Simple Plan

For the 1993 novel and 1998 film, see A Simple Plan

Simple Plan
Origin	Montreal, Canada
Years active	1999–present
Members	Jeff Stinco – Lead guitar Chuck Comeau – Drums Pierre Bouvier – Lead vocals, Occasional guitar Sébastien Lefebvre – Rhythm guitar David Desrosiers – Bass
Website	Official website

Simple Plan is a band that formed in 1999 in Montreal, Canada—all five members were born in and grew up in the province of Quebec. The band has released two original albums: No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls (2002) and Still Not Getting Any (2004); as well as two live CDs: Live in Japan (2002) and MTV Hard Rock Live (2005).

History

Simple Plan came about in stages that began with the founding of the band Reset in 1995, a Canadian punk pop band, by high-school friends Pierre Bouvier, Charles-André (Chuck) Comeau and Adrien White. Reset toured around Canada with bands such as MxPx, Ten Foot Pole, and Face to Face, but only managed to gain modest popularity. The debut album was released in 1997. Comeau soon left to go to college, but two years later he hooked up with Jean-François (Jeff) Stinco and Sébastien Lefebvre, and again started making music. It was coincidence that brought Comeau and Bouvier back together at a Sugar Ray concert in late 1999, and Bouvier soon left Reset and joined his old friends. David Desrosiers replaced Bouvier in Reset, but when asked to join the foursome, he too left the band and joined the four friends so he too could join the adventure of making shitty music.

The origin of the band's name is obscure. Band members have given various responses on this point, including a liking for the movie A Simple Plan; that the band was their simple plan to avoid getting a "real" job; and that the name was only intended to be temporary, but they never thought of anything better.

The band tours intensively, and in the period March 2005-March 2006, covered all six inhabited continents, plus Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Zealand. It has announced plans for a third original CD, to be released most likely in the fall of 2006.

Joel Madden of Good Charlotte can be heard singing backup on You Don't Mean Anything and Mark Hoppus of blink-182 can be heard singing backup on I'd Do Anything, both on No Pads, No Helmets . . . Just Balls. [1]

Members

• Pierre Bouvier (vocals)
• Chuck Comeau (drums)
• Jeff Stinco (guitar)
• Sebastien Lefebvre (guitar, backing vocals)
• David Desrosiers (bass, backing vocals)

Criticisms

Although Simple Plan maintains a devoted following and has produced two multiplatinum records with numerous hit singles, it has received its share of criticism.

Some members of the punk movement, as well as some fans of "true" new wave, are especially hostile towards the band as they see them as co-opting their culture. Moreover, the juvenile subject matter of some of their work prompts further accusations due to the fact that its members are in their mid-twenties. Some identify Simple Plan as evidence of the shameless corporatization of music in the relentless efforts of record companies to exploit every possible commercial demographic.

Nevertheless, the members of Simple Plan have stated quite clearly that they enjoy the backlash of critics, as they believe in the old adage, "all publicity is good publicity," and they will never stop doing what they love. [2]

Role Model Clothing

Role Model Clothing, the label that Bouvier and Comeau are often seen sporting, was actually formed before Simple Plan by Comeau, Bouvier, and their friend Patrick Langlois, who is now responsible for merchandising and distribution via the web, as well as being videographer for the band. Langlois and Lefebvre also had their own side project, a label called Man of the Hour, which is inactive.

Patrick's appearances

Patrick (Pat) Langlois (a.k.a. Patrick Cunningham), the band's webmaster, videographer, merch guy, and best friend, has appeared in every Simple Plan video to date except that for "Crazy." His appearances are often painful: He was kicked in the crotch in "I'd Do Anything", had a bowling ball dropped on him and his apartment destroyed in "Addicted", and was knocked down by the band in "Don't Wanna Think About You." He is also seen giving a thumbs up in "Perfect", as a valet in "Shut Up", in the crowd in the gym in "I'm Just a Kid", getting out of a car in "Welcome To My Life", and as an emergency services worker in "Untitled (How Could This Happen To Me?)" - (In the video for "Untitled" David, Chuck, Seb & Jeff also play emergency service workers, and only Pierre appears to be in the video unless you are familiar with the band members' faces.) Also in "Untitled", at the end, when the driver is photographed for a mug shot, the sign he is holding says "P. Cunningham".

Discography

Studio albums

• No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002) #35 US [2x Platinum], #29 AUS, #8 CAN [4x Platinum], #1 JP (2x Platinum)
• Still Not Getting Any... (2004) #3 US [Platinum], #6 AUS [2x Platinum], #1 CAN [3x Platinum], #6 JP [Platinum], France #12
• 3rd Studio Album (title not yet known) (most likely 2006 or 2007)

Live albums

• Live in Japan 2002 (Japanese Import) (2002)
• Live in Anaheim February 21, 2004 (2004) (never sold, offered as promotion)
• MTV: Hard Rock Live (CD/DVD) (2005)

Singles

From No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls.

• "I'm Just a Kid" (2001)
• "I'd Do Anything" (2002) #51 US
• "Addicted" (2003) #45 US, #63 UK, #10 AUS (2004 release)
• "Perfect" (2004) #24 US, #6 AUS (2004 release)

From Still Not Getting Any...

• "Welcome To My Life" (2004) #40 US,#7 AUS,#1 CAN, #1 SP, #12 France
• "Shut Up!" (2004) #99 US ,#14 AUS,#12 CAN, #14 SP
• " Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me)" (2005) #49 US,#9 AUS,#3 CAN, #2 SP
• "Crazy" (2005) #32 AUS,#4 CAN
• "Perfect World" (2006) (iTunes Single, but not released as a CD single)

Soundtracks

• Maybe It's Me — "I'd Do Anything" (2002)
• Scooby-Doo — "Grow Up" (2002)
• What's New Scooby-Doo? — Scooby-Doo theme song (2002)
• Clockstoppers — "The Worst Day Ever" (2002)
• Cheaper by the Dozen — "I'm Just a Kid" (2003)
• The Hot Chick — "I'd Do Anything" (2002)
• Grind — "I'm Just a Kid" (2003)
• Daddy Day Care — "Surrender" (2003)
• The Real Cancun — "Grow Up" (2003)
• The New Guy — "I'm Just a Kid" (acoustic version) (2004)
• Freaky Friday — "Happy Together" (2003)
• Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed — "Don't Wanna Think About You" (2004)
• New York Minute — "Vacation" (2004)
• Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen — "Perfect" (acoustic version) (2004)
• Fantastic Four — "Surrender" (2005)
• Bad News Bears — "Promise" (2005)

Other releases

• A Big Package for You (DVD) (2003)
• MTV Hard Rock Live (DVD) (2005)

Trivia

• Simple Plan has had their videos "Addicted" and "Untitled" retired on TRL.
• Simple Plan have contributed 3 notable songs to the recent Scooby Doo revival - Grow Up is featured on the soundtrack to the first film, Don't Wanna Think About You was written exclusively for the second film, and they perform the theme song to What's New, Scooby-Doo?. They also appeared in an episode of the show, entitled Simple Plan And The Invisible Mad Man
• Simple Plan's song "The Worst Day Ever" can be vaguely heard in an episode of the television show King of the Hill.
• "Me Against The World" was also briefly heard in an episode of the television show "Desperate Housewives" and also in an episode of "Charmed".
• Simple Plan's "Grow Up" was the original choice for the theme song for popular show The Suite Life Of Zack and Cody.
• The Motley Crue song If I Die Tomorrow was originally written by Simple Plan for Still Not Getting Any... but it was never put on the album, most likely because the subject matter was too close to that of the song, "Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me)". Producer of the new Motley Crue album, Bob Rock, passed the song onto them with SP's permission - Rock produced Still Not Getting Any..

• Won Favorite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA). Simple Plan has won this award for a record breaking three years in a row beating Sum 41.
• Pierre Bouvier got hit in the face by a bottle at a show in Stratford, Ontario, Canada on September 9, 2005 and had to be taken to the hospital. Police later reported the bottle was thrown by a girl who got caught up in the moment. No charges were filed.
• Drummer Chuck Comeau once dated WWE Diva Ashley Massaro.
• Simple Plan also make an appearence on the 2004 movie, New York Minute, staring The Olsen Twins.

See also

• List of bands from Canada

External links

• Official website
• Simple Plan's MySpace
• Interview with Sebastien Lefebvre
• Simple Plan at the Internet Movie Database
• Simple Plan live Performance

Related video

• VIDEO Interview with the guys from Simple Plan
• Pierre Bouvier chats with George Stroumboulopoulos, CBC News: The Hour, December 8, 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2005.