Hail the Pilot is an indie rock band hailing from Tacoma Washington in the beautiful northwest. They are currently hard at work recording their unique brand of indie rock at South Sound Sound Studio with engineer/producer Jason Suko at the helm. From pulsating rhythms, dreamy guitar textures and soundscapes to over-driven walls of sound, they have set their sights on making a record that will enrapture the listener from beginning to end.
While formed in 2016, Hail the Pilots roots go back years when drummer Bobby Stevens and singer-songwriter/guitar player Jason Iversen played in another band together for over 10 years. During that time, a passion and vision began forming between the two, eventually leading them to abandon their former band and create Hail the Pilot. Jason’s brother Matt Iversen immediately joined on as the bassist to add the final piece.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Hail the Pilot about motivations, challenges, the latest project and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of rock would you classify yourselves as?
We are from Tacoma, Washington. I would classify us as an indie rock band, although I would be hesitant to say that we always fit that mold. Our influences range anywhere from Paul Simon to Tool so we like to mix it up from song to song.
What led you down the path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
My brother Matt (bass player) and I grew up in a musical family. My dad wrote songs and played for a small church so we were always around it and involved in it somehow. My most vivid childhood memories are laying on my bed listening to albums in my headphones. It was just in me. The second I picked the guitar at 17 I knew I wanted to write my own songs.
Bobby and Nate have had the passion for music as long as they can remember too. I think that in some people, you’re just born with this innate desire that you can’t explain. It’s like the lion that hunts. It never stops and thinks why. It just does it’s thing because that’s what it was designed for. And that is what continues to drive us. There is nothing like writing a song and seeing it bloom.
It’s not easy to play in a band when we all have jobs, families, and responsibilities but the alternative is worse. It’s like the lion in a cage. Existing but with no purpose or direction.
How is “In Circles” different than your previous releases? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
Well “In Circles” is actually our first release as Hail the Pilot, but compared to the other songs I’ve written, it differs more in execution than in the actual writing. I am who I am when it comes to writing, and that’s not a bad thing. As an artist, you want to develop your own style and perfect it. And hopefully it’ll continue to mature and evolve. But what really made the difference is the vision behind the songs. When Bobby and I first started talking about doing this project, we really wanted to write dynamic songs that you could pick out something new each time you listen to it. It’s fun to crank up the amps and just create this wall of sound (and we definitely like to add this from time to time) but we wanted to create songs with atmosphere and textures that pull you in and take you somewhere else. I used a lot of effects pedals on our album to accomplish this. And let me tell you, it’s like Alice going down the rabbit hole. It’s so much fun but it can be overwhelming at times. The key is knowing how much to add to a song and not overdo it.
Do you face challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? How has technology helped you (assuming it helps)?
The digital age, like anything, has its pros and cons. But for us, it’s pretty much all pros. Today, recording is accessible to just about anyone. You have to plan meticulously and work to afford it, but it’s obtainable. I remember finding this old Billboard magazine from 1981 and there was an ad for an 8 track for something like $80,000. I’m not sure how accurate my memory is, but even if that’s anywhere close to what it was, that’s insane. There’s no way that anybody could afford to record unless you were signed to a label. When you think about it, indie music wouldn’t be possible.
I guess the only thing is wrapping your brain around it all. It can be difficult being a musician working on your craft, all while trying to learn how something like midi works. Do I practice my guitar or do I start reading articles and manuals? It’s hard to balance these two things sometimes. It was a big step for me just to start using effect pedals. But I love it all. The process of learning and implementing technology into our music is a challenge but we definitely want to do more and more of it in the future. We just want to make sure that whatever we do in the studio, we can take to the stage.
And when it comes to social media, that’s a whole different story. I think everyone is still trying to master that one, which brings me to the negatives…
The accessibility has also watered down the talent level. Because everyone is in a band and have a Facebook that they want you to like, it’s hard to get your head above the crowd. People assume that you sound like every other band that plays out on Friday nights so a $10 ticket can be a hard sell.
Where can we connect with you online and discover more music?
You can visit our website www.hailthepilot.com and sign up for our mailing list. And from there you can click on our contact page to get to our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter page.
