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06.25.2007, 08:07 AM

Any fans of this band? Not the most prolific group of musicians to ever come out of Birmingham, but still a cool band if you like that whole scene that also includes Pram and Broadcast. Anyway, 'For Beginner Piano' is an album worth checking out, if you like your retro futurism mixed with Kraftwerk and Suicide influences.

The group was created in late 1994 when Mark Cancellara & Mike Johnston started to buy old analogue keyboards and fx and began to rehearse making huge soundscapes. Mike was living with Billy Bainbridge (who was in another band at the time, Supernal, also containing members of electro band sol dat) who bought himself a keyboard and joined the band.
The band started gigging as support to local bands such as Pram &Broadcast. In 1997 the band were approached by Wurlitzer Jukebox who released the single "Press a Key". On the strength of this the band were signed toWarp and in September 1998 released the single 'plock'. This was tipped as one of the singles of the year by NME, Melody Maker, Dazed & Confused etc.
An album For Beginner Piano was released in September 1999 to widespread critical acclaim[citation needed].
Rob Mitchell (who had originally signed the band to Warp) was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. Rob died in the September of that year, and while the band rushed to deliver their second album, Steve Beckett (co-founder of Warp) made it aware he wasn't fond of bands like Broadcast or Plone that were currently on the label. Shortly thereafter, the band were dropped by the label and subsequently dissolved.
The album is still awaiting release.
Billy went on to play keyboards with Broadcast (on the Ha Ha Sound tour) and is now a member of Seeland with Tim Felton (now also ex-Broadcast) and have released a single "Wander"/"Pherox" on Duophonicin 2005.
Mike Johnston went on to form Mike In Mono and is also 'Clive 2' in ZX Spectrum Orchestra and a member of The Modified Toy Orchestra.
Mark is currently DJing with Matt from Pram for Silver Dollar, a reggae club in Birmingham.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plone_(band)

06.25.2007, 08:07 AM	#1
sarramkrop Posts: n/a	Any fans of this band? Not the most prolific group of musicians to ever come out of Birmingham, but still a cool band if you like that whole scene that also includes Pram and Broadcast. Anyway, 'For Beginner Piano' is an album worth checking out, if you like your retro futurism mixed with Kraftwerk and Suicide influences. The group was created in late 1994 when Mark Cancellara & Mike Johnston started to buy old analogue keyboards and fx and began to rehearse making huge soundscapes. Mike was living with Billy Bainbridge (who was in another band at the time, Supernal, also containing members of electro band sol dat) who bought himself a keyboard and joined the band. The band started gigging as support to local bands such as Pram &Broadcast. In 1997 the band were approached by Wurlitzer Jukebox who released the single "Press a Key". On the strength of this the band were signed toWarp and in September 1998 released the single 'plock'. This was tipped as one of the singles of the year by NME, Melody Maker, Dazed & Confused etc. An album For Beginner Piano was released in September 1999 to widespread critical acclaim[citation needed]. Rob Mitchell (who had originally signed the band to Warp) was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. Rob died in the September of that year, and while the band rushed to deliver their second album, Steve Beckett (co-founder of Warp) made it aware he wasn't fond of bands like Broadcast or Plone that were currently on the label. Shortly thereafter, the band were dropped by the label and subsequently dissolved. The album is still awaiting release. Billy went on to play keyboards with Broadcast (on the Ha Ha Sound tour) and is now a member of Seeland with Tim Felton (now also ex-Broadcast) and have released a single "Wander"/"Pherox" on Duophonicin 2005. Mike Johnston went on to form Mike In Mono and is also 'Clive 2' in ZX Spectrum Orchestra and a member of The Modified Toy Orchestra. Mark is currently DJing with Matt from Pram for Silver Dollar, a reggae club in Birmingham. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plone_(band)
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