- published: 24 Nov 2009
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Joel Plaskett (born April 18, 1975) is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He first rose to prominence as a member of Halifax alternative rock band Thrush Hermit in the 1990s, transforming himself through the first decade of the 21st century from an admired regional musician to a "nationally adored" icon. Plaskett is comfortable playing in an eclectic array of genres, from blues and folk to hard rock, country, and pop.
Plaskett is based in Dartmouth, and his songwriting frequently contains allusions to his home city. With his band The Emergency, he has toured throughout North America and Europe with such performers as The Tragically Hip, Sloan and Kathleen Edwards.
Plaskett spent his formative years in Lunenburg, a fishing village on the province's South Shore. His father, Bill Plaskett, is also a musician. Bill was a cofounder of the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival. Joel learned to play guitar and write songs while listening to an eclectic range of music, from singer/songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Neil Young to edgy rockers like the Sex Pistols and the Pixies. Plaskett's family moved to Halifax when he was 12; by the next year, he had formed his first band with friends Rob Benvie and Ian McGettigan. Initially they called themselves Nabisco Fonzie. It took a while for the group to settle on a name and a configuration but by 1992, they were a foursome called Thrush Hermit, with Michael Catano on drums.
Late October, in a rut
Leaves came down when the wind picked up
Seems to happen every fall
The wind picks up and takes 'em all
On the 29th, I set the time
Back an hour, drank some wine
Stayed up late, woke up early
With my head so full of worry
Ooh, you stay away from me
I've seen what you can do
I play for money but I sing for free
My New Scotland Blues
True regrets, I've had a few
But I know I've had my way too
In my back pocket, walkin' round
True regrets, they can be found
My true regrets, they travel town
Always walking on a wire
Now I'm worn out, now I'm tired
I'm tired of the push, tired of the shove
I'm tired of the fight and tired of the love
If I sound cold put on some gloves
Are you ready, are you not?
You can't hide the things you thought
Trying so hard not to blink
I think I've had too much to drink
Now I can't hide the things I think
Ooh, you get away from me
You don't have a clue
Ain't nobody gonna change the key
Of my New Scotland Blues
In the basement singing songs
Hear the furnace turning on
Press record and then rewind
Listen back to another time
Remind myself what was on my mind
It sounds like I had too much wine