The Missing Planes: News

It has been quite a while since our last update. I'm sure I was sweating profusely the last time I updated this thing. Now I sit here with a little space heater blasting as I try to conserve my gas usage! And very soon we will all be overwhelmed by the holidays and we will need a bit of a vacation to recover!

With that in mind, I’ve already started to think about my Best of 2005 List, and it's exciting to recognize that a couple of Buffalo bands will surely be on that list again. Things are good on the Buffalo music front, even though not too many outside the music 'scene' recognize it! At any rate, here is what is going on in the TMP camp these days...

Last night all three members of The Missing Planes attended the Buffalo premier of the independent film, "Waiting On Alphie". The movie, which was made in Ithaca and based in Buffalo, was pretty darn good. I liked the way they used the music as transitions from scene to scene, along with the black and white stills. Nothing captures a mood like a black & white photo! Kudos to Buffalo’s own Lance Zurek who turned in an excellent performance!

It was a pleasure to be involved in the project, and it was nice to finally meet Eric who first showed an interest in using our music. Good luck to Eric and everyone else as they wait to hear from the folks at Sundance, and other independent film festivals.

What else? Ah yes, the MOHAWK 15th ANNIVERSARY PARTY!!! This is going to be one helluva party! We were honored to be asked to play and be part of this celebration. The 'hawk is for the most part our home base, and it's a good place to call home. Pete, Bill, Mikel, and Marty back in the day have all been very good to us from day one. And the line up...good lord, this thing is gonna be out of control! The Irving Klaws, The Old Sweethearts, Mark Norris and the Backpeddlers, The Rabies, Amateur Thief, Wolf Tickets and Semi-Tough. What great company we will all be in!

Mohawk Anniversary Show
Sunday November 27
6:00 PM
FREE

One other show that we are excited to be involved in...There are a group of students at Buffalo State College putting together an Art Show and Concert to bring awareness and recognition to Revitalize Buffalo. Their efforts are aimed at showing what great things Buffalo has to offer, including art and music, in the hopes of keeping folks here after they graduate. Times are tough. The potential that Buffalo has to offer is enough for old folks like us who have been here a while. The younger generations may need a little more incentive to stay and struggle it out. We love Buffalo, I do anyway, so we are thrilled to take part.

Revitalize Buffalo Showcase
Friday December 2
Buffalo State College
(Campbell Student Union)
5:00 – 11:00 PM
FREE

And that my friends will do it for The Missing Planes for a while. Although we will be unveiling a couple of new tunes at these next 2 shows, we will be taking some time off to work on new material and gather some steam as we approach our 4^th anniversary as a band. Wow, has it been that long?!

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes from The Missing Planes!

First of all, BIG thanks go out to The Rosebuds for taking the time and effort to stop in Buffalo on their only night off of a tour with Teenage Fanclub. There are so many bands that will avoid driving through Buffalo, let along play a show. So we feel pretty lucky, and I'm sure anyone that saw them play felt lucky as well. Great band, and good, kind people!

Back in the Spring we approached a gentleman from Ithaca who was working on an Independent Film that was based in Buffalo. At that time they asked for permission to use our song "Pulling Away" in the movie and on the soundtrack. We agreed, and the contracts were signed.

Being slightly skeptical, and maybe a little jaded, we didn't know what would actually come out of it. For all we knew, the song would end up not being used. Having not seen the film, that could still be the case, but last week we got word that the Premier showing of Waiting On Alphie was taking place on Sunday August 14th, and we are in fact included on the soundtrack. The producers plan to submit the film for the Sundance Festival, so keep your fingers crossed!

With so much to look forward to in the new year, not the least of which is a new cd, it's time to reflect on what 2004 brought for The Missing Planes. There was much talk about 2004 being somewhat of a slow year for 'good' releases, but we managed to find enough to fill our Best of 2004 lists. Before we get to that, 2004 was good to The Missing Planes, and we would like to take the time to mention them.

* Starting and continuing the Early Bird Specials at Mohawk Place.
* Playing shows with our heroes and influences.
(50 Foot Wave, The Fontaine Toups, Butchies, Jason Anderson)
* Attempting our first acoustic shows at the lovely and departed Coffee &.
* Making new friends from near and far.
(The Wintersleepers, The Kitty Kill, Starberry, I Sing The Body Electric)
* Recording in NYC with Adam Lasus and James Baluyut.
* And last, but certainly not least, adding Tommy to the lineup.

1. Ill Lit - I Need You (Badman)
2. The Bigger Lovers - This Affair Never Happened... (Yep Roc)
3. Barrel Harbor - Songs Of Illness And Bad Luck (Advent Blues)
4. [+/-] - You Are Here (Teenbeat)
5. The Rogers Sisters - Three Fingers (Troubleman Unlimited)
6. Doug Gillard - Salamander (Pink Frost)
7. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch)
8. A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder (Matador)
9. Visqueen - Sunset On Dateland (Blue Disquise)
10. The Futureheads - The Futureheads (Sire)
11. Camper Van Beethoven - New Roman Times (Piche-A-Tent)
12. Richard Buckner - Dents And Shells (Merge)
13. Sleepykid - Monday Morning Smile (Get Hip)
14. 50 Foot Wave - 50 Foot Wave (Throwing Music)
15. Roger Bryan & The Old Sweethearts - In Regards To Your Affairs (Harvest Sum)

1. 50 Foot Wave - 50 Foot Wave
2. Barrel Harbor - Songs of Illness and Bad Luck
3. Butchies - Make Yr Life
4. Califone - Heron King Blues
5. Damien Jurado - Just In Time For Something
6. Hayden - Elk Lake Serenade
7. Hinkley - Frail and Poker Faced
8. Ill Lit - I Need You
9. Iron + Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
10. PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her
11. Plus/Minus - You Are Here
12. Richard Buckner - Dents and Shells
13. Roger Bryan & The Old Sweethearts - In Regards To Your Affairs
14. Sarah Harmer - All Of Our Names
15. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
16. Tanya Donelly - Whiskey Tango Ghosts
17. The Fontaine Toups - The Fontaine Toups
18. The Wintersleepers - The Wintersleepers
19. Victory At Sea - Memories Fade
20. Visqueen - Sunset On Dateland
21. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born

It's Official...The Missing Planes have added a third member! Good friend and local music hero, Tommy Stanford (of girlpope and Dai Atlas, as well as Georgia Tucker with us a few years ago) has signed on to add bass to the lineup. However, his talents are many, so we'll look to add other instrumentation to The Missing Planes' musical landscape! The first show as a three-piece, on November 27th at Mohawk Place, was very exciting and such a blast. Thanks to all those that joined us in welcoming Tommy to the lineup.

And more news...The first rough mixes of the NYC recording are in, and if it's possible, we're even more excited than we were when we arrived back home from the experience in August. James has done a phenominal job, and we are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with both him and Adam. Look for a CD release party sometime in the first half of 2005.

Look for our Highlights of 2004 (there were plenty!) and our very own Top Ten Lists very soon!

The recording in New York City was an amazing experience. Working with Adam and James was both rewarding and a whole lot of fun! It seems like such a long time ago now, but soon we will have some new sounds for you to hear. Hopefully then you will understand why we were so psyched when we returned home.

In the meantime, we have added a page on myspace.com. Visit us here and add us to your list!

On August 16th, we will be leaving our comfortable confines of Buffalo to record our next EP at Fireproof Recording Studios in NYC. We'll be recording the basic tracks with Adam Lasus, and then we will turn everything over to none other than James Balyut.

Of course you should know James from Versus and +/- (plus/minus). However, you may not be immediatley familiar with Adam Lasus. Since the early 90's Lasus has worked on such great records as Helium's "Dirt Of Luck" (Matador), and Madder Rose's "Bring It Down" (Atlantic). Since the birth of Fireproof, Adam has worked with PJ Harvey, J. Mascis, Amy Ray, Joan Jett, Clem Snide, Ween, and many others. He has also worked with Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Hole), Nick Brine (Oasis,Teenage Fanclub), Mitch Easter (REM, Pavement), Pat McCarthy (U2, Madonna, Counting Crows), and John Siket (Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum).

http://www.pandemic.com/fireproof/producer.cfm
http://www.versus-ny.co.uk/
http://www.plusmin.us/