Exclusive: FICTION PLANE looking to take a bite out of Twilight - New Moon soundtrack!

all photos courtesy of Fiction Plane

Previously on Examiner, we’ve explored some of the artists who are putting forth a distinct and heartfelt effort to be included on the New Moon soundtrack. Artists like Hana Pestle and Lee Safar were both personally affected by the books and the Twilight movie and have been exerting a lot of time and effort into their campaigns. However, there is a band out there in music-land that has been doing a bit of bubbling, and interestingly, the stir is not being caused by the band, but its fans.

London-based indie rock act Fiction Plane has a very intriguing fan base. About a month ago, some fans recognized the industry potential and power over the marketplace the Twilight soundtrack held and took it upon themselves to toss Fiction Plane’s hat into the ring. They coordinated a Facebook support page and have been commenting on the various New Moon-related articles around the Internet (including my own).

Captivated by this little phenomenon, I sought the band out to find out what it is that Fiction Plane has to offer. Turns out, Fiction Plane has been around since about 2001, opened for The Police on their 2007-08 reunion tour, performed on the 2008 Unity Tour with 311 and Snoop Dogg, and even opened for Bruce Springsteen and Joss Stone within the last month. Many people are aware of the band, because the singer/bassist is Joe Sumner, the first-born son of music icon (and Police front man) Sting. Fiction Plane also features guitarist Seton Daunt (who, according to his Wiki page, has appeared on the recent releases by Amy MacDonald and James Morrison) and American drummer Pete Wilhoit (who also has an impressive list of credits).

I caught up with Wilhoit this week to get his take on the Twilight activity and to find out what it is that fans find so captivating about Fiction Plane.

I’ve been talking to some musicians who are actively campaigning to try to be put into consideration for the New Moon soundtrack, but Fiction Plane isn’t actually making moves for it, correct?

That is correct, although we are always looking for cool opportunities for the band. I would definitely consider this one of them.

Is this campaign purely fan-driven?

So far it has been fan driven, which is the coolest way for it to come to our attention.

Have you seen a bump in activity because of this promotion?

It is early days as far as that goes, but we have seen some a younger audience at our shows, which is great! Bring on the mosh pit!

Have you or the other guys read the Stephenie Meyer books or seen Twilight?

Yes, I saw the movie. It was pretty cool - it didn’t suck and had serious bite to it! Hahaha. Actually, I was struck by how musical the drama was. It reminded me of one of those classic Russell Mulcahy music videos from the early days of MTV. He’s the guy who did all those really great thematic Duran Duran videos. But yeah, I definitely felt a connection between the drama and the music.

What would it mean to you to be included on the soundtrack to one of the sequels?

It would mean a lot for the band. We feel we definitely connect musically with this sort of genre! I think Twilight fans would love Fiction Plane.

I’ve seen in various forums of songs people want to be included on the soundtrack, things like “Stay”, “Drink”, “Wise”, and a newer song called “Denied”. Do any of these tracks surprise you?

Not really, I think those songs could fit great in a number of movies.

If you were to put a song into the running for the soundtrack, which would you choose and why?

I think “Denied” could be the biggest diamond in the ruff. It has all the makings of a smash hit. It’s got such a strong sentiment to it, really heart-felt lyrics and soaring guitar lines. We are super proud of that tune!

When writing songs, what kinds of emotions and experiences influence the process? Are you guys inspired by things like vampires, romance, isolation, and yearning?

We are definitely inspired by the darker sides of human emotion. Joe’s not afraid to say what he thinks and always offers honest emotion in his lyrics.

You have a bit of previous soundtrack experience with the song “Everything Will Never Be Okay” on a 2001 TV movie called Blood Moon (AKA Wolf Girl) and, of course, “If Only”, which was prominently featured in the Disney movie Holes. What advantages did you have for being included on those soundtracks?

Well, we are all big movie fans, and we love being transported into someone else’s fantasy land. The music is a big part of that transportation. I don’t think our earlier soundtrack experience gives us an advantage, but it does give you hope!

Were you then obligated to play those songs live?

We haven’t actually played “If Only” live, to my knowledge. I think it’s because it was specifically written for that movie, so it feels strange to play it live I guess.

It is now the latter half of 2009. Fiction Plane has released two albums, an EP, and a live album since 2003. You’ve also done a lot of massive tours. When do you guys have time to sleep?

We all love to stay busy. When your passion is music and you love what you do, it’s never work, so staying busy isn’t hard. I can say that personally I have slept like a baby until my wife and I actually had a baby. Now the kind of sleep is over, unless I go on tour. Tour anyone?

A handful of new songs have popped up on YouTube and MySpace Video over the past few months, and each song sounds distinctly different from one another. What exactly categorizes the “Fiction Plane sound”?

Well, not unlike many other bands, we all have a wide range of influences so when we right it all comes out. Sometimes a certain style rises to the top. I would say “groove rock with a dash of Radiohead and a side of Rage Against The Machine”

More recently, a fan-filmed video for the song “Angel Eyes” materialized on MySpace and it is much more upbeat and wilder than the other new tracks. Why did that one come out so bombastic?

Well, I would say it’s got the groove rock with a “Goats” guitar/bass line. I love that riff, really sticks to your ribs!

Fiction Plane had a bit of a whirlwind of touring over the past two years, and it looked like 2009 screeched to a halt. Did you burn out, or was it a series of factors that brought things to a bit of a stand-still?

No burn out, just focusing on the next chapter. Anytime you are trying to record a new album, you have to give it the attention it deserves, so that’s what we’ve been doing. On a personal level, both Seton and I have brand new baby boys, which demand some attention from the parents! We are both enjoying fatherhood and the time with family.

Has Joe’s lineage helped or hindered the band’s progress over the years? I would think that it would serve as a minor detriment, because his father has a distinctly older-generation audience, and most rock young rock bands typically thrive on younger crowds. How has this dynamic affected the band?

It has had a both positive and negative effect on the band. It has allowed us some amazing opportunities such as The Police world tour, but it/the media puts a great deal of undeserved negative pressure on Joe. At times, you feel like the band has to be as good as, or better than, The Police or we won’t be taken seriously. Talk about a mountain to climb. Try swallowing that pill every day.

You obviously must have a strong fan support system, if they are fervently pushing for you to be included on the New Moon soundtrack. I also heard that they were largely responsible for getting you featured in Modern Drummer Magazine recently. How did that happen, and were you surprised by it?

The fans voted me into the Modern Drummer Reader’s Poll for “Up & Coming “ Drummer of 2009. It was a nice surprise, and I was very honored to make that list. I was also in a Tama ad with my old drum teacher Kenny Aronoff - he thought it was quite cool!

What can the fans expect next from the band?

They can expect a new album in February 2010, along with a big tour. We are really excited to play the new music live and push as much energy off stage as possible! We are taking it all to a new and bigger level.

Anyone interested in checking out Fiction Plane’s new material can see them live next week in New York City. The band will be performing at the Mercury Lounge on August 13th.