Pilot Light: Rising up to the challenge, never fading

By: Craig Bidiman

Posted: 5/30/08

It all started fall term 2007. Michael Bode came to OSU with a distinct vision - to, as he says, find musicians with similar tastes as him and start a band.

Bode, a freshman tenor saxophone player in civil engineering, along with Aaron Broussard and Adam Kremer, put up fliers around campus asking anyone interested in playing in a ska band to come audition for a spot in the band.

Broussard, a sophomore guitarist in mechanical engineering, would also double as the vocalist. While Kremer, a freshman in electrical and computer engineering, would fill the role of the trombone player.

The three were once in a band called Terminal Viskacity in which they played a number of shows. The guys even admitted to keeping a number of the songs from the old band but have said they sound much better now; but TV was the past, and they saw a future.

All fans of ska, the three sought out to create a band that would rock and create tunes for people to enjoy and groove to. But to do this, the auditions needed to take place. There, they encountered a surprising number of applicants willing to fill the spots necessary to finish the band's lineup. Bass tryouts brought a few candidates, but none shined brighter than Jason Lusk.

"It wasn't really fair to the other bassists because Jason was by far the most amazing," said Bode.

Lusk, a junior in chemistry, had dabbled a bit in music in the past but really took the cake when his audition showed the knowledge it takes to improvise.

"He told us he was short on time," Broussard said. "And that he learned the songs like two days before the tryout."

Needless to say, they were impressed.

A drummer was added in freshman Max Wendel.

Wendel, a biology major, was a quick addition to the group, but a trumpet player was still necessary.

November brought the creation of the Oregon State Musicians Guild and in the first meeting trumpet player Brian Fitzsimmons, a senior, was introduced to the group by Badfish Band frontman Johnny D. Fitzsimmons, a former trumpet player for D's Badfish Band, knew what it took to create a formidable ska band.

"I was a little reluctant," Fitzsimmons said. "I had seen the fliers on campus but wasn't that active in looking for a band, but the guys were active in looking for members."

It was another quick fix for the group soon to be known as Pilot Light.

Goal one: create enough material to try out for the OSU Battle of The Bands. Which they did.

Goal two: get a spot on the Battle. Which they did.

Goal three: get enough original material to fill their set at the Battle. Which they have.

Goal four: dominate the Battle tonight. Which they plan to achieve.

The only thing left for this band of optimistic Streetlight Manifesto fans to do is win tonight in the Battle of the Bands.

Having only been a band for a few months the guys are quite the underdogs in the competition - but they are very confident in the upcoming event.

"It's fun to play music for people who enjoy dancing," Broussard said. "Especially when you can pull in a number of different age groups with these sorts of shows."

However, the road they've traveled hasn't been completely golden.

"It's been killing me," Fitzsimmons said. "It's been really hard to balance school, the band and trying to graduate in another term." Being the only senior in the group, it is apparent he would have the most on his plate at this point in time.

But with a new treble clef tattoo on his calf, Fitzsimmons is ready to take the stage tonight.

The band anticipates playing a number of newer original songs for the crowds to dance to. Since their debut at the Battle tryouts, the band has played a number of covers at their shows, including OSMG's second Pre Exam Jam. The band played nine songs at the show, six of which were covers.

"We really just wanted to cram a set together," Bode said.

"I don't think Charley [McGowan] realized we were playing so many covers," Broussard said.

Their new original set, they said, was unveiled a couple weeks ago at both the Beaverstock and SigBlock events.

"I have found days when I can just write, and not do anything but write, and I come away with a number of great songs," Broussard said, excited about the fully original set they'll be playing tonight.

The band plans to take the summer off from playing shows, but will be focusing on new material and making more shirts.

"All of the shirts are individually numbered," Bode said.

After unveiling a number of the spray-painted shirts, they proved that the shirts are each truly unique from all the others. The shirts will be for sale at the battle for $5, as well as a CD of a few live practice recordings of some of their original songs - the songs on their MySpace.

Pilot Light can see the light at the end of tunnel - they have managed to stagger any obstacle in their way thus far and only time will tell where these six men will end up.

The band can be seen tonight in the Battle of the Bands, as well as next Wednesday in Salem when they perform alongside battle cohorts Break As We Fall and Honest To Empire at the Dog Days Festival.

Craig Bidiman

diversions@dailybarometer.com