audio Zone recording studio to commence recording of their début album, Splendid Animation. In their brief time as Tetra Splendour, the then-four-piece toured with bands such as Fun Lovin' CriminalsFun Lovin' Criminals
The Fun Lovin' Criminals is an American alternative hip hop / alternative rock group from New York City. Their musical style is primarily eclectic, covering styles such as hip hop, rock, funk, blues and jazz. Their songs often deal with life in New York City, as well as urban life in general...
, Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
and Miss Black America
Miss Black America
The Miss Black America pageant is a competition for young African American women in areas such as speech, talent, style, and poise — it is essentially the black version of the popular Miss America pageant. In 2009 the pageant had its "kick off" in Washington, D.C. to rebrand the competition...
, among others, and played the famous Reading Festival in 2002.
On April 9, 2001, the band released their first single as Tetra Splendour - "Mr. Bishi" (on CD and on 7" vinyl, of which only 500 copies were made). It was met with positive reviews (and was, incidentally, the first Wishakismo release). On October 1, 2001, the band released their second single, "De-Rail" (on CD and 7" white vinyl). As the release of the album neared, the band were promoted from Wishakismo to the main roster of EMI/Chrysalis. On this label they released their final single, Pollenfever, on February 25, 2002 - it would be the only Tetra Splendour release to be backed up by a video (which received limited airplay) and a dedicated headline tour.
On 20 May 2002, the band's début album, Splendid Animation, was released.
The album received mixed reviews from the rock press, and many disagreements arose - mainly over Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
comparisons and whether or not their "meandering jazzy nonsense" was a good thing. However, the general consensus was that the band had potential, and EMI/Chrysalis allowed them to return to the studio.
While recording new material, EMI was the subject of a management change, which led to the subsequent releases of many bands from their old contracts, including Tetra Splendour.
"People in Planes" and As Far As The Eye Can See: 2005-2008
After being dropped by EMI, the band recorded a new album at Wales' Monnow Valley Studio, containing new songs (with newly-hired keyboard player Ian Russell) and unreleased Tetra Splendour material.In 2005, they released their first single under the name People in Planes - "Talking Heads" (another limited release, being made in a batch of 1,000). The single featured two unreleased Tetra Splendour tracks as B-sides (and being accompanied by a music video, which again received limited airplay). Talking Heads - which has since been renamed to "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)", a line from the song's chorus (a decision Wind-Up made to make the songs more recognizable on the radio) - has since had a new video made, shot in an airport, that was directed by actor Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix , formerly credited as Leaf Phoenix, is an American film actor. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and his family returned to the continental United States four years later...
. It is also scheduled for re-release as a single.
At the 2005 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
festival in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, the band met Jeff Klein
Jeff Klein
Jeffrey Lawrence "Jeff" Klein is an American singer/songwriter from Newburgh, New York, who plays keyboards and guitar. He has released three critically acclaimed albums.-Biography:...
, with whom they would later tour in June 2005. Shortly after their South By Southwest appearance they were approached by Wind Up Records and in May, the band signed a deal with them.
Their debut album, As Far As The Eye Can See
As Far as the Eye Can See
- Personnel :* Gareth Jones - vocals, keyboard, brass, guitar* Peter Roberts – synthesizer, guitar, brass arrangement, sampling* Kris Blight - bass* John Maloney – drums...
... (which has been the speculative title from as early as 2003), was released on March 28, 2006. The single "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)" reached #33 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock chart. The band toured the United States, opening for Blue October
Blue October
Blue October is a rock band from Houston, Texas. The band was formed in 1995 and currently consists of Justin Furstenfeld , Jeremy Furstenfeld , Ryan Delahoussaye , Matt Noveskey , and Julian Mandrake .-History:Blue October was formed by lead...
in 2006. The band also features on the soundtrack for the 2006 film John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die is a 2006 American high school comedy romance film, directed by Betty Thomas.The film is about a trio of girls who plot to break the heart of manipulative basketball star John Tucker after they learn he has been secretly dating all three and pledging each is "the one"...
(and were also given a cameo in the film itself).
On June 23, 2008 at Trash in Brooklyn, NY, People In Planes mentioned that they had become residents of New York City and were working on getting the correct documentation to make it official. They announced the winner of their cover contest as well and played a rendition of Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
' song "Maneater."
Beyond the Horizon and "People in Planes 3": 2008-present
People In Planes were in pre-production for their second album for Wind-Up records since they returned from the States in late 2006. They took a period off to rehearse new material and played a string of UK shows in late 2006 and early 2007 where they road-tested new material. New song titles include: "Baked", "Evil With You", "Get On The Flaw", "Human Error", "Better Than Life", "I Wish That You'd Fall Apart" and "Tonight (The Sun Will Rise)"On February 7, 2008 People In Planes released "Pretty Buildings", the first song from Beyond the Horizon as an internet download through MySpace and the band's mailing list.
Hey people. I hereby declare People In Planes are back! Our new project was recorded with four different producers in six studios across Wales, England and America, and we've put our entire souls into it. It's been a long wait for all of us, and we're really excited to present this first track to you- "Pretty Buildings".
--Gareth, Peter, Kris, John and Ian
The band headed out to SXSW in March to showcase songs from the new album before joining Jupiter One on a co-headlining tour with The Toadies across the States between March and April. Guitarist Peter Roberts blogged from the road on the band's myspace revealing that the first radio single is set to be M'aidez, M'aidez, due sometime before the end of the first run of shows.
On March 26, 2008, the first video from Beyond the Horizon, for the song "Pretty Buildings", was released online as a purevolume exclusive. The video was directed by Walter Robot
Walter Robot
Walter Robot is the fictional director created by artist Bill Barminski and writer Christopher Louie. They direct films, commercials and music videos...
. In addition, on this date the splash page of the band's website changed revealing Beyond the Horizon as the title of the album with a release date of September 9, 2008.
The track "Last Man Standing" taken from the album Beyond the Horizon was featured on the Spike TV mini series UFC Primetime on January 31, 2009, documenting the build up to UFC 94
UFC 94
UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 31, 2009. The card featured five televised MMA bouts, as well as five un-aired preliminary bouts...
Georges St-Pierre vs B.J. Penn
The track was used in the closing scene of the last episode.
The band closed out 2008 with a U.S. tour opening for The Toadies.
On June 2, 2009 the Band released "Gung Ho For Info EP", a digital only release featuring the songs "Lay In The Road" and "Baked", which were previously unavailable in the US.
The band blogged on Myspace that their next US single would be "Know By Now", and that the band was working on new material, referred to as People In Planes 3. A radio edit single of "Know By Now" was released in the U.S., but no additional songs have been featured on the single. A myspace update in late 2009, the band has recorded 8 new songs for the upcoming record.
They supported Biffy Clyro on their European tour during the fall of 2009. They mentioned upcoming new music on a myspace blog from February 2010, and hinted fans might get an advance glimpse by signing up for their emailing list. Also, People In Planes 3 is either an EP, or an EP will precede their third full-length album. On small tours they've tested some new material. New song titles that have leaked are "For Your Eyes Only", "Sitting", "Right Behind You", "Fade Away", "Wreckage", "Avalanche", "Glorious", and "Silhouette". No official updates from the band since 2010 beside Peter's scattered comments about Susan Boyle.
In August of 2011, Steve Osborne reported on his website that he is producing a forthcoming album by People In Planes. No tracks or title were mentioned.
Band members
- Gareth Jones - lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1998–present)
- Pete Roberts - lead guitar, backing vocals (1998–present)
- Kris Blight - bass guitar (1998–present)
- John Maloney - drums, percussion (1998–present)
- Ian Russell - keyboards (2005–present)
Albums
- Splendid AnimationSplendid AnimationSplendid Animation is the debut album of the Welsh indie rock band Tetra Splendour .It was recorded at Cardiff's Audio Zone recording studio.-Track listing:# "Landmine" – 5:57# "Global Village" – 4:05# "E.T.A." – 3:56...
(2002), (as Tetra Splendour) - As Far as the Eye Can SeeAs Far as the Eye Can See- Personnel :* Gareth Jones - vocals, keyboard, brass, guitar* Peter Roberts – synthesizer, guitar, brass arrangement, sampling* Kris Blight - bass* John Maloney – drums...
(2006) - Beyond the Horizon (2008)
EPs
- People in Planes EPPeople in Planes EPPeople in Planes EP is a promotional EP by the Welsh indie rock band People in Planes.It was released to promote the album As Far As The Eye Can See and contains four songs from it.-Track listing:...
(2005) - Acoustic EPAcoustic EP (People in Planes album)Acoustic EP is an EP by the Welsh indie rock band People in Planes.It contains acoustic versions of four songs from the album As Far As The Eye Can See.-Track listing:# "If You Talk Too Much " – 3:34...
(2006) - Gung Ho For Info EPGung Ho For Info EPGung Ho For Info EP is an EP by the Welsh indie rock band People in Planes. It was released in promotion of their single, "Last Man Standing"....
(2009)
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart peaks | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Mod Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||||||
| 2000 | "E.T.A" (as Robots in the Sky) | — | — | — | non album single | ||||
| 2001 | "Mr. Bishi" (as Tetra Splendour) | — | — | — | Splendid Animation Splendid Animation Splendid Animation is the debut album of the Welsh indie rock band Tetra Splendour .It was recorded at Cardiff's Audio Zone recording studio.-Track listing:# "Landmine" – 5:57# "Global Village" – 4:05# "E.T.A." – 3:56... |
||||
| "De-rail" (as Tetra Splendour) | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2002 | "Pollenfever" (as Tetra Splendour) | — | — | — | |||||
| 2005 | "Talking Heads" | — | — | — | non album single | ||||
| 2006 | "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)" | — | 33 | — | As Far As The Eye Can See As Far as the Eye Can See - Personnel :* Gareth Jones - vocals, keyboard, brass, guitar* Peter Roberts – synthesizer, guitar, brass arrangement, sampling* Kris Blight - bass* John Maloney – drums... |
||||
| 2007 | "Barracuda" | — | — | — | |||||
| 2008 | "Mayday (M'aidez)" | — | — | — | Beyond the Horizon | ||||
| "Pretty Buildings" | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2009 | "Last Man Standing" | — | 30 | — | |||||
| "Know By Now" | — | — | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||
In popular culture
- "Falling by the Wayside" featured in an episode of The 4400The 4400The 4400 is a science fiction TV series produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Sky Television, Renegade 83, and American Zoetrope for USA Network. The show was created and written by Scott Peters and René Echevarria, and it stars Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie...
(series 3 episode 3 - Being Tom Baldwin) - "Light for the Deadvine" is used in episode 4.16, "Wilson's Heart" of the FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network show HouseHouse (TV series)House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
, which aired May 19, 2008. - "Last Man Standing" was featured in the final episode of the UFC Primetime special for Georges St. PierreGeorges St. PierreGeorges St-Pierre , often referred to as GSP, is a Canadian mixed martial artist and the current Welterweight Champion of the UFC. St-Pierre is ranked as the No. 1 Welterweight in the world according to Sherdog, MMAWeekly and numerous other publications. St-Pierre is ranked the No. 2 pound for...
and BJ Penn.