WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN 1995?




Plumtree, 1994 (w/ Nina Martin, 3rd from left, on bass)





Plumtree, 1997 (with Catriona Sturton, 3rd from left, on bass)

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It's been 10 years since Plumtree dropped their first full-length, Mass Teen Fainting, on us. That is wild.

Everyone today is talking about how Broken Social Seen and The New Pornographers are an amazing sound as if it's brand new. Not that there's anything wrong praising either band, they're both great, no doubt.

But, ten years ago Carla Gillis, Amanda Braden, and Lynette Gillis were making some of the best power pop music you will ever hear. Lynette was the most creative drummer around and Carla and Amanda's guitars and voices played over each other perfectly. This was when they were in their mid-teens even.

Anyways, long story told extremely short, they released two more full lengths (both with Catriona Sturton on bass) over the next few years: Predicts The Future (1997) and This Day Won't Last At All (2000). Then they disbanded. They never really did get the recognition they deserved.

I saw them at The Starfish Room at least once. I remember 1997 with Cathleen. I couldn't believe they were opening for The Weakerthans. Now I admit I've never given The Weakerthans a chance and it's because of that night. They weren't known at all and Plumtree had a decent following, but because the promoter was closer to the Manitoba band the Halifax band, Plumtree, had to open (so I heard from an inside source). In any case, it was the first and only time I've ever seen an opening band made to play an encore. Good stuff that night.

Nowadays Lynette and Carla play with Geoff Miller in a Vancouver-based band called Bontempi. I haven't listened to them yet but they play around town often.