Fiction Plane

Listening to the music of Fiction Plane, you might be fooled into thinking you were listening to a track by the Police… only rocked-out, jazzed-up, stripped-naked and covered in chocolate. Perhaps you’d be right: Fronted by Sting’s son, Joe Sumner, the vocal similarities between the two are striking and shows that talent clearly doesn’t skip a generation. The band incorporates ethereal acoustics with devastatingly powerful lyrics and beats to bring a new standard of music into the 21st century. After a busy year of touring, and prior to the release of their next album in Spring, Fiction Plane drummer Pete Wilhoit takes some time out to chat to Sophie Andrews about the good, the bad, and the just plane [sic] funny side to the music industry. 

When did you decide that you actually wanted to be in a band? Has music always been your passion?
* Well, as early as a kid could decide, I guess. I was in the fourth grade, so… that puts you, I don’t know, how old you are in the fourth grade, maybe… 10 or something? So at ten years old, as cliché as it sounds, I started listening to The Beatles with a friend and we started a duo group called The Explosives. We started writing our own tunes and then at recess in our elementary school it rained and everybody came into the choir room and we started playing these songs. All the girls started singing along and I think at that moment I realised the power of music. At least maybe to get me chicks or something! But that’s when it really overwhelmed me as far as wanting to be a musician. I guess you could say I started music first, and then started playing the drums second. I got really serious about it in high school and decided I wanted to be a professional musician, so yeah, I think it’s always been a part of me.

So you mentioned The Beatles. What other influences have you had on your music?
* Tons of different bands! I listen to everything from Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, classical music and Jazz. I mean, I have a Jazz Degree: I learned a lot about Jazz and played for 10 years. I still play Jazz sometimes but not so much these days. But I think I was really drawn more to the rock thing because I was able to get more involved as a drummer. So, I mean, I love The Police, I love The Doors, I love Jimi Hendrix, all sorts of bands like that. I still adore bands that have great drummers. Right now, I’m really into the The Foo Fighters. There are so many bands I love, but I guess when I play I lean more towards rock, but I also have real Jazz influences as well.

Source / read more: http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/02/23/fiction-plane-a-band-with-big-shoes-to-fill/ Photo Credit Lana Theo.