View source for The Plimsouls

{{Short description|American rock band}}
{{For|the British training shoe|Plimsoll shoe}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = The Plimsouls
| image             = Plimsouls_circa_1980s.jpg
| caption           = The Plimsouls in the 1980s
| background        = group_or_band
| alias             = 
| origin            = [[Paramount, California]]
| genre             = [[Power pop]], [[alternative rock]], [[Paisley Underground]], [[post-punk]]
| years_active      = 1978–1983, 1995–1998, 2005, 2007
| label             = [[Beat Records|Beat]], [[Planet Records|Planet]], [[Geffen Records|Geffen]], [[Alive Naturalsound Records|Alive Naturalsound]], New Rose, Varese
| associated_acts   = [[The Nerves]], the Breakaways
| website           = https://www.facebook.com/theplimsouls.now
| current_members   = 
| past_members      = [[Peter Case]]<br>Dave Pahoa<br>Louie Ramírez<br>Eddie Muñoz<br>
}}
[[File:Dave Pahoa plimsouls bass player.jpg|thumb|Dave Pahoa]]
[[File:Lou Ramirez drummer.jpg|thumb|Drummer Lou Ramirez]]
'''The Plimsouls''' were an American rock band known for their hit 1982 single "A Million Miles Away", which was featured in the 1983 movie ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]''.

==History==
The band was formed in [[Paramount, California]], in 1978. They recorded two full-length albums and an EP and then split up in 1984. Different configurations of the original members have reunited intermittently since.

Formed by singer, songwriter and guitarist [[Peter Case]] (who had previously fronted the [[power pop]] band [[the Nerves]]), the Plimsouls began as a trio in 1978, initially named the Tone Dogs, which included Case, bassist Dave Pahoa, and drummer Lou Ramírez.<ref name="Strong">Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, p. 457</ref> From inception, the band quickly became a crowd favorite in the Los Angeles club scene. Long Beach promoter Stephen Zepeda signed the group to his [[Beat Records]] label for a five-song [[Extended play|EP]] called ''Zero Hour'' which was released in 1980.<ref name="Strong" /> Guitarist Eddie Muñoz joined the group during the recording of the EP, but did not play on it.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}} The band's name came from a tweaking of "[[Plimsoll (shoe)|plimsoll]]", a type of shoe popular in the UK and favoured by [[the Beatles]].

[[Danny Holloway]] produced the ''Zero Hour'' EP and managed the group. The song "Zero Hour" received heavy airplay on [[KROQ-FM]], and the Plimsouls grew to be one of the top club draws in the city. Case received critical praise for his songwriting. In 1980, [[Planet Records]] signed the group and in February 1981 released their self-titled [[The Plimsouls (album)|debut album]] which Holloway also produced.<ref name="Strong" /> The single "Now" received strong local airplay in Los Angeles and was also covered by [[Phil Seymour]], appearing on the 2011 CD edition of his second album. Seymour also appeared live with the Plimsouls during the late 1970s, both as a guest vocalist and as an artist on the same bill.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

===Second album/''Valley Girl''===
The band received some national attention in 1982 when the single "A Million Miles Away" was released on their own Shaky City record label, distributed by [[Bomp! Records]]. The song reached No. 11 on the ''Billboard'' [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Top Tracks]] chart and was featured in the 1983 film ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]''.<ref name="Strong" /> The band appeared in the film performing the song and parts of two others. The song was also included on the band's second album, ''Everywhere at Once'', released May 18, 1983, by [[Geffen Records]]. "A Million Miles Away" was re-released as a single in 1983 and peaked at No. 82 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart. The band broke up in 1984.<ref name="Larkin80">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2003|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-969-9|page=383}}</ref> Several years later, in 1990, a then up-and-coming band named the [[Goo Goo Dolls]] covered "A Million Miles Away" on their ''[[Hold Me Up]]'' album. A re-recorded version of the song is also included on the soundtrack album to the 1994 film ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speed: Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture (Soundtrack)|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000005LC1|website=Amazon.com|year=1994|accessdate=May 4, 2011}}</ref>

===Reunion===
Case has continued with a solo career since the band's mid-1980s breakup. In 1996, the Plimsouls, without Ramirez, reunited for a few shows and some recording sessions, resulting in a little-heard reunion album called ''Kool Trash''.<ref name="Larkin80" /> This album featured drumming by new band member [[Clem Burke]], who was also simultaneously a member of [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]].

The Plimsouls have continued to reunite occasionally since that time, with Burke being replaced by Bryan Head.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 2016 Muñoz registered a trademark for the band's name, and began touring as the Plimsouls, without the involvement of Case, Pahoa, or Ramirez.<ref name="THE PLIMSOULS - Trademark Details">{{cite web |title=THE PLIMSOULS - Trademark Details |url=https://trademarks.justia.com/866/99/the-86699667.html |website=Justia Trademarks |access-date=4 April 2021}}</ref> The Plimsouls brought legal action, which was decided in their favor; the name is owned by the Plimsouls, and "further use by Muñoz of the name would only cause confusion".<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Plimsouls v. Edward David Munoz Cancellation No. 92076883 |url=https://business.cch.com/ipld/ThePlimsoulsMunozTTAB20240508.pdf |website=Trademark Trial and Appeal Board}}</ref>

Original Plimsouls bassist David Pahoa died in September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peter Case |url=https://www.facebook.com/petercasepage/posts/david-pahoa-rip/715078037104210/ |website=Facebook}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
*''[[The Plimsouls (album)|The Plimsouls]]'' (1981), Planet Records – U.S. No.&nbsp;153<ref name=amg>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p26845/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Billboard], [[AllMusic]]</ref>
*''[[Everywhere at Once (The Plimsouls album)|Everywhere at Once]]'' (1983), Geffen Records – U.S. No.&nbsp;186<ref name=amg />
*''Kool Trash'' (1998), Fuel 2000/Shaky City Records

===Live albums===
*''One Night in America'' (1988)
*''Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal, Oct. 1981'' (2010)
*''Beach Town Confidential (live 1983)'' (2012)

===Singles and EPs===
*''Zero Hour'' (1980), Beat Records
*"Now" / "When You Find Out" (1981), Planet
*"A Million Miles Away" / "I'll Get Lucky" (1982), Shaky City
*"A Million Miles Away" / "Play the Breaks" (1983), Geffen – [[Billboard Hot 100|US]] No. 82<ref name="Strong" />

===Compilation appearances===
*"He Put the Bomp in the Bomp" – ''Tribute to Greg Shaw'' CD (2007)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plimsouls, The}}
[[Category:American new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:American power pop groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1978]]
[[Category:American jangle pop groups]]
[[Category:Alive Naturalsound Records artists]]
[[Category:People from Paramount, California]]
[[Category:1978 establishments in California]]