Interview with Drummer, Pete Wilhoit of the Band Fiction Plane

Fiction Plane is made up of Front-man, Joe Sumner, Seton Daunt on guitar and Pete Wilhoit on drums. Fiction Plane was the opening band for the entire Police Reunion Tour 07. The trio's most recent album is called: Left Side of the Brain and was released on May 22, 2007 on Bicler Bros Records. The first single off the album was "Two Sisters" and was played on select stations. Going back to their first major label release, Everything Will Be OK, with MCA Records back in 2002 to playing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live, Fiction Plane goes full, steam ahead!

1) What happened to former members Dan Brown and Abe Laboriel Jr., why did they decide to leave the group?

WELL, DAN WAS THE ONLY BAND MEMBER, ABE WAS A SESSION PLAYER WHO JUST DID THE RECORD. IT WAS BITTER-SWEET TO SEE DAN GO. WE ALL THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT MOVE FOR HIM AND IN THE END THE BAND HAS GROWN FROM HIS LEAVING. HE IS A HUGELY TALENTED MUSICIAN AND WE REALLY COULDN'T REPLACE A GUY LIKE HIM, SO WE DIDN'T! IT FORCED THE BAND TO TRY OUT THE TRIO THING, AND IT WAS THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO US IN A LONG TIME!

2) How did you initially meet and join the band?

MY FORMER TEACHER SHAWN PELTON WORKED WITH DAVID KAHNE AND HEARD THAT THE BAND WAS AUDITIONING DRUMMERS IN NYC. HE KNEW THAT I WAS MOVING THERE AND THOUGHT I WOULD BE PERFECT FOR THE GROUP. I GUESS HE WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY!

3) How did it feel to be the opening band for the complete Police Reunion Tour?

IT'S BEEN AMAZING. GREAT VENUES, GREAT CROWDS AND REAL EXCITEMENT SURROUDING EVERY SHOW. WE HAVE REALLY ENJOYED PLAYING OUR MUSIC EVERY NIGHT FOR THOUSANDS. A DREAM GIG FOR US.

4) What was it like performing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live?

IT WAS QUITE EXCITING, AND A VERY COOL EXPERIENCE IN OUR MUSICAL CAREERS. TV IS SOMETHING WE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE USED TO DOING. IT'S USUALLY A LOT OF "HURRY UP AND WAIT", THEN YOU PLAY ONE SONG AND IT'S OVER. IT'S THE ONLY TIME WE GET A LITTLE NERVOUS TO PLAY, I THINK IT'S EASY TO START OVER-THINKING EVERY LITTLE NOTE. YOU GET ONE SHOT TO PLAY TO MILLIONS AND YOU DON'T WANT TO FUCK IT UP!

5) Has your music, as a band, changed dramatically since your first major release in 2002?

WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WRITING SINCE THAT TIME. WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TOURING AS WELL SO THE ANSWER IS YES. LIKE MANY BANDS YOU START TO EVOLVE AS PEOPLE AND MUSICIANS. I THINK WE ALL LEAN MORE TOWARDS A LIVE SOUND RATHER THAN A SUPER PRODUCED STUDIO SOUND. THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS LETTING GO THE IDEA OF TRYING TO PIGEON HOLE YOURSELF AND JUST PLAY WHAT YOU LOVE.

6) Going off my last question, Do you see your music evolving in any way or changing directions perhaps?

YES INDEED. THE BAND HAS A BIGGER, ROCKIER SOUND NOW. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SMALLER IN NUMBERS THERE IS MORE PHYSICAL SPACE SONICALLY. WE HAVE UNLEASHED THE ROCK INSIDE THE
"POP-ROCK" THAT WE USED TO BE. THE POP SONGS ARE STILL IN THERE, BUT WE ARE GROWING INTO SOMETHING BIGGER. WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE DISCOVERED WHO WE ARE IN THE LAST YEAR AND IT'S LET US BECOME MORE FREE WITH WHAT WE PLAY AND WRITE. WE AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT RECORD SALES OR WANTING TO BE ON A MAJOR LABEL. IT'S ALL ABOUT PLAYING LIVE AND LOVING WHAT WE'RE PLAYING.

7) I saw the former name of Fiction Plane was Santa's Boyfriend, had to ask how that name came about and what made you change it to Fiction Plane?

IT WAS THE NAME OF A FAMOUS RACE HORSE AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT NAME FOR A BAND. TO THIS DAY, NO ONE FORGETS THAT NAME....FICTION PLANE ON THE OTHER HAND.....

8) What type of music style would you say Fiction Plane offers if you had to categorize your music?

(FREE) ROCK & (GROOVE) ROLL, WITH BALLS. THERE, HOW'S THAT?

9) What has been the most exciting moment of your career thus far and also during the current tour?

IT WAS AT THE MILK WEG CLUB IN AMSTERDAM. WE HAD NEVER PLAYED THERE BEFORE AND IT WAS OUR FIRST CLUB SHOW. A RADIO STATION HAD PICKED UP ON "TWO SISTERS" AND MADE IT SINGLE OF THE WEEK. WE HAD OVER 1200 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND PACKED THE PLACE. THEY ALL KNEW THE TUNES AND IT WAS THE MOST ENJOYABLE SHOW OF OUR LIVES By FAR!

10) What is next for Fiction Plane, any new albums, DVD's or tours on the way?

HOPEFULLY ALL OF THE ABOVE. WE WILL BE TOURING THIS ALBUM UNTIL WE FEEL LIKE IT'S ENOUGH, THEN TAKE SOMETIME TO THINK ABOUT THE NEXT ALBUM. THE BAND HAS GROWN A LOT AS A TRIO ON THIS TOUR. I THINK WE ARE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS BAND!

Thanks again, appreciate your time! Best of luck to you all on your future endeavors.