 |
| I’m Not a Pilot. Photo courtesy Caroline Jaecks. |
Call it a generational thing, but it seems like many 20- and 30-somethings today have a serious creative pursuit outside of their careers. Take, for instance, the band I’m Not a Pilot. It released its debut, full-length album this year, was both Radio Milwaukee’s “Band of Year” and the Shepherd Express’ “Best Rock Band” for 2010, and it just returned from a Midwest tour. But the members all have full-time jobs, not necessarily music related, to support the music pursuit.
The members of I’m Not a Pilot are incredibly passionate about their music and would love to make it a full-time gig, but, as in the plight of so many other artists, it comes down to being able to support themselves financially.
 |
| Peter Thomas |
The music is a blend of indie, classical and pop. If you must wrap it into a neat little package, you could call it “classically infused indie pop rock,” says cellist Peter Thomas. To explain it even better, this is perhaps how it would sound if you split your chest open and let your feelings ooze out in a river of hot molten lava. The bold and mellow waxing of the cello gives the sound a richness unlike most rock bands.
So who are these guys with day jobs? Mark Glatzel is the pilot on vocals and piano. Thomas, cellist for the Milwaukee Symphony, plays the electric cello, Steve Vorass is on the drums, and Adrian Esguerra plays bass guitar and backs up on vocals.
The band’s name refers to the idea of fate. “It’s about who has control of your life,” explains Glatzel. So this also begs the question, what the heck does the title of their new album “Need Money for Rocket Fuel” mean? They actually borrowed the verbiage from a sign Glatzel’s brother saw a (likely homeless) man holding in Seattle. The idea of new beginnings and starting over resonated with them.
I’m Not a Pilot self-produced “Need Money for Rocket Fuel” in collaboration with J. Christopher Hughes and Post Historic recording studio. “The creation of this album was literally one of the top three accomplishments of my life,” Thomas says. “Winning the job in Milwaukee Symphony was another.”
The band began to take shape in 2007 when the members met at Cornerstone, a music festival in Southern Illinois. Glatzel’s brother introduced them to Esquerra, but they didn’t realize he was a musician, so they made him fight off rattlesnakes under the tent and sell merchandise during their first trip to the fest before they invited him into the band.
And then, there was a classic story of three degrees of separation in Milwaukee. MSO board member and man-about-town Andy Nunemaker met Glatzel at a bar, learned he was into music and immediately approached the MSO’s hip new cello player, and suggested they get together.
Thomas divulges this after first hearing I’m Not a Pilot: “This kind of sounds like Ben Folds, and I like this; I think I could help this. Then after our first practice together, Mark had this smile on his face like a kid who just had his first ice cream cone.” It was indeed the start of good things to come.
With musical influences ranging from Arcade Fire and Radiohead to Brahms and Beethoven, I’m Not a Pilot also has great respect for local bands – Jeanna Salzer, Crooked Keys, Herman Astro and Ikarus Down.
I’m Not a Pilot is trying to perform about every two weeks in Milwaukee and around the Midwest, and add other elements to the shows. “We don’t play shows; we create events,” Thomas says. For example, Thomas’ brother will create a sketch of the performance this weekend while the band plays and sell it after the show.
Check out I’m Not a Pilot at the InterContinental (139 E. Kilbourn Ave.) for a free show on Friday, March 25 at 9 p.m. To see additional concert listings, visit its Facebook page.
