Plumtree (band)
Encyclopedia
History
The band formed in their hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia in 19931993 in music
This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
after meeting through their music teachers. The original line-up included Lynette Gillis (aged 14) on drums, Carla Gillis (17) on guitar and vocals, Amanda Braden (15) on guitar and vocals and Nina Martin (16) on bass and occasional vocals.
When Carla and Lynette were 10 or 11 years old they discovered heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and asked their parents to buy them musical instruments. Carla got a guitar and Lynette a set of drums. They took lessons and played at home until 1993 when they decided to find others to form a band. Their first band played their Junior High School talent show with a setlist made up mostly of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
covers. The original group subsequently broke up. Amanda and Nina joined the band soon after and the band developed a collaborative songwriting method. Plumtree played their first show at Halifax's all-ages Cafe Ole in June 1993.
Plumtree established themselves in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
after releasing the song, "Follow You", on the No Class cassette, a compilation released by No Records
No Records
No Records was a record label and later record distributor that operated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from January 1993 to August 2004. The record label/distributor was started by Waye Mason who continues to play a key role in the operations of the Halifax Pop Explosion.Started during the beginning of...
featuring up and coming Nova Scotia high school bands. This earned them opening slots for Jale
Jale
Jale was an indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Contemporaries of Sloan and The Super Friendz, they were formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1996...
, Thrush Hermit
Thrush Hermit
-History:Thrush Hermit was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1992 by Joel Plaskett , Rob Benvie , Ian McGettigan , and Michael Catano...
, Velocity Girl
Velocity Girl
Velocity Girl was an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in College Park, Maryland, although it was generally known as a Washington, DC-area band...
and the Spinanes
The Spinanes
The Spinanes was an indie band from Olympia, Portland and Chicago, in the 1990s. The founding members were Rebecca Gates and Scott Plouf ....
. Cinnamon Toast Records
Cinnamon Toast Records
Cinnamon Toast Records was a record label, inspired by the American label Simple Machines, from Halifax, Nova Scotia and run by Walter Forsyth, Lee Ann Gillan, Shawn Duggan, Colin MacKenzie, Robert Jeans and Miroslav Wiesner. They released a number of limited release 7" singles, each in a different...
released Plumtree's first seven-inch, Green Mittens, in 1994. It featured the songs "Dog Gone Crazy" and "Have a Banana", plus two songs from Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
's Strawberry on the other side. Shortly after, Plumtree released a six-song cassette entitled Flutterboard.
In 1995, Plumtree recorded their first full-length album, Mass Teen Fainting, at Sound of One Hand Studios in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, with Paul Hogan. The CD was a college radio hit and this gained Plumtree a dedicated Canadian fanbase. Nina Martin left the band in September 1995 to pursue undergraduate work at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. She was replaced by Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
native Catriona Sturton
Catriona Sturton
Catriona Sturton is an Ottawa, Ontario based singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist. She has had a prolific career, performing in bands such as Plumtree and collaborating with artists like Joel Plaskett, Al Tuck, the late Dutchy Mason, the Mighty Popo and members of Sloan and Blue Rodeo...
in 1996
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
.
Plumtree's second album, Predicts the Future, was recorded in 1997
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
with Laurence Currie at Idea of East studios in Halifax. Released in 1998
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
, the CD propelled Plumtree onto the covers of weekly magazines, including Canada's music monthly, Exclaim!, as well as to the #1 spot on the national college radio chart, Earshot. Videos for the singles "Scott Pilgrim", "Go", and "You Just Don't Exist" received regular airplay on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
. ("Scott Pilgrim" went on to inspire the popular graphic novel series, Scott Pilgrim
Scott Pilgrim
Scott Pilgrim is a graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It consists of six digest size black-and-white volumes, released between August 2004 and July 2010, by Portland-based independent comic book publisher Oni Press. It was later republished by Fourth Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins...
, by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Bryan Lee O'Malley
Bryan Lee O'Malley is a Canadian cartoonist. He is best known for the Scott Pilgrim series, but is also a musician using the alias Kupek.-Career:...
).
During these early years, Plumtree released numerous songs on vinyl and CD compilations, including Water Had Leaked into My Suit (Cinnamon Toast), You're a Superlady (Corduroy), Secret Songs (Korova Cafe) and Syrup and Gasoline (Grenadine). An earlier version of "Scott Pilgrim" can also be found on a split seven-inch Plumtree released with The Inbreds on the PF label.
The band toured extensively throughout its seven-year career, hitting the road with Montreal's The Local Rabbits, Halifax bands Thrush Hermit
Thrush Hermit
-History:Thrush Hermit was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1992 by Joel Plaskett , Rob Benvie , Ian McGettigan , and Michael Catano...
, The Inbreds
The Inbreds
The Inbreds were a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1992. Originally from Kingston, Ontario, Canada the band relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1996. Three of the four albums released during the band's existence reached number one on the Canadian national university charts, and the band...
and The Super Friendz
The Super Friendz
The Super Friendz are a band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, active between 1994 and 1997, reforming in 2003. Contemporaries of Sloan, their early work was on Sloan's Murderecords label.-Origins:...
, Moncton's Julie Doiron (formerly of Eric's Trip
Eric's Trip
Eric's Trip is a Canadian indie rock band from Moncton, New Brunswick. Eric's Trip achieved prominence as the first Canadian band to be signed to Seattle's flagship grunge label Sub Pop in the early 1990s...
) and Winnipeg's The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band.-History:The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company. Samson joined forces with bassist John P...
and Duotang. Plumtree could only tour during the summer months as they attended university during the school months.
In 1999, Plumtree spent the summer in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
recording This Day Won't Last at All with Justin Deneau at Electromagnetic Studios. It was released in 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
by Winnipeg-based Endearing Records
Endearing Records
Endearing Records is a Canadian independent record label established in 1994, now based in Vancouver, originally based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Endearing Records has released many albums by Canadian indie artists since the mid 90s, such as Destroyer, The Meligrove Band, Julie Doiron, The...
. A Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman is an American photographer and film director, best known for her conceptual portraits. Sherman currently lives and works in New York City. In 1995, she was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. She is represented by Sprüth Magers Berlin London in and Metro Pictures gallery in...
-inspired video for the song, "Regret", received airplay on MuchMusic.
Split
In spring 2000, the band toured across Canada and down the West Coast States with VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
's Salteens. Plumtree decided to end their seven-year run in July 2000, their final show taking place on July 31 at the Marquee Club in their hometown of Halifax.
Aftermath
Lynette and Carla Gillis currently live in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where they perform in the trio SISTER with Pete Johnston. They also perform in Bells Clanging with Jason Starnes. Amanda Braden is pursuing a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Catriona Sturton lives in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, teaches harmonica and works for Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
. Nina Martin is a professor of geography at UNC - Chapel Hill. In July 2010 Catriona joined SISTER on stage at the launch party for Scott Pilgrim Volume 6 to perform the song "Scott Pilgrim".
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley. The film is about Scott Pilgrim , a young Canadian musician, meeting the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers , an American delivery girl...
, based on the graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley that was inspired by the Plumtree song "Scott Pilgrim", was released on August 13, 2010. In the film and comic book, the main character Scott Pilgrim can be seen wearing a Plumtree t-shirt. The song "Scott Pilgrim" appears both in the film as well as on the soundtrack to the film and the song "Go!" appears in the film itself while not the soundtrack.
Awards
In 1996, Plumtree was awarded Best Canadian Band Under Twenty at the YTV Achievement Awards. They performed "Tropical" during the show.Predicts the Future was nominated for an East Coast Music Award in the Alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
category. It lost to Superfriendz' Slide Show.
Studio albums & EPs
- Flutterboard (1994)
- Mass Teen Fainting (1995)
- Predicts the Future (1997)
- This Day Won't Last At All (2000)
7"
- Plumtree/Strawberry split 7" (1994)
- Water Had Leaked Into My Suit (1995)
- Plumtree/Inbreds split 7" (1996)
- Preserving Wildlife (1996)
- Plumtree/Salteens split 7" (1999)