Red Sky Pilot

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Red Sky Pilot is an alternative rock band based in Kilgore, Texas. The band consists of four members :

Andy Wingfield - Vocals/Guitar

Levi Kitchen - Guitar/Vocals

Nick Hutson - Drums, Percussion

Ethan Wood - Bass Guitar

Red Sky Pilot was formed in late in 2006 as four high school friends got together to make a serious run at the world of music. With influences ranging from Hum, Incubus, and Porcupine Tree to Tool, Toadies, and Silverchair, Red Sky Pilot takes alternative rock to places most bands dare not go. The band released their debut album, The Slowdown, in March of 2007 and is currently on tour to support the release.

The four members of Red Sky Pilot grew up together in Kilgore and each began playing music about the age of twelve. Throughout middle school and high school, the four friends honed their skills in different groups. Andy was the first to find success with his band, Threshold. Levi soon established LeD with his brothers and both bands played a few shows in East Texas before they broke up about the same time. Andy went on to play in Afterglo and Stowaway and Levi went on to form the very successful Tisdale with Nick. Ethan struggled to find a foothold to compete with his friends in the bands 9 Miles to Nowhere and Lifestream.

Tisdale and Stowaway hand continued success, playing hundreds of shows in Texas and Louisiana between the two, however, as the years wore on, various members of the bands left to pursue other projects. In the meantime, Ethan formed Echelon and began putting together a home recording studio. Ethan focused his time on learning the craft of writing and recording music while Levi and Nick regrouped to start a new project.

In January of 2006, Levi and Nick with the help of Andy formed Johnny Empire. After helping Levi get his new band going, Andy moved to New Orleans in the wake of Katrina to pursue other musical endeavors. Johnny Empire took the area by storm, becoming the most talked about band in a mere six months. The band and its members lived in a whirlwind of chaos, playing show after show after show and catching on fire. As interest in the band grew and record labels started to contact Levi, Andy returned from New Orleans with a new perspective and new songs in tow. He brought his new music to Levi and Nick and the foundation of Red Sky Pilot was set as the three started a side project with Andy's material.

The chaos of Johnny Empire soon self-destructed in September of 2006 in Dallas, Texas as Ethan watched his friends from the crowd. Frustrated with the constant infighting, lack of dedication, and overall chaos of Johnny Empire, Levi decided that the future was with Andy. Levi, Andy, and Nick then threw themselves into the new project christened Red Sky Pilot. After they had prepared several songs, they approached their friend, Ethan about recording their new project. After hearing their music once, he agreed and took home a demo recording to prepare for the recording.

Ethan's band Echelon fell apart shortly after he agreed to record Red Sky Pilot and he then took up the bass guitar so that he could audition for the band's remaining open spot. After auditioning several bass players, Ethan stepped in one practice and blew the other members away with how quickly he had learned their songs and his understanding of the sound they were trying to create. The pieces were all in place and in December of 2006, the band began recording their debut album, The Slowdown.

[edit] The Slow Down

In March 2007, Red Sky Pilot released their first album, The Slow Down:

1. The Stranger
2. Head Full of Lead
3. Warm Rush
4. Skeltons
5. Dear, Sweet NoLa
6. Candy Apple
7. The Greatest Mistake
8. Light On
9. Street Creature
10. Eating Your Words