Fiction Plane

Fiction Plane is a rock band from England. Originally formed in London under the name Santa's Boyfriend in 2001, Fiction Plane is currently composed of lead vocalist, guitar and bass player Joe Sumner (son of The Police frontman Sting); guitarist Seton Daunt; and American drummer Pete Wilhoit.

Recording history
Fiction Plane's first major label release, Everything Will Never Be OK, with MCA Records, was released in the US in March 2003 with the single "Hate". Shortly after the album's release, Bloomington, Indiana, drummer Pete Wilhoit joined the band.

In spite of positive critical acclaim for the group, including being named a "Breaker" Artist by AOL Music in March 2003, MCA folded and the band moved over to Geffen Records. In 2005 the band released a 4-song EP entitled Bitter Forces and Lame Race Horses on the Geffen imprint label Everybody's Records.

In 2006, Fiction Plane made a brief move to Interscope Records and parted ways with founding member and bass/keyboard player Dan Brown. Joe Sumner took over on bass and the band started working on a new album, Left Side of the Brain, which was released on Bieler Bros. Records on 22 May 2007. Behind the success of the singles "Two Sisters" (a popular single in France, Belgium and the Netherlands) and "Death Machine", the album peaked at number 46 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.

On 23 January 2008, Left Side of the Brain was released in Japan through Sideout Records with two bonus tracks: "Drink (acoustic)" and "Put On Your Shoes".

In April 2008, a limited tour edition of Left Side of the Brain was re-released in France through XIII Bis Records, containing five bonus tracks "VIP fast", "Coolest Kid", "At Ease", "Sleepwalker", "Drink (acoustic)"), a video clip ("Two Sisters"), and a hidden track, "The Circus Trouser Enthusiast". Four of the bonus cuts were unused demos recorded in 2006. "Sleepwalker" is an early version of what would become "Anyone", the official album's first track.

On 23 March 2009, the band released its first-ever live DVD and CD package, simply entitled Paradiso, through XIII Bis Records. It was recorded on 7 December 2008 at the band's sold-out performance in Amsterdam and then mixed by Ash Howes and mastered by Andy Walters at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London. Special features on the DVD include the unedited version of the "It's a Lie" video, and a photo gallery of images taken along the band's touring journey.

In February 2010, Fiction Plane completed the recording of their latest studio album, Sparks, which was released in Continental Europe on 10 May 2010 on Roadrunner Records. Produced by Paul Corkett, whose collaborations also include artists the likes of Nick Cave, Björk and Placebo, Sparks is said to include both large anthems and eclectic tracks. To date, it, like Paradiso has not been released domestically to North America.

In July 2014 the band finished recording their album "Mondo Lumina". It was released on 9 February 2015 and available on vinyl, CD, Amazon, Deezer and Itunes.

Tours and live performances


Fiction Plane has performed before hundreds of thousands in arenas and festivals all across Europe, Asia and North America, and have headlined their own largely sold out European tour.

In 2005, Fiction Plane was the support act for Sting's Broken Music Tour, which took the band all over Europe playing 29 shows in 25 countries.

Fiction Plane was then hired to support The Police on the North American, European, Australian/New Zealand, and Asian legs of their 2007 Reunion Tour, playing 87 shows.

In support of the album Left Side of the Brain and the singles "Two Sisters" and "Death Machine" Fiction Plane performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2007.

In the Spring of 2008, Fiction Plane toured America with The Bravery and Your Vegas. The band also toured the UK in March supporting The Feeling and supported 311 and Snoop Dogg on the 2008 Summer Unity Tour in the US.

10 July 2008 - 311's Unity Tour stops in Kansas City with Snoop Dogg and Fiction Plane. The Fiction Plane Interview; Review: The Unity Tour featuring 311, Snoop Dogg & Fiction Plane

In December 2008, Fiction Plane performed a largely sold-out run through Europe, culminating in selling out the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam.

Fiction Plane has also been featured on several high-profile European music festivals, including Paaspop and Pinkpop in The Netherlands, The Vieilles Charrues in France, Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany.

In support of their album Sparks, Fiction Plane performed at a number of major European rock festivals including the Meribel Little World Festival, the Glastonbury Festival in the UK and Nice Jazz Festival in France.

After a largely sold out mini tour in The Netherlands in October 2014, Fiction Plane will tour Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands in March 2015 in support of their new album "Mondo Lumina".

Awards and critical acclaim

 * Named a "Breaker" Artist by AOL Music in 2003


 * Left Side of the Brain reached top 10 on Dutch album charts in 2007.


 * Received a "Fabby Award" in 2008 for over 250,000 views of their FabChannel performance at the Melkweg.


 * Drummer Pete Wilhoit voted No. 3 "Up & Coming" Drummer in the 2009 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll

Music videos
In November 2008, Fiction Plane released the video for the single "It's A Lie" on YouTube, directed by Sumner's younger brother Jake Sumner

In September 2010, Fiction Plane released the video for the single "Out of My Face". Filmed in " "South West War Games close to Plymouth, the video features British Marines Cadets and one of their instructors.

A new video is being made to support the release of their first "Mondo Lumina" single, called "Where do we go from here".

Side projects
Bassist/vocalist Joe Sumner often tests new material acoustically in small clubs using the name IllegalMoveman. He has co-written songs with many artists including NO (Now known as Black English), Rain Phoenix, Ashley Monroe. He is also a founder at social video startups Vyclone and Weev.

During touring and recording breaks, guitarist Seton Daunt writes, records and performs in a band with his wife, siblings and friends using the name The Daunting.

Pete Wilhoit has been seen filling in as live session drummer for various New York-area live performances of Ari Hest and Amy Kuney.

On the evening of 20 July 2008 after the band's performance at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA (on the Unity Tour) Fiction Plane and members of Snoop Dogg's band and entourage sat down in Pete Wilhoit's bunk on the tour bus and recorded four songs under the moniker Code Seven. The session became known as the BapTized Recordings. Though they were never officially released, the demos did surface on the Fiction Plane Info Center fan site.

Current

 * Joe Sumner – lead vocals, bass
 * Seton Daunt – guitar
 * Pete Wilhoit – drums

Former

 * Dan Brown – bass, keyboards, backing vocals (until 2006)
 * Olly Taylor – drums (until 2003, when the band performed under the name "Santa's Boyfriend")