Joel Plaskett
(born April 1975) is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He has been a prominent figure in the Canadian indie rock scene of the 1990s and 2000s.
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JOEL PLASKETT TICKETS
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Biography
Thrush Hermit
In 1992, Plaskett created
alternative rock band
Thrush Hermit with
Rob Benvie (vocals, guitar),
Ian McGettigan (vocals, bass), and Michael Catano (drums). Plaskett was the lead singer and
guitarist for the Halifax-based band as well as the band's primary songwriter, until their breakup in late 1999.
Solo work and the Emergency
After the breakup of
Thrush Hermit, Plaskett embarked on a solo career. His first release,
In Need of Medical Attention
, consisted of leftover songs that were written near the end of his days in Thrush Hermit. It was successful, but not until the release of 2001's
Down at the Khyber
with a new backing band, The Emergency. The Emergency consisted of Plaskett, drummer Dave Marsh and bass player Tim Brennan, though old friend Ian McGettigan could often be seen playing bass at their shows. The third album of Plaskett's post-Thrush Hermit career and second of the Emergency's,
Truthfully, Truthfully
was a commercial success.
MapleMusic Recordings is the current recording label for both The Emergency and Plaskett's solo efforts. Plaskett and the band have toured throughout North America and Europe with such performers as
The Tragically Hip,
Sloan and
Kathleen Edwards.
The Joel Plaskett Emergency has been nominated for two
Juno Awards, both in the alternative album category. The group won Rock Recording of the Year at the 2005
East Coast Music Awards, for the album
Truthfully, Truthfully
.
Plaskett released his second solo album,
La De Da
in 2005, which garnered him two East Coast Music Awards in 2006, Male Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, for the song "Happen Now". He was also nominated for the Songwriter of the Year Juno Award, but lost to
Arcade Fire.
La De Da
was released in Australia on
March 6,
2006 by local company
Code One Entertainment. In April 2006, Plaskett toured the east coast of Australia (in solo mode) extensively to promote the release.
In March 2006, Joel Plaskett Emergency released their first DVD,
Make a Little Noise
. It included an EP of three songs. The single "Nowhere With You" has received the most mainstream radio airplay of any Plaskett release to date, and was featured in a
Zellers television commercial.
Make a Little Noise
had three wins at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards: DVD of the Year, Single of the Year ("Nowhere with You"), and Songwriter of the Year (Joel Plaskett, for "Nowhere with You").
On March 3, 2007, Joel Plaskett Emergency released an Australia-only compilation,
Make a Little Noise
, a collection of songs from
Down at the Khyber
,
Truthfully, Truthfully
and the EP from the DVD. The DVD is also in included in this package as a bonus. The band toured Australia for the first time in March–April 2007, supporting Australian band
Augie March.
On April 17, 2007, their first album to include their new bassist, Chris Pennell, was released. The album,
Ashtray Rock
, is described by the band as a
concept album.
Ashtray Rock
was on the shortlist for the
2007 Polaris Music Prize,
[1] but lost to
Patrick Watson's album
Close to Paradise
.
During the week of December 10, 2007, Plaskett and the Emergency played six consecutive shows at the
Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto as part of the music venue's 60th-anniversary celebrations. Each night, a different album was performed in its entirety, starting with
In Need of Medical Attention
on Monday and finishing with
Ashtray Rock
on Friday night and Saturday night.
[2]
Joel Plaskett Emergency were nominated for seven
East Coast Music Awards in 2008, more than any other act. They won six of those awards, which is tied with a previous record.
[3] [4]
The new Plaskett solo album,
Three
, was released on March 24, 2009. It consists of three discs each consisting of nine, songs for a total of 27 songs. The first single from the album is "Through and Through and Through". The triple album has been nominated for the
2009 Polaris Music Prize short list.
[5] In the same week that the Polaris shortlist was announced,
Paul McCartney announced that he had selected Plaskett and the band
Wintersleep as the opening acts for his July 11 concert at
Halifax Common.
[6]
Other collaborations
In recent years, Plaskett has embarked upon a number of projects. He has acted as
record producer for Atlantic Canadian artists such as
Polaris Music Prize-nominated
Two Hours Traffic and
Little Miss Moffat. As well, in 2004 he made his television debut as a rock coach on the
CBC Television documentary series
Rock Camp
. In 2008, Plaskett and his father Bill were featured in an episode of the
Bravo! television concert series
The Berkeley Sessions
. Plaskett also appeared as a busker in the film
One Week
.
Personal life
Plaskett is married to Nova Scotia graphic artist and cartoonist Rebecca Kraatz, who provided the artwork for the cover and liner of
Ashtray Rock
[7],
La De Da
, and
In Need of Medical Attention
. On tour, Plaskett frequently mentions his childhood stay at Camp Wapomeo, a residential summer camp located outside of
Yarmouth.
Awards and nominations
- Juno Awards
- * 2008, 2006 - Songwriter of the Year (nomination)
- * 2004 - Best Alternative Album of the Year, La De Da
(nomination)
- * 2002 - Best New Artist of the Year, Down At the Khyber
(nomination)
- East Coast Music Awards
- * 2009 - Entertainer of the Year
- * 2009, 2008, 2007 - Single of the Year
- * 2008, 2007, 2006 - Songwriter of the Year
- * 2008 - FACTOR Recording of the Year
- * 2008 - Group of the Year
- * 2008, 2005 - Rock Recording of the Year
- * 2008 - Video of the Year ("Fashionable People")
- * 2007 - DVD of the Year (Make a Little Noise
)
- * 2008 - Entertainer of the Year (nomination)
- * 2006 - Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Video of the Year
- * 2005 - Album of the Year, Group of the Year (nomination)
- * 2002 - Rock Recording of the Year, Best New Artist of the Year, Video of the Year (nomination)
- Music NS Awards
- * 2007, 2006 - Songwriter of the Year
- * 2007, 2006, 2004 - Entertainer of The Year
- * 2007, 2005 - Album of the Year
- * 2007, 2004 - Group of The Year
- * 2007, 2005 - Pop Rock Recording of the Year
- * 2007 - Video of the Year ("Fashionable People")
- * 2006 - Single of the Year (nomination)
- * 2005 - Male Artist of the Year
- * 2004 - Alternative Recording of the Year
- CMW Indie Awards
- * 2008 - Favorite Rock Artist/ Group of the Year (nomination)
- * 2008 - Galaxie Rising Star Award (nomination)
- Polaris Music Prize
- * 2009 - Three
(nomination)
- * 2007 - Ashtray Rock
(nomination)
- Billboard World Song Contest
- * 2008 - Pop Category, "Fashionable People" (WON
)
- Great American Song Contest
- * 2009 - Pop Category, "Face of the Earth" (WON
)
- * 2008 - Pop Category, "Fashionable People" (WON
)
- * 2006 - Pop Category,"Nowhere with You" (WON
)
- COCA Award
- * 2008 - Best Mainstage Artist
- Canadian Radio Music Award
- * 2007 - Best New Solo Artist, Hot AC
- CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards
- * 2007 - Best Falsetto ("Fashionable People")
- * 2007 - Song Most Likely to be a Future Classic
- * 2006 - #1 Top 94 List
- The Coast
- * 2007 - Top 50 CDs of the Year
- * 2007, 2006, 2005 - Best Canadian Male Musician
- * 2007 - Best Canadian Solo Artist
- * 2006, 2005 - Best Local Male Musician
- * 2006, 2002 - Best Local Album
- * 2005 - Best Local Song
- * 2004, 2003 - Best Local Band, Best Local Album
- * 2003 - Best Local Live Act
- * 2002 - Best Video
- * 2002 - Best Male Solo Artist
Discography
Thrush Hermit
- 1994: Smart Bomb
, EP
- 1995: The Great Pacific Ocean
, EP
- 1997: Rock and Roll Detective
, EP
- 1997: Sweet Homewrecker
- 1999: Clayton Park
Solo albums
- 1999: In Need of Medical Attention
- 2005: La De Da
- 2009: Three
Joel Plaskett Emergency
- 2001: Down at the Khyber
- 2003: Truthfully, Truthfully
- 2006: Make a Little Noise
(DVD/EP)
- 2007: Ashtray Rock
References
- Arcade Fire, Feist on Polaris short list
- A Plaskett prescription for the 'Shoe's birthday
- 2008 East Coast Music Awards nominees
- Plasket gets 6; local talent makes city proud
- [1]
- "McCartney hires Halifax musicians as opening acts". CTV News, July 9, 2009.
- Hanging out at Ashtray Rock