If you’re seeking a feel-good, behind-the-scenes documentary about some Canadian rockers who found continued success despite everything initially stacked against them, set aside some time to watch Simple Plan: The Kids in the Crowd.
Simple Plan didn’t just succeed in a difficult music industry. They gave people a place to belong, started a foundation, and in truth, did more in the time since I last listened to them on their sophomore album than most bands do in a career.
I filled in the gaps in my Simple Plan knowledge by watching this documentary, and it’s worth your time. There is so much more to Simple Plan than its radio hits. While some people look at the bands of the 70s and 80s and their drugs, booze, and rehab, Simple Plan’s documentary talks about group dynamics, anxiety, growing up. Things we can all relate to.
Turns out life never stops being a nightmare.
In the years since I stopped following or listening to new music from the band, they’ve grown up and embraced themselves in a way that somehow feels less than normal. But that just means it should be celebrated. They’ve found their home, and I’ve got some “new-to-me” music to listen to.
So what did I learn?
First, I learned about the drama before Simple Plan. There are always bands before the bands we know. First bands or high school bands rarely last to make a hit single or sign a music contract. To learn that Simple Plan had a past band in Reset where Pierre Bouvier (lead singer) kicked Chuck Comeau (drummer) out of the band is almost unique in its disposition, because, as you’ll learn, Chuck still envisioned Pierre as his front man from his seat on the drum stool once Simple Plan began.
This is wholly unique to Simple Plan compared to other bands. For them to still be successful, perhaps in spite of the past, is unbelievable.
Second, the trauma of not living up to the continual growth mentality that comes from following up a debut album with one even more successful both looks and feels from the outside that it would lead to the band developing scars. But this doc doesn’t shy away from those scars.
Pierre actively talks about dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, which makes them relatable and honest in a way more artists should feel comfortable being. It is their insistence or persistence in carving out their own unique place in the world that most of their fans – past, present, and future – can and still relate to.
“I’m Just a Kid” isn’t just a song, nor is “Perfect,” “Astronaut,” or “This Song Saved My Life.” These are anthems for the individual, themselves, and the kids in the crowd, but perhaps especially, the kids at home.
Third, they had a revival thanks to TikTok. While I’m not really a fan of the platform, I understand that it can and will occasionally do some good.
Lastly, especially because of This Song Saved My Life, Simple Plan launched Simple Plan Foundation, aimed at helping young people in need. For a band whose original fans could now very well have teenagers of their own, this is such a wonderful idea. I’m not just impressed, I’m genuinely excited to know they saw a problem and are trying to make a difference with more than just their art. They put their money where their heart is, and that’s superhero stuff right there.
So, if you’ve not heard anything since 2005, if you only know them from TikTok, or if you didn’t know them at all, get to know The Kids in the Crowd.