Joel Plaskett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joel Plaskett
Plaskett performing live in 2007
Background information
Birth name	William Joel MacDonald Plaskett
Also known as	Joel Plaskett
Born	(1975-04-18) April 18, 1975 (age 50) Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
Origin	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Genres	Indie rock, Folk rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums, mandolin, keyboards
Years active	1992–present
Labels	MapleMusic Recordings, New Scotland Records,
Associated acts	Thrush Hermit, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Neuseiland

Joel Plaskett, born on April 18, 1975, is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In the 1990s, he was part of a band called Thrush Hermit. Joel Plaskett plays many types of music, from blues and folk to rock and pop.

Joel often writes songs about his home city, Halifax. With his band, The Emergency, he has toured all over North America and Europe. They have played with famous bands like The Tragically Hip and Sloan. He has also performed with his father, Bill Plaskett, who is also a musician.

Early Life and First Bands

Growing Up in Nova Scotia

Joel Plaskett grew up in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a small town by the ocean. His father, Bill Plaskett, is a musician too. Bill helped start the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival. Joel learned to play guitar and write songs by listening to many different kinds of music. He enjoyed artists like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, as well as rock bands like the Sex Pistols and the Pixies.

Forming Thrush Hermit

When Joel was twelve, his family moved to Halifax. The very next year, he started his first band with his friends Rob Benvie and Ian McGettigan. At first, they had a funny name, Nabisco Fonzie. By 1992, they became a four-person band called Thrush Hermit. Michael Catano was their drummer at that time.

Music Career Highlights

Thrush Hermit's Journey

Joel Plaskett was the lead singer and guitarist for Thrush Hermit. In 1994, Cliff Gibb became their new drummer. That same year, the band signed with Murderecords. After releasing two smaller music collections called EPs, they put out their first full album, Sweet Homewrecker, in 1997. It was recorded in Memphis. However, the album did not sell very well, and their record label dropped them. The band made one more album, Clayton Park, before they stopped playing together in 1999.

Neuseiland: A Different Sound

In late 1998, Joel Plaskett started a new band called Neuseiland. This band included members from other popular Halifax bands. They got their name from a Dutch children's book. Joel played the drums in this band. They wanted to mix regular song structures with experimental sounds. They released one album, Neuseiland, in 2000. They also released an EP called The Disappearing E.P. in 2001. The band played their last show in 2005.

In 2014, Neuseiland released a collection of old songs and recordings online. This collection included photos and a video of their final show. Sadly, the band's bassist, Tim Stewart, passed away in 2017.

Joel Plaskett Emergency: Solo and Band Success

After Thrush Hermit and Neuseiland ended, Joel Plaskett started his solo career. His first solo album, In Need of Medical Attention, came out in 1999. It had songs he wrote near the end of his time with Thrush Hermit. Critics liked it, but Joel became even more well-known with his 2001 album, Down at the Khyber. This album had a harder rock sound and featured his new band, The Emergency. The band included Joel, drummer Dave Marsh, and bass player Tim Brennan. Together, they were called Joel Plaskett Emergency. This album helped Joel get nominated for a Juno Award as best new artist.

Their next album, Truthfully Truthfully, released in 2003, was a big success. It included the popular song "Come On, Teacher." This album also won an East Coast Music Award for best rock recording.

Joel then released a solo album called La De Da in 2005. He played most of the instruments himself on this album. He wanted it to sound different from his previous work. La De Da won two East Coast Music Awards in 2006. Joel was named Male Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for his song "Happen Now."

In 2006, Joel Plaskett Emergency released their first DVD, Make a Little Noise. It also came with three new songs. The song "Nowhere with You" became very popular on the radio. Make a Little Noise won three East Coast Music Awards in 2007.

The band's next album was Ashtray Rock, released in 2007. This was a concept album about high school love. It was considered for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize. The song "Fashionable People" from this album was nominated for an Independent Music Award.

In December 2007, Joel Plaskett and The Emergency played six shows in a row in Toronto. Each night, they played a different one of their albums from start to finish. In 2008, The Emergency won six East Coast Music Awards, which tied a record.

Joel released another solo album called Three in 2009. This album was special because it had three discs, with nine songs on each, making a total of 27 songs. The album was nominated for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. Around the same time, Paul McCartney chose Joel Plaskett and the band Wintersleep to open for his concert in Halifax. Three won the Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the 2010 Junos.

In 2011, Joel Plaskett became the first artist to reach one million plays on CBC Radio 3's online music site. He also released a collection of rare songs and B-sides.

The band returned in 2012 with the album Scrappy Happiness. They recorded one song each week for ten weeks and released them online. Then, they put all the songs together as a full album.

His album The Park Avenue Sobriety Test came out in 2015. In 2017, he released Solidarity, which was a collaboration with his father, Bill Plaskett.

In 2020, Joel released a huge album called 44. It came out on April 17, the day before his 45th birthday. This album has 44 songs spread across four different records. He worked with 33 other musicians on it over four years. Each record has its own theme, like traveling, finding a new home, or arriving at a personal destination.

Joel's eleventh album, One Real Reveal, was released on September 13, 2024.

To celebrate Joel's 50th birthday in April 2025, a surprise tribute album called Songs from the Gang was released. Other Canadian musicians recorded covers of Joel's songs for it. Artists like Sloan, Jenn Grant, and City and Colour were featured on the album.

Other Projects and Collaborations

Joel Plaskett has also worked on many other projects. He has helped produce albums for other Atlantic Canadian artists, including Steve Poltz, David Myles, and Mo Kenney. In 2004, he appeared on the TV show Rock Camp as a rock coach. In 2008, Joel and his father, Bill, were featured in a TV concert series called The Berkeley Sessions.

Joel also had a small role as a street musician in the movie One Week. He was a guest on the TV show This Hour Has 22 Minutes in 2013. In 2012, he worked with CBC Kids to create a music video for a kid-friendly version of his song "Fashionable People." This new version was about how fun it is to play dress-up. Canadian rapper Classified also featured Joel on his song "One Track Mind" in 2009.

Joel Plaskett and Chris Murphy helped produce an album for singer-songwriter Matthew Grimson. The album was recorded in 1995 but was not released until 2020.

Discography

Thrush Hermit Albums

• 1994: Smart Bomb, EP
• 1995: The Great Pacific Ocean, EP
• 1997: Rock and Roll Detective, EP
• 1997: Sweet Homewrecker
• 1999: Clayton Park

Neuseiland Albums

• 1999: Neuseiland

Solo Albums

• 1999: In Need of Medical Attention
• 2005: La De Da
• 2009: Three
• 2009: Three More (EP)
• 2010: Three to One (UK)
• 2015: The Park Avenue Sobriety Test
• 2017: Solidarity (with Bill Plaskett)
• 2020: 44
• 2022: The Window Inn Sessions
• 2024: One Real Reveal

Joel Plaskett Emergency Albums

• 2001: Down at the Khyber
• 2003: Truthfully Truthfully
• 2006: Make a Little Noise (DVD/EP)
• 2007: Ashtray Rock
• 2011: EMERGENCYs, false alarms, shipwrecks, castaways, fragile creatures, special features, demons and demonstrations
• 2012: Scrappy Happiness
• 2021: Twenty Years Gone: The Joel Plaskett Emergency Revisits Down at the Khyber

Singles

Awards and Achievements

Joel Plaskett has won many awards throughout his career. Here are some of them:

• 2018
  • Won "Best Songwriter," "Best Solo Artist," and "Best Producer" from The Coast magazine.
  • Won ECMA (East Coast Music Award) for Songwriter of the Year.
• 2017
  • Won Music Nova Scotia Award for Folk Recording of the Year for Solidarity (with Bill Plaskett).
• 2016
  • Won "Best Songwriter," "Best Producer," and "Best Male Solo Artist" from The Coast.
  • Won ECMA Award for Producer of the Year.
• 2015
  • The Park Avenue Sobriety Test was named one of CBC's "50 Best Canadian Albums."
  • Won Music Nova Scotia Award for Entertainer of the Year and Producer of the Year.
  • Won "Best Songwriter" and "Best Producer" from The Coast.
  • Won ECMA Award for Producer of the Year.
• 2014
  • Won Music Nova Scotia Award for Producer of the Year.
• 2013
  • Won CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for Lifetime Achievement.
  • Won ECMA Award for Rock Recording of the Year for Scrappy Happiness.
• 2012
  • Won CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for The Golden Bucky for "Lightning Bolt."
  • Won Music Nova Scotia Award for SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for "You're Mine."
  • Received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
• 2010
  • Won Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year for Three.
  • Won CMW Indie Award for Favourite Solo Artist.
  • Won multiple ECMA Awards, including Male Solo Recording of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, and Single of the Year for "Through & Through & Through."
• 2009
  • Won Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Album of the Year for Three.
  • Won Canadian Folk Music Award for Producer of the Year.
  • Won First Place Winner Great American Song Contest for "Face of the Earth."
  • Won ECMA Award for Entertainer of the Year.
  • Won Music Nova Scotia Award for Album of the Year for Three.
• 2008
  • Won First Place Winner Billboard World Song Contest Pop Category for "Fashionable People."
  • Won First Place Winner Great American Song Contest for "Fashionable People."
  • Won multiple ECMA Awards, including Recording of the Year, Rock Recording of the Year, and Single of the Year for "Fashionable People."
• 2007
  • Won CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for "Song Most Likely to be a Future Classic" for "Nowhere With You."
  • Won ECMA Award for SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for "Nowhere With You."
  • Won ECMA Award for DVD of the Year for Make A Little Noise.
  • Won Music Nova Scotia Award for Album of the Year for Ashtray Rock.
• 2006
  • Won First Place Great American Song Contest for "Nowhere With You."
  • Won ECMA Award for Male Artist of the Year for La De Da.
  • Won ECMA Award for Songwriter of the Year Award for "Happen Now."
• 2005
  • Won MIANS Award for Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for La De Da.
  • Won ECMA Award for Rock Recording of the Year.
• 2004
  • Won MIANS Award for Group of the Year and Entertainer of the Year for Truthfully, Truthfully.
• 2002
  • Nominated for Juno Award for Best Alternative Album of the Year for Down at The Khyber.

See also

• Music of Canada
• Canadian rock
• List of Canadian musicians