Photo Credit: Nick Batemen
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Carl - Guitar
Jack - Bass
Courtney - Vocals
Guy - Drums/percussion
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Ko_Plune? How long have these band been around?
Guy - My first band was called ‘Bonnie and The Madmen’. We were a four piece put together for a production of Romeo and Juliet at The Berry Theatre in 2012. In the show, we provided musical accompaniment and, after the show’s run ended, we went on to write about five songs and play a couple of gigs. After that, I joined ‘Maverick’ in 2013 with some friends of mine from college. We played mainly funk rock music and had a few covers. We released an EP entitled ‘The Adventures of Bad Boy Nick’ before half our members left for uni in September of 2015 and the band was no more.
Courtney: I played in various school and college bands but Ko_Plune was my first band out of education. I’ve always been involved with singing through, plays and productions, music cases and events.
Carl: I was n’t part of any band to begin with. I mainly worked on writing and composing lots of other ideas before I played in any kind of band. I’ve played with lots of different musicians but never seemed to get anything of the ground though, that all changed when I attended Bournemouth University since there was a lot of musicians around.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Jack - We just wanted something that doesn’t really mean anything, but is still memorable. The underscore helps it be pronounced correctly, instead of something like ‘coplune’. Haven’t changed the name at all.
Carl: The same with what Jack said really, my favourite kind of band names are the ones that don’t predetermine a bands sound or style of music that they might play. There also was n’t any other bands called Ko_Plune so it definitely gives something that helps us stand out.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Jack - Carl is the main composer. He would write anything from an awesome guitar riff, to a virtually complete song, bring it to practice and then we’ll piece it together or add the finishing touches at practice. Courtney will later add lyrics.
Guy - Carl writes out guitar parts, which is where the song originates. I write all the drum and percussion parts, Courtney does the lyrics.
Carl- As the others said I mainly compose the general skeleton of a song and form a complete structure through playing the parts live which is where we’ll chop and change a lot of the parts. We are n’t really ever precious about parts. The main idea is to have songs structures and that work instead of having parts or ideas that are there just to fill a section.
Courtney - Once the song has a full structure we will get into a practice, the guys will play the song and ill start on lyrics, simple as that!
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Jack - The three main bands I listen to the most at the moment are Night Verses, Chon and Coldrain. These bands are great and are definitely my main influences in my playing. Each band is so diverse within in their own music and instrumentation, there’s a lot to allow to influence my playing.
Guy - My influences come from two fairly distinct genres: rock music and indie music. I like the way drums serve the music in bands such as Crystal Fighters, Circa Waves, Bombay Bicycle Club, Signals and The Drums, however, I also like the explosive nature of drumming featured in bands like Press to Meco, Paramore and Foo Fighters.
Carl- I always try to steer away from music that sounds similar to anything I am making or subconsciously trying to make and like to take influence from bands and musicians that are completely left field the usual way I approach songwriting. So at the moment I’ve been listening a lot to Now Now and Vulfpeck.
Courtney- Im in to a few different bands at the moment like Paloma Faith, Hiatus Kaiyote, Chon, Them Crooked Vultures. it like to vary my listening even though i listen to one album on repeat in till i know every song. Bit of a habit.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Carl: The main things that inspired me to learn or begin playing was the Final Fantasy 7 soundtrack and Joe Hisaishi’s music which is featured in a lot of Studio Ghibli’s films as well as The Fall Of Troy, Bloc Party and At The Drive-In.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Jack - I do my best to not be hungry, and try to at least eat something. I warm up by playing the songs through at different tempos, but if my bass isn’t handy, I will instinctively clench and unclench my hands, and rub them to get the blood flowing and the muscles relaxed.
Guy - I always make sure I’ve had a nice meal beforehand, including loads of water. I’ll then do a load of rudiments on a practice pad along with some stretches to warm up.
Carl-I will usually run through all of the songs just to make sure that I have everything set then chromatic scales and arpeggios in random places across the neck. I also make sure that I’ve had plenty of food, rest and water. Playing whilst you are dehydrated and hungry is never a good idea. I also carry a pocket radiator to keep my hands warm playing with cold hands is another thing I hate.
Courtney- I’m always wondering around just before gigs singing scales and melody lines to warm up. Along with that i try to keep really hydrated. I did learn a new trick from the singers in Massmaticks, they have big thick straws in 2 litre bottles of water and they hum into their straw and blow bubbles. Ive not tried it just yet but I’m keen to know if it works.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Jack - Playing with bands like Press to Meco at the talking heads, that was a very humbling experience to share a stage with a band that has made it, only a few months into our bandship.
Guy - Having an all-expenses paid trip to The Isle Of Wight to play at a venue called ‘The Blacksheep’. They treated us extremely well and I’d recommend anyone on the island to pay their pub a visit!
Carl-Playing with bands like Signals, Press To Meco and in different cities across the UK. We have n’t even been a band for year yet and we’ve played in different cities every other month with headline shows under our belt already. It’s something that I want to keep up.
Courtney- Playing our EP release at the 1865 last back in February was a real highlight for me, especially with all my friends and family there. After that id have to say our first gig at the Joiners. I’ve been going to the venue for years and it felt so good to get up on that stage!!
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Jack - It would have to be Night Verses, Chon and Coldrain. As well as being my influences, they are what I enjoy listening to the most, and can’t stop listening to them either. Although I’ve already seen Night Verse and Coldrain, I wouldn’t hesitate to see them again.
Guy - Probably Miles Kane. I saw him live supporting Arctic Monkeys and his stage presence and front manning was incredible. It’d be great to tour with someone as talented as him. Also, our friends in Signals and Lost Focus would be cool touring buddies since they are both very very very good at making music.
Carl: At the moment it would be Signals, Orchards, Lost Focus and Exploder Than You. Just because they are all extremely fun to watch live and there’s nothing more fun than playing shows with your friends. Other than that it would have to be Now Now.
Courtney- Bands that are around at the moment, i’d love to tour with Exploder Than You, Misfiction and thinking big, Band of Skull!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Check out our EP on bandcamp: https://koplune.bandcamp.com/album/auditory-atlas
Like our page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ko.PluneOfficial
THANKS