Plummet Airlines
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Defunct | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Nottingham , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
Plummet Airlines was a Nottingham-based British pub rock group active from 1973 to 1977. Several members went on to join prominent bands such as The Pogues and Darts.
History
Initially formed by students from Nottingham School of Art to appear in the film One More Chance, the band began under the name "The Brothel Creepers." After some lineup shifts and a short period performing as "Glider," they adopted the name Plummet Airlines. The original lineup featured Harry Stephenson (vocals/guitar), Richard Booth (guitar/vocals), Darryl Hunt (bass), and Simon Bladon (drums). In 1974, Duncan Kerr joined, and Keith Gotheridge later replaced Bladon on drums.
They landed a residency at The Kensington in Olympia, London, and performed at significant venues including the Hope and Anchor, Islington. There, they met Malcolm Morley (formerly of Man and Help Yourself), who became their manager alongside Fred Grainger. Morley toured with them in the Netherlands in 1976 and recorded a solo album backed by the band; this work was posthumously released in 2002 under the title Lost and Found.
Plummet Airlines recorded two Peel Sessions in August 1976 and January 1977. Their discography includes singles such as "Silver Shirt" / "This is the World" on Stiff Records and "It's Hard" / "My Time in a While" on State Records. Despite disputes with Grainger over an album contract that led to legal proceedings, they supported acts like Van der Graaf Generator and Rockpile before disbanding in 1977 due to differing musical interests following punk’s rise.
After the split, Booth compiled their recordings into a double LP titled On Stoney Ground released in 1981. Former members created The Favourites, issuing singles through Fourplay Records and an LP of unreleased material in 2017. Gotheridge and Kerr joined Darts during the early 1980s, with Kerr also participating in projects such as Audio Murphy and collaborating with singer-songwriter Michael Proudfoot.
The band reunited for concerts in 2004. Richard Booth currently leads The Richard Booth Trio, which released Spill the Moon in 2014. Harry Stephenson remains active with The Last Pedestrians, performing regularly since 2004 at venues across Nottingham.
Personnel
- Simon Bladon – drums (1973–74)
- Richard Booth – guitar, vocals (entire tenure)
- Keith Gotheridge – drums (1974–77)
- Darryl Hunt – bass, vocals (entire tenure)
- Duncan Kerr – guitar, vocals (1974–77)
- Gasper Lawal – percussion (1976–77)
- Malcolm Morley – guitar, keyboards (1976)
- Harry Stephenson – guitar, vocals (entire tenure)
Subsequent careers
- Bladon – Worked alongside British blues artist Brian Knight, New Wave ensemble AerialFX, and folk group Pyewackett; taught drumming; performed with charity band 'Step on the Gas' until retiring in 2015 due to hearing problems.
- Booth – Collaborated with Brainiac 5, Farenji Warriors, Audio Murphy; established Richard Booth Band; currently fronts The Richard Booth Trio, which released Spill The Moon in 2014.
- Hunt – Became a member of The Pogues and collaborated with Steve Earle.
- Gotheridge – Joined Darts.
- Kerr – Also joined Darts and Audio Murphy; active with Brainiac 5 as of 2013.
- Lawal – Worked with notable musicians including Stephen Stills, Graham Bond, Babe Ruth, Vinegar Joe, Camel, and Wishbone Ash.
- Morley – Collaborated with Deke Leonard, Wreckless Eric, and Kirsty McColl; released solo albums Aliens (2001) and Lost and Found.
- Stephenson – Performed with Harry & The Atoms, Gaffa, Cycle Annie, The Last Pedestrians; regularly appeared at Heineken Music Festivals during the 1990s.
Discography
- "Silver Shirt" / "This is the World" – Single released by Stiff Records (BUY 8) in 1976
- The track "Silver Shirt" appears on the compilation The Big Stiff Box Set, a 4CD collection (SALVOBX402)
- "This is the World" is included on the Hits Greatest Stiffs LP (FIST 1)
- "It's Hard" / "My Time in a While" – Single issued by State Records in 1977
- On Stoney Ground – Double LP released through Armageddon Records in 1981
- Collaborating with Malcolm Morley
- Lost and Found – CD published by Hux in 2002
In popular culture
In the 2006 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, an airline takes its name from the band. The logo, modeled after the Australian carrier Qantas, features an aircraft flying downward accompanied by the tagline "The Last Resort".