Simple Plan
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Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band has released three original albums: No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002), Still Not Getting Any... (2004), and Simple Plan (2008), as well as two live albums: Live in Japan 2002 (2003) and MTV Hard Rock Live (2005).
History
Formation (1995-2002)
Simple Plan began in 1995 with the formation of a band named Reset by friends Pierre Bouvier, Charles-André "Chuck" Comeau, Philippe Jolicoeur, and Adrian White.[1] Reset toured around Canada with bands such as MxPx, Ten Foot Pole, and Face to Face, but only managed to gain modest popularity.[1] The debut album, No Worries, was released in 1998, and Comeau left soon after to go to college.[1] Two years later he met with high school friends Jean-François "Jeff" Stinco and Sébastien Lefebvre who were in separate bands of their own, and combined to create the band.[1] Meanwhile, Reset released a second CD, No Limits (the two CDs would be re-released as a single CD in 2006, with liner note comments from Bouvier and Comeau). In late 1999, Comeau and Bouvier reacquainted at a Sugar Ray concert[1] and Bouvier left Reset soon after to join Comeau. David Desrosiers replaced Bouvier in Reset, but when asked to join the foursome, he too left the band six months later.[1] This allowed Bouvier, who had doubled as the band's front man and bassist, to concentrate on the singing.[1]
The origin of the band's name is obscure. Band members have given various responses on this point, including a liking for the movie A Simple Plan;[2] that the band was their simple plan to avoid getting a "real" job; and that the name was only intended to be temporary, but they never thought of anything better, and with shows coming up for the new band, they needed a name.
No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002-2004)
In 2002, Simple Plan released their first studio album, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls which led to the singles, "I'm Just a Kid", "I'd Do Anything", "Addicted", and "Perfect". Simple Plan is noted as saying that they were aiming at a pure pop-punk record.[3] The name of the CD echoes the popular tag line for the sport of rugby, "No pads, no helmets, no pussies."
The record was originally released in the United States with twelve tracks, ending with "Perfect". Enhanced and foreign editions came in several different versions with up to two additional tracks in addition to the original twelve. For example, the U.S. release contained the extra songs "Grow Up", and "My Christmas List", while the UK release contained the extra songs "One By One" and "American Jesus" (a live version of a cover of a Bad Religion song), as well as the two music videos, "I'd Do Anything" and "I'm Just a Kid".
The record also contained vocals from singers from two other pop-punk bands as "I'd Do Anything" included vocals by Mark Hoppus from blink-182, and "You Don't Mean Anything" included vocals by Joel Madden from Good Charlotte.
In 2002, the year Simple Plan released the album, Simple Plan played more than 300 shows, topped the Alternative New Artist Chart, and played a sold out tour in Japan.[4] In 2003, the band played as a headliner on the Vans Warped Tour--an appearance memorialized in the comedy slasher film, Punk Rock Holocaust, in which four of the five band members are killed. They would also play short stints on the Warped Tour in 2004 and 2005. Also in 2003, they opened for Avril Lavigne on her "Try To Shut Me Up" Tour.[4] In addition to several headlining tours, they have also opened for Green Day and Good Charlotte.[4]
Still Not Getting Any... (2004-2006)
In 2004, Simple Plan released their second studio album, Still Not Getting Any... which led to the singles, "Welcome to My Life", "Shut Up!", "Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?)", "Crazy", and "Perfect World".
As mentioned before, when writing "No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls", the members of Simple Plan were aiming at a pure pop-punk record. This time however, when writing "Still Not Getting Any...", the members of Simple Plan were noted as saying that they were not limiting themselves to the punk genre, but rather letting themselves write "good music".[3]
According to the bonus DVD of Still Not Getting Any..., while making the CD the members of Simple Plan thought of many names including "Get Rich or Die Trying" and "Danger Zone". They decided on the name Still Not Getting Any... for a list of explained reasons. The most popular and most likely reason is because the members of Simple Plan thought that they weren't getting any good reviews, Bouvier once noting that they only had one recent good review in Alternative Press. Another reason may be because they were still not getting any respect. There are many more variations the band members have given, as anything can really be put after the ellipsis, including "better", "smarter", "funnier", and the obvious sexual connotation. Comeau once described the name of the album as "versatile".
"Still Not Getting Any..." showed a dramatic change in Simple Plan's style as well. They still kept their style of downbeat lyrics matched to upbeat music, but managed to transcend from the standard pop-punk genre. Although many of the tracks on this CD still carry the feeling of teen angst that is probably most noticeable in the song "I'm Just a Kid" from the first album No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls, the general slant of this album tends toward slightly deeper and more mature lyrical themes, as well as a more mainstream sound that edges away from the pure pop-punk style of their last album. Some critics have pointed towards the inclusion of 'classic' or 'mainstream' rock elements, claiming the album 'de-emphasizes punk-pop hyperactivity in favor of straightforward, well-crafted modern rock'.[5]
In 2005, Simple Plan also released the live album, MTV Hard Rock Live, which contained songs from both the previous albums.[6] The album came in two different versions — a standard one, and a fan pack edition.[7] The standard edition included audio of the whole performance, an acoustic version of Crazy, two live videos of the performance of the first two songs "Jump" and "Shut Up!" and a small booklet of pictures of the performance.[7] The fan pack edition contained audio and video of the whole performance in 5.1 surround sound, three acoustic tracks for "Crazy", "Welcome To My Life", and "Perfect", a 32-page color tour book, and an exclusive Simple Plan patch and pin.[7]
Simple Plan (2006-present)
After nearly a year and a half in support of "Still Not Getting Any...", the band ended most touring in February 2006, giving only a few shows, taking some time off, and beginning work on their third CD. As announced in Bouvier's official MySpace blog, Bouvier headed to Miami as on about March 21, 2007 to work with an unnamed producer, who later proved to be Dave Fortman.
(I)t's something totally different that we're trying out. You know we figured this is our third album now and we needed to try stuff... just for ourselves, to keep it fresh and fun. Honestly I don't really know how its gonna turn out but I have a really good feeling!
— Pierre Bouvier
The band entered the studio for pre-production in Los Angeles on June 29. On July 15 they returned to Montreal, to record at Studio Piccilo, the same studio they had recorded "Still Not Getting Any...." They finished recording and headed back to Miami and LA to mix the album. The final part of making their record was done in New York and it was officially completed and announced on October 21, though they later re-entered the studio to re-record some of the lyrics to the song "Generation."
"When I'm Gone", the first single to Simple Plan was released on October 29 as part of a fan webcast the band held. Simple Plan was produced by Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Mudvayne), Danjahandz (Timbaland, Justin Timberlake) and Max Martin (Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne).
On November 29, 2007, the band announced that the CD release would be postponed from the originally-scheduled January 29, 2008 date to what proved to be the actual release date of February 12, 2008. The Japan version, with two bonus tracks, was released on February 6, 2008.[8]
After completing an around-the-world promotional tour, Simple Plan played several December 2007 holiday shows.
After continued promotional tours in January, Simple Plan played a triple bill in Camden Town, London on January 27, 2008, with the first show featuring songs from the band's first CD, the second from the second, and the third from the new release. The band played four U.S. shows in late February, and has announced dates for a European tour to start at the end of March.
On February 17, 2008, Simple Plan achieved their highest charting single in the UK. After the first two albums just missed the UK top 40, "When I'm Gone" gave the band their best chart position in the UK, coming in at number 26.
Side Projects
In addition to their involvement in the band, members of Simple Plan have been involved in a number of side projects.
Simple Plan Foundation
The members of Simple Plan have helped nonprofit and advocacy groups by donating to many established organizations such as the MTV Asia Aid benefit, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), RADD (Recording Artists, Actors, and Athletes against Drunk Driving), and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. However, after being frustrated because the members did not know exactly where their money was going to, the Simple Plan members created the Simple Plan Foundation,[9] a foundation that focuses on teen problems ranging from suicide to poverty to drug addiction.[9][10] As of December 9, 2005, the Simple Plan Foundation had raised more than $100,000.[9] The list of donors included venues on their November-December 2005 Canadian tour. No information regarding the foundation's activities has been released since then, though their January 13, 2008 concert in Montreal has been announced on the band web site as benefiting the foundation.
Damage Control
Damage Control was a reality television series hosted by Bouvier that first aired on MTV on March 6, 2005. On Damage Control, parents would tell their teenage son or daughter that they would be going away over the weekend, but in actuality, they are just a few houses down monitoring them with Bouvier via hidden cameras and microphones. The teenager would be placed in awkward situations, in which he/she must make decisions. Parents can earn money if they can guess what their teenager will do, and after the parents come back (usually at the worst possible moment), the teenager, still unaware of the filming, can win money by confessing. Two seasons were filmed before any episodes aired, and no more were planned or filmed, due to the likelihood that once the episodes aired, potential subjects would quickly catch on to what was going on.
Man of The Hour
Man Of The Hour is a Simple Plan side project that features Sébastien Lefevbre and Patrick Langlois. It began as a clothing company, but has since developed into an internet radio show called "Man of the Hour Hour," which is hosted on idobi radio. The show can be heard on Thursdays, and can be downloaded as a podcast the following Monday.
Role Model Clothing
Role Model Clothing is a clothing line owned by Bouvier, Comeau (who are often seen wearing the shirts on stage and in the band's music videos) and Langlois. The line mostly markets shirts, which invariably include the words "ROLE MODEL" in the design. Erik Chandler, from the band Bowling for Soup, is often seen wearing a Role Model shirt.
Miscellaneous
Patrick Langlois
Patrick Langlois (also credited as "Patrick C. Cunningham") is a friend of the band who is responsible for merchandising (he is sometimes seen running the "merch stand"), and also acts as webmaster, photographer, and videographer.
Langlois has appeared in every Simple Plan video to date, except for "Crazy". His appearances are often painful: He was kicked in the crotch in "I'd Do Anything", had a bowling ball dropped on him and his apartment destroyed in "Addicted", and was knocked down by the band in "Don't Wanna Think About You". In "When I'm Gone," he is on a magazine cover, having a bottle smashed out of his hand by a tennis ball hit by Lefebvre. He is also seen giving a thumbs up in "Perfect", as a valet in "Shut Up", in the crowd in the gym in "I'm Just a Kid", getting out of a car in "Welcome to My Life", and as an emergency services worker in "Untitled (How Could This Happen To Me?)", a video in which his pseudonym was used as the name of the drunk driver.
Affiliation with "What's New, Scooby-Doo?"
Simple Plan has a long standing affiliation with What's New, Scooby-Doo?. They perform the theme song and appear as themselves in the episode "Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman" in which excerpts from "The Worst Day Ever" are twice heard, as well as parts of [11][12] "You Don't Mean Anything",[13] and the beginning of "I'd Do Anything"[14]. Additionally, "I'd Do Anything" can be heard in the episode "It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine".
The song "Grow Up" was used in the 2002 movie, "Scooby Doo", and is on the movie's OST as well. The song "Don't Wanna Think About You" was used in the movie, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The video for that song depicts the band racing across town to get to a premiere of a Scooby-Doo movie (the dog and other cast members appear at the premiere), only to arrive seconds late.
Discography
- For a full, detailed list, see: Simple Plan discography
Studio albums
| Simple Plan discography | |
|---|---|
| Singles | "I'm Just a Kid", "I'd Do Anything", "Addicted", "Perfect" |
| Simple Plan discography | |
|---|---|
| Singles | "Welcome to My Life", "Shut Up!", "Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?)", "Crazy", "Perfect World" (radio-only single not released in most markets) |
| Simple Plan discography | |
|---|---|
| Singles | "When I'm Gone", "Your Love Is a Lie" |
Awards and nominations
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Awards
2002
- Favorite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA)
2003
- Favorite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA)
2004
- Favorite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA)
2005
- Choice Music: Rock Group (Teen Choice Awards)
2005
- Favorite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA)
2006
- Juno Fan Choice Award
Nominated
2004
- NME Award for Best Music DVD A Big Package For You 1999-2003
2005
- Juno Award for Group of the Year
- VMAs Best Cinematography in a Video
- VMAs Best Editing in a Video
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Band biography on simpleplanonline.com
- ^ Rock Louder Interview with Simple Plan
- ^ a b Simple Plan Band
- ^ a b c Delafont Bio
- ^ All Music Guide Review of Still Not Getting Any...
- ^ Simple Plan Music
- ^ a b c Simple Plan Live
- ^ HMV Product Description of Simple Plan
- ^ a b c Simple Plan Help Out the Kids
- ^ Pierre Bouvier chats with George Stroumboulopoulos, CBC News: The Hour, December 8, 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2005.
- ^ Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman 5:08 - 5:58 (Simple Plan Online version)
- ^ Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman 19:17 - 19:39 (SPO version)
- ^ Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman 16:43 - 17:51 (SPO version)
- ^ Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman 16:14 - 16:16 (SPO version)
- ^ Johnson Remains No. 1; Winehouse, Hancock Soar
External links
