Plone (band)
Encyclopedia
Plone was an electronic music
band from Birmingham
, England
.
band sol dat) who bought himself a keyboard and joined the band.
The band started gigging as support to local bands such as Pram
and Broadcast
. In 1997, the band were approached by Wurlitzer Jukebox who released the single
, "Press a Key". On the strength of this the band were signed to Warp
and, in September 1998, released the single "plock". This was tipped as one of the singles of the year by NME
, Melody Maker
and Dazed & Confused
.
An album For Beginner Piano
was released in September 1999 to widespread critical acclaim.
Rob Mitchell (who had originally signed the band to Warp) was diagnosed with cancer
in 2001, and died in the September of that year.
Their second album has never been officially released, but has appeared on torrent and other file sharing sites on the internet.
Bainbridge went on to play keyboards with Broadcast (on the 'Ha Ha Sound' tour), and is now a member of Seeland with Tim Felton (now also ex-Broadcast), and released a single "Wander" / "Pherox" on Duophonic
in 2005. Johnston went on to form Mike in Mono, and is also 'Clive 2' in ZX Spectrum Orchestra and a member of the Modified Toy Orchestra
.
Cancellara is currently DJing for 'Silver Dollar', a reggae
club in Birmingham.
Starting in the summer of 2009, Plone's song "Plaything" appeared on a Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercial.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Career
The group was created in late 1994 when Mark Cancellara and Mike Johnston started to buy old analogue keyboards and fx and began to rehearse making huge soundscapes. Johnston was living with Billy Bainbridge (who was in another band at the time, Supernal, also containing members of electroElectro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
band sol dat) who bought himself a keyboard and joined the band.
The band started gigging as support to local bands such as Pram
Pram (band)
Pram are an experimental band who formed in the Balsall Heath/Moseley area of Birmingham, England in 1990.-History:Originally from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Rosie Cuckston and Matt Eaton went to school together. They moved to Birmingham in the late 80s, schoolfriend Andy Weir keeping in touch...
and Broadcast
Broadcast (band)
Broadcast are an electronic music band, founded in Birmingham, England. Original members were Trish Keenan , Roj Stevens , Tim Felton and James Cargill . Various drummers played with the band, including Keith York, Phil Jenkins, Jeremy Barnes, Steve Perkins, and Neil Bullock...
. In 1997, the band were approached by Wurlitzer Jukebox who released the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Press a Key". On the strength of this the band were signed to Warp
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
and, in September 1998, released the single "plock". This was tipped as one of the singles of the year by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
and Dazed & Confused
Dazed & Confused (magazine)
Dazed & Confused is a British style magazine, that was set up in 1992 and published monthly. Its founding editors were Jefferson Hack and Rankin...
.
An album For Beginner Piano
For Beginner Piano
For Beginner Piano is an album by British band Plone. It was released in 1999 on Warp Records. In 2009 the song "On My Bus" was covered by Plaid for the Warp20 compilation.-Track listing:# "On My Bus" # "Top & Low Rent"...
was released in September 1999 to widespread critical acclaim.
Rob Mitchell (who had originally signed the band to Warp) was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 2001, and died in the September of that year.
Their second album has never been officially released, but has appeared on torrent and other file sharing sites on the internet.
Bainbridge went on to play keyboards with Broadcast (on the 'Ha Ha Sound' tour), and is now a member of Seeland with Tim Felton (now also ex-Broadcast), and released a single "Wander" / "Pherox" on Duophonic
Duophonic Records
Duophonic Ultra High Frequency Disks Limited, known as Duophonic Super 45s, is a London based independent record label formed by the British pop group Stereolab...
in 2005. Johnston went on to form Mike in Mono, and is also 'Clive 2' in ZX Spectrum Orchestra and a member of the Modified Toy Orchestra
Modified Toy Orchestra
The Modified Toy Orchestra is an experimental music group from Birmingham, England. Brian Duffy, the main member and creator of the orchestra makes the group's instruments by circuit bending sound making devices, such as toy keyboards, and educational spelling toys.- Members :*Brian Duffy*Darren...
.
Cancellara is currently DJing for 'Silver Dollar', a reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
club in Birmingham.
Starting in the summer of 2009, Plone's song "Plaything" appeared on a Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercial.
Singles
- "Press A Key" (7") Wurlitzer Jukebox
- "Plock" (12") Warp Records
- "Plock" (CD5") Warp Records
- "Plock" (Promo) (CD5") Warp Records
- "Plock" (Promo) (12") Warp Records
Albums
- For Beginner PianoFor Beginner PianoFor Beginner Piano is an album by British band Plone. It was released in 1999 on Warp Records. In 2009 the song "On My Bus" was covered by Plaid for the Warp20 compilation.-Track listing:# "On My Bus" # "Top & Low Rent"...
(CD) Matador - For Beginner PianoFor Beginner PianoFor Beginner Piano is an album by British band Plone. It was released in 1999 on Warp Records. In 2009 the song "On My Bus" was covered by Plaid for the Warp20 compilation.-Track listing:# "On My Bus" # "Top & Low Rent"...
(CD) Warp Records - For Beginner Piano (LP) Warp Records
- For Beginner Piano (Promo) (CD) Matador
- For Beginner Piano (Promo) (CD) Warp Records
- Untitled second album - never released
Remixes
- Warp 10+3 (2xCD) "Tricky Disco (Plone Remix)" SMEJ Associated Records
- Warp 10+3 Remixes (2xCD) "Tricky Disco (Plone Remix)" Warp Records
- Warp 10+3 Remixes (2xCD) "Tricky Disco (Plone Remix)" Matador
- Warp 10+3 Remixes (4xLP) "Tricky Disco (Plone Remix)" Warp Records
- Warp 10+3 Remixes (2xCD) "Tricky Disco (Plone Remix)" Rough Trade Germany
- "Me And Jerry D" / "On Furry Cushion (Plone Mix)" (7") "On Furry Cushion (Plone Mix)" Octave Kitten Recordings
- Somniloquy (CD) "Bewitched (Plone Mix)" Domino Recording Company Ltd.
- Somniloquy (Promo) (CD) "Bewitched (Plone Mix)" Domino Recording Company Ltd.
Tracks appeared on
- wap100. We Are Reasonable PeopleWe Are Reasonable PeopleWe Are Reasonable People is a compilation album released by Warp records on 29 June, 1998. The title of the album is a backronym of WARP....
(CD) "Plaything" Play It Again Sam (PIAS) - We Are Reasonable People (CD) "Plaything" Warp Records
- We Are Reasonable People (3xLP) "Plaything" Warp Records
- We Are Reasonable People (CD) "Plaything" SMEJ Associated Records
- We Are Reasonable People (Promo) (CD) "Plaything" Warp Records
- Round Squared: Weirdbag Vol. 1 (CD) "Somebody Is Alive And Well... Somewhere" Round Records
- For Wearing A Phone W/Q (CD) "Simple Song" Not On Label
- The Mediterranean Beat Cook (Cassette) "Sunday Laid Moo" Spotlight Records (Japan)
- Music Sampler (CD) "Plock", "Top & Low Rent" Warp Records
External links
- Plone
- For Beginner Piano at the Warp Records website
- "Plock" at the Warp Records website
- Plone interviewed in 1997
- Mike in Mono fan blog
- Mike in Mono page at warmcircuit
- Great BBC interview with Mike
- Seeland on Duophonic