Pilot (Scottish band)
{{Short description|Scottish rock group}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist |
| name = Pilot
| image = Pilot promotional image.jpeg
| caption = Promotional image of Pilot, c. 1970s
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| alias =
| origin = Edinburgh, Scotland
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Pop rock
- soft rock{{cite web|author=Greg Prato |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pilot-mn0000342691/biography |title=Pilot | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=10 August 2015}}
- glam rock{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/shiloh_noone_za/Glam_rock.htm|title=Glam Rock|access-date=30 March 2017 |publisher=Ooocities.org}}
}}
| years_active = 1973–1977, 2002, 2007–present
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| associated_acts = The Alan Parsons Project, Bay City Rollers
| website = {{URL|https://pilotmagicmusic.com/|PilotMagicMusic.com}}
| current_members = David Paton
| past_members = Billy Lyall
Stuart Tosh
Ian Bairnson
Steve Swindells
}}
Pilot are a Scottish rock group, formed in 1973 in Edinburgh by David Paton and Billy Lyall. They achieved considerable mainstream success during 1974–1975, primarily with the release of "Magic" which reached number one in Canada,{{cite web |title=RPM - Library and Archives Canada {{!}} RPM - Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/ |access-date=7 September 2024 |date=1 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801033457/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/ |archive-date=1 August 2016 }} five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, six in Ireland and eleven in the United Kingdom.Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002.{{cite web |title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know |url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=title&placement=Magic |website=irishcharts.ie |access-date=7 September 2024}} Follow up single "January" released in 1975 reached number one in Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as reaching eighty-seven in the United States.{{cite web |title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know |url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=title&placement=January |website=irishcharts.ie |access-date=7 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=Official Singles Chart on 26/1/1975 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19750126/7501/ |website=Official Charts |access-date=7 September 2024 |language=en |date=14 April 2020}} In the United Kingdom, "January" was awarded a Silver certification from the BPI.{{cite web |title=Pilot, "January", Single |url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/3472-2094-1 |website=BPI |access-date=7 September 2024 |language=en}}
Their debut studio album, From the Album of the Same Name was released in 1974, and reached number eighty-two on the United States Billboard 200 Albums Charts.{{cite web |title=Pilot {{!}} Awards {{!}} AllMusic |website=AllMusic |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pilot-mn0000342691/awards |access-date=7 September 2024 |date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923151112/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pilot-mn0000342691/awards |archive-date=23 September 2015 }}
Career
=Formation (1972–1974)=
Paton and Lyall had briefly been substitute members of the Bay City Rollers before that band's breakthrough. Joined by drummer Stuart Tosh, the band recorded several demos during 1972 and 1974 at Craighall Studios, Edinburgh, where Billy Lyall was the resident engineer.{{cite web |last=The Newsroom|title=The "magic" career of Pilot's David Paton |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/magic-career-pilots-david-paton-603394|access-date=4 October 2021 |website=Edinburgh Evening News}} They were signed to a management contract with Nick Heath and Tim Heath, sons of British bandleader Ted Heath, and John Cavanagh. In due course they signed to a worldwide recording deal with EMI Records. After the recording of their debut album, From the Album of the Same Name, guitarist Ian Bairnson (who had played on the album as a session musician) joined the band permanently.
=Breakthrough (1974–1978)=
The 1974 single "Magic" from their first album, produced by Alan Parsons and written by Lyall and Paton, was a No. 11 UK{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2001| title= British Hit Singles| edition= 14th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 0-85156-156-X| page= 45}} and No. 5 US success. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in August 1975.{{cite book| first= Joseph| last= Murrells| year= 1978| title= The Book of Golden Discs| edition= 2nd| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location= London| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/362 362]| isbn= 0-214-20512-6| url-access= registration| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/362}} The song "January" gave them their greatest success in the UK, securing the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart on 1 February 1975. It stayed at number one for three weeks. It also went to number one in Australia where it stayed up top for eight weeks; in the United States, it reached the lower end of the Hot 100. However, the group failed to make the top 30 again. The arranger of "January", Andrew Powell, went on to record Kate Bush, and both Paton and Bairnson played on her debut album, The Kick Inside, which included "Wuthering Heights".{{cite book| first= Jo| last= Rice| year= 1982| title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits| edition= 1st| publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd | location= Enfield, Middlesex| isbn= 0-85112-250-7| page= 166}} Paton and Bairnson also played on Kate Bush's second album Lionheart (1978).{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/lionheart-mw0000189265/credits |title=Lionheart - Kate Bush | Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=13 November 1978 |access-date=20 March 2017}}
The band's other singles chart successes were "Call Me Round" and "Just a Smile" (both 1975), which each hit the top 40 in the UK and nowhere else. By 1977, only Paton and Bairnson were left from the original foursome, and after switching labels to Arista they recorded Pilot's final album Two's a Crowd with keyboardist Steve Swindells (later of Hawklords).
=Decline (1976–1978)=
Lyall left Pilot and in 1976, as William Lyall, released a solo LP, Solo Casting, which included contributions from Paton and Bairnson, with Phil Collins drumming on all but two tracks. Lyall wrote all the songs, played keyboards and flute, and wrote all but two of the orchestral arrangements. Lyall died of AIDS-related causes in 1989. By 1978, all of Pilot's members had begun other projects, with Tosh, Paton and Bairnson becoming members of the Alan Parsons Project, and Tosh also working with 10cc.
=Recent works (1978–present)=
Paton and Bairnson reconvened in 2002 to re-record the original Pilot album Two's a Crowd, which was no longer available. The subsequent issue was entitled Blue Yonder. Arista BMG subsequently re-released the original on CD for the first time. As they approached the 40th anniversary of Pilot's debut album, Paton, Bairnson, and Tosh reunited as Pilot. They released A Pilot Project in August 2014 as an homage to The Alan Parsons Project mastermind Eric Woolfson. In 2019, David Paton released a follow-up to A Pilot Project, The Traveller - Another Pilot Project.{{cite web|url=http://www.anotherpilotproject.com|title=Official website of Another Pilot Project}} With a few exceptions, he recorded all the instruments himself.
In 2020, the label Cherry Red (Rough Trade) released a 4 CD box set containing all 4 albums of the band plus some rare recordings as bonus tracks. In July 2021, Pilot (Paton and Bairnson) released The Magic EP, which features 4 completely re-recorded older songs: "Magic", "January", "Just a Smile" and "Over the Moon". "Over the Moon" was completely rearranged for this purpose. A compilation of Pilot's greatest hits The Magic Collection was released on 21 March 2022.
Ian Bairnson died on 7 April 2023, aged 69. He had been diagnosed with dementia.{{Cite web |author1=Michael Astley-Brown |date=2023-04-08 |title=Ian Bairnson, guitarist for the Alan Parsons Project and Kate Bush, dies aged 69 |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/ian-bairnson-dies-aged-69 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Willix |first=Pierra |date=2023-04-08 |title=Kate Bush's guitarist Ian Bairnson dies aged 69 |url=https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/08/kate-bushs-guitarist-ian-bairnson-dies-aged-69-18579335/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=Metro |language=en}}
Band members
;Current members
- David Paton – lead vocals, bass, guitar (1973–1977, 2002, 2007–present)
;Past members
- Billy Lyall – keyboards, flute, vocals (1973–1976; died 1989)
- Stuart Tosh – drums, percussion, vocals (1973–1977, 2007–2015)
- Ian Bairnson – guitar (1974–1977, 2002, 2007–2016; died 2023)
- Steve Swindells – keyboards (1976–1977)
;Touring members
- Calais Brown – guitar, vocals (2007–2017)
- Kenny Hutchison – keyboards, vocals (2007–2017)
- Simon Marlin – guitar (2016–present)
- Irvin Duguid – keyboards, vocals (2017–present)
- Dave Stewart – drums, percussion, vocals (2016–present)
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="2"| Chart positions |
|---|
| width="40"|US {{cite web|title=Pilot - Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pilot-mn0000342691/awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=8 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923151112/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pilot-mn0000342691/awards|archive-date=September 23, 2015}} ! width="40"|UK |
| 1974
| align="left"| From the Album of the Same Name | 82 | — |
| 1975
| align="left"| Second Flight | — | 48 |
| 1976
| align="left"| Morin Heights | — | — |
| 1977
| align="left"| Two's a Crowd | — | — |
| 2002
| align="left"| Blue Yonder | — | — |
| 2014
| align="left"| A Pilot Project | — | — |
| 2019
| align="left"| The Traveller - Another Pilot Project | — | — |
| 2021
| align="left"| The Magic EP | — | — |
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
=Compilation albums=
- Best of Pilot (1980)
- A's B's & Rarities (2005)
- The Craighall Demos 71:76 (2007)
- Anthology (2007)
- The Magic Collection (2022)
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="9"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications |
|---|
| style="width:40px;"| AUS {{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, New South Wales |year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} ! style="width:40px;"| CAN RPM 100 ! style="width:40px;"| GE ! style="width:40px;"| IRE ! style="width:40px;"| NLD ! style="width:40px;"| SA ! style="width:40px;"| UK ! style="width:40px;"| US Hot 100 ! style="width:40px;"| US Cash Box |
| rowspan="3"| 1974
| "Ra-Ta-Ta" (as Scotch Mist) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| "Just a Smile"
| style="text-align:center;"| 49 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| "Magic"
| style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 39 | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | |
| rowspan="4"| 1975
| "January" | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 21 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 28 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 87 | style="text-align:center;"| 87 | |
| "Call Me Round"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 34 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| "Just a Smile" (new version)
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 31 | style="text-align:center;"| 90 | style="text-align:center;"| 75 | |
| "Lady Luck"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| rowspan="3"| 1976
| "Running Water" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| "Canada"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 23 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| "Penny in My Pocket"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| rowspan="2"| 1977
| "Get Up and Go" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| "Monday Tuesday"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | |
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
=Soundtracks=
- Happy Gilmore (included in the soundtrack) (1996)
- Herbie: Fully Loaded (included in the soundtrack) (2005)
- The Magic Roundabout (included in the soundtrack) (2005)
- Eve and the Firehorse ("Magic" included in the soundtrack) (2005)
- Doogal (included in the soundtrack) (2006)
- Ozempic ("Magic" melody used as a jingle in pharmaceutical TV commercial) (2018)
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://pilotmagicmusic.com/ Official website]
- [https://www.AllMusic.com/artist/pilot-mn0000342691/biography Pilot biography by Greg Prato, discography and album reviews, credits & releases] at AllMusic
- [https://www.discogs.com/artist/64481-Pilot Pilot discography, album releases & credits] at Discogs
- [https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PwcexHTG0qJWQQwp05Bpm Pilot albums to be listened] as stream on Spotify
{{Pilot}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pilot}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1973
Category:Scottish pop music groups
Category:Scottish rock music groups
Category:Scottish glam rock groups
Category:Scottish soft rock music groups