Band takes experimental approach to new venues
"Seems like it took so long to get here,
but it won't seem so long since we've been here..."

-from "So Long" by Pilotdrift

By ANTHONY DAVIS
Texarkana Gazette

These quizzical lyrics, not unusual for a Pilotdrift song, bespeak the band's almost ethereal presence in their own hometown of Texarkana.

Although Kelly Carr, Ben Rice, Jay Budlowski, Eric Russell, Micah Dorsey and John David Blagg are young, very talented musicians "from" Texarkana, Pilotdrift has not always been "of" Texarkana music-wise. More about that later.

That difference in genre and the band's refusal to abandon their experimental art rock approach Wednesday will take the guys of Pilotdrift to the Epicentre in San Diego, Calif., where they will open in concert for Tyler, Texas, new indie pop sensations, the Eisleys.

Following Wednesday's gig are about 25 more shows planned from the famed Troubador in Los Angeles to Toronto and Montreal, Canada, before the bands return to the Deep South in July where they will close out the "Summer Scenic Tour" at the Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas.

Also making the tour is Lovedrug, "a guitar-driven rock group with lyrics of love and piano-driven power ballads," said a review of Lovedrug's CD "Pretend You're Alive" on decoymusic.com.

Sadly, for devoted Pilotdrift fans, one person who will not be making the tour is original member Micah Dorsey. Micah will remain in Texarkana for personal reasons and commitments. This development was not totally unexpected, as it was actually planned for with the addition of Blagg, a close friend of Micah and other band members.

Regarding the reference to Pilotdrift being "from" and not "of" Texarkana, Pilotdrift began as a creative musical experiment by a group of guys whose ties go back to elementary school in some cases. When "Iter Facere" was released as their debut disc, many Texarkana listeners were puzzled by the complicated story lines of the lyrics sung to a menagerie of instruments orchestrated and layered to give each song an epic tinge.

Without a substantial home fan base, Pilotdrift began performing at festivals and in clubs where indie and experimental music is top billing. In a short time by music industry standards Pilotdrift had sold Dallas music critics, who are pretty hard-shelled with their criticism.
 

From there, the band caught the attention of Tim Delaughter, founder of the Polyphonic Spree and owner of Good Records in Deep Ellum, Dallas. A short tour up the East Coast with the Spree further solidified Delaughter's confidence in Pilotdrift. The band will soon release their second CD, and it will be the first recorded product released by Good Records new recording division.

But don't look for a "new and improved pop music" slant from Pilotdrift the second time around.

"Don't worry, we're not going to make any big changes in our music. Our change is wherever we are at on any given day and who the bands are we are listening to," John David said in an interview with the Gazette. "We have a certain style and we're not going to change that and go a different direction.

"Kelly and Micah are two of the most intelligent and creative people I have ever met. Micah and I had begun to record some on another project before the change was made. We'll continue recording together and we remain the best of friends."

Blagg also assures fans that Kelly continues to write some amazing songs.

"Kelly always knows where he's going with a song. Each song is like a story, and the way we write it's almost like we have a story in mind to tell. Each one basically has a storyboard," he said of Pilotdrift tales such as "Dancing Bear" and "Elephant Island."

As if the friendship and business relationship with Delaughter weren't enough, the Eisleys have also become friends and fans of the Pilotdrift crew.

"I guess it's because of the similarity in our music and we are both young bands from East Texas with the same background spiritually. It's really exciting to have a band like Eisley from your own area be fans of yours," Blagg said. "We have really been blessed by all these friends and friendships."

Come to think of it, San Diego is as good a port as any from which Pilotdrift can launch its music on music lovers across the country.

All ashore, gentlemen. And farewell.