Pleymo
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 in Paris, France |
| Founder | Mark Maggiori, Benoît Julliard, Fred Ceraudo, Mathias Borronquet |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Japan |
| Products | Albums, live performances |
Number of employees | 6 (members) |
| Website | www |
Pleymo is a nu metal ensemble from France, established in Paris in 1997 by Mark Maggiori, Benoît Julliard, Fred Ceraudo, and Mathias Borronquet. The band has achieved sales exceeding 100,000 records. Their name is said to originate from the lead vocalist's childhood hairstyle, which resembled Playmobil toys.
Formation, Keçkispasse? and signing (1997–2000)
Originally called "Pleymobill," the group shortened their name to Pleymo after incorporating turntablist DJ Frank Bailleul. Guitarist Mathias Borronquet departed and was succeeded by Erik De Villoutreys. The band caught the attention of producer Stéphane Kraemer and launched their first album, Keçkispasse?, on 15 June 1999 under Wet Music. By 2000, they secured a contract with Epic Records, a subsidiary of Sony.
Episode 2 : Medecine Cake era (2001–2002)
In 2002, Pleymo unveiled Episode 2: Medecine Cake, produced by Fabrice Leyni. This release moved over 50,000 units, solidifying the band’s status as a prominent French act. That same year, they appeared at Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival alongside renowned international groups such as The Offspring and No Doubt, broadening their reach into Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Japan. An English-language version named Doctor Tank's Medicine Cake was also issued.
November 2002 saw the release of a six-track live EP recorded during their performance at Les Eurockéennes festival in Belfort.
Rock period (2003–2004)
Their third studio album, Rock, represented a deliberate move towards more melodic and vocal-driven compositions, drawing inspiration from bands like Pink Floyd and The Smashing Pumpkins. This concept album narrates the story of a blind four-year-old child and his imaginary alter ego.
Rock achieved sales surpassing 50,000 copies in France and 18,000 in Japan. It received a nomination for "Best Pop/Rock Album of the Year" at the Victoires de la musique Awards. However, this new artistic direction alienated some of their original fanbase.
In September 2004, Pleymo teamed up with teen pop-rock band Kyo to release the single "On ne changera rien".
Alphabet Prison release and break (2005–2007)
On 9 October 2006, Pleymo introduced Alphabet Prison, an album showcasing their stylistic development with tracks ranging from slower songs like "Un parfum nommé 16 ans" to heavier numbers such as "Zéphyr" and "Blockout."
The band announced a hiatus in 2007. Frontman Mark pursued an acting career in Los Angeles; Franck focused on promoting his Kill brand in the U.S.; bassist Benoît joined Empyr alongside members from Watcha, Vegastar, and ex-Kyo vocalist; drummer Fred founded Hewitt; and guitarist Davy continued his work with Enhancer.
In 2008, "New Wave" from Medecine Cake was made available as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band.
Reunion phase (2017–present)
Pleymo declared their reunion on 29 March 2017 to commemorate their 20th anniversary with a Revival Tour. Their initial comeback concert took place on 9 March 2018 in France. On 23 February 2018, they released a limited vinyl edition capped at 500 copies that sold out within two days.
Influences
The band's musical style draws inspiration from groups such as Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Deftones, and Primus.
Current lineup
▪ Mark Maggiori (Kemar) – lead vocals (1997–2007, 2017–present), Blue ▪ Erik De Villoutreys (Riko) – guitar (1998–2007, 2017–present), Green ▪ Davy Portela (Vost) – guitar (1999–2007, 2017–present), Yellow ▪ Benoît Juillard (B1) – bass guitar (1997–2007, 2017–present), Red ▪ Fred Ceraudo (Burns) – drums (1997–2007, 2017–present), White ▪ Franck Bailleul (Kefran) – turntables and vocals (1998–2007, 2017–present), Black
The nicknames and associated colors originate from the Medecine Cake period.
Past members
- Mattias Borronquet – guitar (1997–1998)
- Matthieu Gibson – guitar (1998)
Timeline
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Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:Turntables value:lavender legend:Turntables id:Albums value:black legend:Studio_Album id:EP value:gray(0.75) legend:EP id:bars value:gray(0.93)
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at:06/15/1999 color:black layer:back at:01/10/2002 color:black layer:back at:10/13/2003 color:black layer:back at:10/09/2006 color:black layer:back at:07/01/1998 color:EP layer:back at:10/28/2002 color:EP layer:back
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bar:Mark text:"Mark Maggiori" bar:Mathias text:"Mathias Borronquet" bar:Erik text:"Erik de Villoutreys" bar:Matthieu text:"Matthieu Gibson" bar:Davy text:"Davy Portela" bar:Benoit text:"Benoit Julliard" bar:Fred text:"Fred Ceraudo" bar:Franck text:"Franck Baileul"
PlotData=
width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Mark from:01/01/1997 till:11/01/2007 color:Vocals bar:Mark from:03/27/2017 till:end color:Vocals bar:Mathias from:01/01/1997 till:10/01/1998 color:Guitar bar:Erik from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/2007 color:Guitar bar:Erik from:03/27/2017 till:end color:Guitar bar:Matthieu from:10/01/1998 till:12/01/1998 color:Guitar bar:Davy from:01/01/1999 till:11/01/2007 color:Guitar bar:Davy from:03/27/2017 till:end color:Guitar bar:Benoit from:01/01/1997 till:11/01/2007 color:Bass bar:Benoit from:03/27/2017 till:end color:Bass bar:Fred from:01/01/1997 till:11/01/2007 color:Drums bar:Fred from:03/27/2017 till:end color:Drums bar:Franck from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/2007 color:T urntables bar:Franck from:03/27/2017 till:end color:T urntables bar:Franck from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/2007 color:vocals width:3 bar:[Franck] from:[03]/[27]/[2017] till:end color:vocals width:[3]
</timeline>
Discography
- Keçkispasse? (1999)
- Episode 2: Medecine Cake (2002)
- Rock (2003)
- Alphabet Prison (2006)
Videography
- Ce Soir C'est Grand Soir (2005, Live Performance, Double DVD)
Music Videos
- Blöhm (2000)
- New Wave (2001)
- United Nowhere (2002)
- Divine Excuse (2003)
- Rock (2003)
- On Ne Changera Rien (2004)
- Moddadiction (2004)
- Adrenaline (2006)
- L'instinct et l'envie (2006)