|
..............................................................................................................................................................
 Biography
Canada has produced some of the world's most enduring songwriters and Joel Plaskett belongs on the top shelf with the best of them.
Since spending his teenaged years recording and touring with Halifax indie upstarts Thrush Hermit, Plaskett has been writing his own story. After releasing two critically acclaimed albums - In Need of Medical Attention (1999) and Down At The Khyber (2001) - independently, Joel signed to MapleMusic Recordings for the release of 2003's Truthfully Truthfully, a rock tour de force with his band, The Emergency. That record scored with critics and fans alike and truly put Plaskett on the national radar once and for all. Truthfully Truthfully was nominated for a Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year and won an East Coast Music Award for Rock Recording of the Year.
During a summer break from touring in 2004, Joel responded to a longtime fan's offer of free recording time at a home studio in Mesa, Arizona. He packed up his trusty Chevy Suburban and drove across America with his songwriting notebook in the passenger seat. The results of that journey are currently available on Plaskett's MapleMusic effort, a solo album called La De Da.
The album is "solo" in the sense that Joel plays all the instruments but it's by no means a simple acoustic project. It also isn't a permanent move away from his work with The Emergency. Rather, it's the mark of an artist at home with his instincts and his creative muse and one that's willing to follow fearlessly where those imperatives lead.
La De Da has attracted attention in regional and
national media and has topped the Canadian campus music chart for months running.
Joel's latest DVD release, Make A Little Noise is a collection of typically amazing live performances featuring the excellent Emergency band as well as solo shows - with a collection of family and friends - from the Marquee Club and Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia as well as Toronto’s Hugh’s Room. It also includes the entire video library from Joel’s CDs: In Need of Medical Attention - 1999, Down at the Khyber – 2001 (nominated for Best New Artist Juno), Truthfully Truthfully – 2003 (nominated for Alternative Album of the Year Juno) and La De Da - 2004, plenty of never-before-seen material and a couple of surprises as well.
The DVD package contains a bonus CD EP with three brand-spanking-new Emergency band recordings, produced by Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Black Crowes, The Trews). The first single, (Can I Go) Nowhere With You, enlisted the help of Nova Scotian pals John Angus MacDonald and Jack Syperek from The Trews on backing vocals (as well as legendary Faces member, Ian McLagan, on keyboards) and became – finally – a staple at radio coast to coast charting at #3 on Hot AC radio.
Joel is currently on tour throughout Canada and the US in support of his latest release. He and the Emergency will be doing select dates over the fall while preparing for the next Emergency record, due in early 2007.
As anyone familiar with this artist will tell you, "it's only a matter of time."
Awards & Achievements:
2006 Music Nova Scotia Awards
Entertainer of the Year Award
2006 Music Nova Scotia Entertainer of the Year Award
Music Nova Scotia Songwriter of the Year Award (Nowhere With You)
Male Artist of the Year Award (La De Da)
Songwriter of the Year Award (Happen Now)
Nomination Album of the Year nomination
Nomination Single of the Year nomination
Nomination Video the Year nomination
2006 Juno Awards
Songwriter of the Year nomination (La De Da)
2006 The Coast Readers Choice Awards
voted “Best Canadian Male Musician”
The Coast voted “Best Local Male Musician”
The Coast voted “Best Local Album (La De Da)”
2005 Music Nova Scotia Awards
Album of the Year (La De Da)
Male Artist of the Year Award
Pop/ Rock Recording of the Year Award
2005 East Coast Music Awards
Rock Recording of the Year Award (Truthfully, Truthfully)
Album of the Year nomination
Group of the Year nomination
2005 The Coast Readers Choice Awards
voted “Best Canadian Male Musician”
The Coast voted “Best Local Male Musician”
The Coast voted “Best Local Song”
2004 Music Nova Scotia Awards
Group of the Year Award (Truthfully, Truthfully)
Alternative Recording of the Year Award
Entertainer of the Year Award
2004 Juno Awards
Best Alternative Album of the Year nomination
2004 The Coast Readers Choice Awards
voted “Best Local Band”
voted “Best Local Album (Truthfully, Truthfully)”
2003 The Coast Readers Choice Awards
voted “Best Local Band”
voted “Best Local Live Act”
2002 Juno Awards
Best New Artist of the Year nomination (Down at the Khyber)
2002 East Coast Music Awards
Rock Recording of the Year nomination
Best New Artist of the Year nomination
Video of the Year nomination (Maybe We Should Just Go Home)”
2002 The Coast Readers Choice Awards
voted “Best Local Album (Down at the Khyber)”
voted “Best Video (Maybe We Should Just Go Home)”
voted “Best Male Solo Artist”
..............................................................................................................................................................
Press
Photos:
Click
photos to download high resolution JPEG images
..............................................................................................................................................................
MP3
Sound Clips:
Joel has a few songs posted on his website
..............................................................................................................................................................
Albums:
Make A Little Noise DVD:
CDs:
- La De Da
- Truthfully Truthfully
- Down at the Khyber
- In Need of Medical Attention
|
|
