Pilot Biography & Awards

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Artist Info

Formed

1973 Edinburgh, Scotland

Disbanded

1980

Members

David Paton, Billy Lyall, Peter Oxendale, Ian Bairnson, Stuart Tosh, William Lyall, Steve Swindells

Biography

'70s soft-rockers Pilot originally formed in 1973 with its bandmembers (David Paton on bass and vocals; Billy Lyall on synthesizer, flute, and vocals; and Stuart Tosh on drums) all hailing from Scotland. The group added a few additional members along the way (including two chaps who were former members of teeny boppers the Bay City Rollers, plus session guitarist Ian Bairnson), before issuing their self-titled debut in 1974. The album spawned a Top 20 hit with "Magic," but it was their 1975 single "January" (off their sophomore effort Second Flight) that proved to be the biggest success of the group's entire career, rocketing to the number one spot. Further albums followed (1976's Morin Heights and 1977's Two's a Crowd) as well as a few more moderate-sized hit singles ("Call Me Round," "Just a Smile") before Pilot folded. Tosh soon resurfaced as part of 10cc, as both Paton and Bairnson concentrated on studio work, playing on Kate Bush's 1978 debut, The Kick Inside, as well as recordings for Alan Parsons and Chris de Burgh. Lyall issued a solo album in 1976, Solo Casting (which featured his fellow Pilot bandmates), and later joined the group Dollar, before passing away in December of 1989 from an AIDS-related illness. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide