The Sunpilots

The Sunpilots
Busking in Berlin, June 2014
Background information
Origin	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Progressive rock, Alternative rock
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Honeytrap Records (independent)
Website	thesunpilots.com
Members	Raj Siva-Rajah (vocals) Bob Spencer (guitar) Kay Ketting (Drums) Stefan Bielik (bass)

The Sunpilots are an Australian progressive rock band from Sydney.

Formation and early days

Born in Brisbane, Australia to a classically trained Sri Lankan mother, Raj Siva-Rajah began his music training at the age of 8.^[1] During highschool he played in alternative rock bands with friends whilst also learning the 72 basic scales of Carnatic music (the form of classical Eastern music his mother performed) at the same time.

Raj's move to Sydney in 2006 and the befriending of musician Bob Spencer (guitar) led to the formation of The Sunpilots. The band released their first EP in June 2006 and despite originally being recorded as a demo, the release found its way onto the airwaves through Australian radio networks such as triple J and Nova. The resulting buzz saw the band's MySpace and YouTube presence grow considerably over the year, eventuating in them winning the Producers Award at the Musicoz Awards.^[2]

Debut album and Australian success

Work on the debut album Living Receiver began in January 2007. While the band decided to do most of the production themselves, they enlisted the help of Australian producer Phil McKellar (Silverchair, Grinspoon, Powderfinger) as co-producer and mix engineer. Budget constraints saw the album put on hold after only 3 tracks had been completed (Metric System, Shooting Star and Spotlight in the Sun).

To help raise funds to complete the rest of the album, The Sunpilots embarked on the Cold Hands, Warm Heart Australian tour. Beginning on 7 August and spanning 5 states, the tour was the band's first national tour and marked their transition from recording act to touring act. To support the tour, the band released Spotlight in the Sun as the first single from the yet to be completed album. The single became the no. 1 most added song on Australian radio during the week of 14 February 2008.^[3] and the Spotlight in the Sun music video aired nationally on MTV, Rage, Channel V and Video Hits. The track was also chosen as an iTunes Single of the Week.

The remaining tracks from Living Receiver were recorded in early 2008 and the record was released through the band's own label Honeytrap Records in August 2008. The album won several awards, including 'Indie Album of the Year' from Soundscape Magazine^[4] and 'Indie Album of the Week' from The Brag.^[5] In interviews, The Sunpilots expressed pride in having recorded and released the LP independently and have voiced their intentions to maintain their independence.^[6]

The Sunpilots were now beginning to turn heads overseas: winning Best International Artist at the Toronto Independent Music Awards^[7] and a Single of the Year at the LA Music Awards.^[8] The band was one of 15 rock finalists in the International Songwriting Competition (nominated alongside fellow Aussie rockers Eskimo Joe).^[9] Judged by artists likes Tom Waits, Robert Smith (The Cure), Frank Black (The Pixies) and Joe Satriani, the ISC is the largest songwriting competition in the world.

In 2009 The Sunpilots toured Australia twice more for their March of the Drones (February to April) and Animals In My Mind (October to December) national tours. During the second tour the band performed at the One Movement Festival in Perth with the Hilltop Hoods, Sarah Blasko, Little Red and Kate Miller-Heidke.^[10] and were MySpace Featured Artists.^[11]

Concept album and transition to Progressive Rock

In late 2009, The Sunpilots began work on their sophomore record. In an interview with the Newcastle Post, Raj said of the new album "I think we’ve finally started to figure out "our sound" – and it’s pretty different to Living Receiver. We’ve been listening to a lot of 60’s and 70’s rock opera – The Who’s ‘Tommy’ and ‘The Wall’, that kind of stuff. So that probably gives you a bit of an idea."^[12]

Entitled King of the Sugarcoated Tongues, the album was completed in late 2010 and released in 2012. Produced entirely by the band and mixed by German engineer Peter Schmidt, the record is a concept album and marked The Sunpilots transition into the genre of progressive rock. An 8 minute track entitled "The Captain" was posted on the bands blog on 27 Aug as a preview of the new sound.^[13]

International touring

The Sunpilots performed during Berlin Music Week 2010 at the Popkomm Festival on 9 September.^[14] Following this the band played several shows and festivals across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland, including performances at Nuclear Blast's Moshbusters Festival on 4 December 2010.^[15]

The Sunpilots toured Europe extensively between 2011 & 2014, performing at clubs in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. Festival performances included Breda Barst (Netherlands), Snowpen Air (Germany), Helfenstein Festival (Germany), Rockville Festival (Germany), AKK Sommerfest (Germany), Fete De La Musique (Germany), Suite Sommerfestival (Germany), Spring Rock (Poland), Summer Rock III (Poland) and Summer Sound (Latvia).

In September 2014 they performed 65 shows across the USA spanning 35 states.^[16]

Press

• "If anthemic and soaring rock adhere to your taste, then The Sunpilots will appear as something of a revelation to you. With their debut album Living Receiver, the Sydney quartet has delivered a solid album fit for stadiums. New single 'You're Gonna Be a Star' is a fiery melodic rocker that sneers at society's greed for fame and superficial appraisal, while 'Spotlight in the Sun' rises into a roof-raising sing-along chorus. Even in the more subdued and mellow track 'Helter Skelter Day', an emotive energy bubbles beneath Raj's confident, melodic vocals. 'Ne Risque Rien (Don't Risk Anything)', however, is the album highlight with its warm string arrangement and gorgeous melody. Meanwhile, an Eastern-influenced interlude slides between the slow-burning angst rockers 'Metric System' and 'Medicated Shell'. The band's key attribute is Raj's powerful and heartfelt voice. Fans of melodic rock will, indeed, be rejoicing. INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK"

The Brag^[17]

• "Independent rock outfit The Sunpilots have a sound that echoes from the greatest caverns of 90s rock. In an era when 'grunge' continues to be a dirty word, singer/songwriter Raj Siva-Rajah still carries the torch, marrying melodic hooks with searing guitar and a driving rhythm section. There's a lot of depth to the production, with the singles not out-shining a strong collection of album tracks. A beautifully crafted rock album - 4 stars."

Reverb Magazine^[18]

• "A gem in comparison to the indulgent bravado of regular MTV mainstays and fly-by-nighters. Why hadn’t I heard of these guys before? The Sunpilots, regarded by many as one of Australia’s best-kept rock secrets, have been building a strong reputation for their live performances in and around the Sydney circuit. What impresses me most about [Living Receiver] is how well constructed each of the tracks are which helps the band convey a heightened level of confidence... I doubt that The Sunpilots will remain a secret for much longer."

Access All Areas^[19]

• "A refreshing and varied sound by obviously-talented musos make Living Receiver worth a listen. The Sunpilots have had a large fan and radio following for a while now in Australia, but have been a real hit in the US and Canada. Perhaps it is a given that Living Receiver will be a hit. It deserves to be."

Bendigo Weekly^[20]

• "The Sunpilots could sway stadium crowds if their stagecraft is any match for their strong musical sense of drama and dynamics. There's certainly enough passion in singer Raj Siva-Rajah's delivery, particularly in the psychodrama of Medicated Shell."

The Drum Media^[21]

• "It undoubtedly helps that frontman Raj Siva-Rajah has a voice that’s distinct and immediately striking… The Sunpilots have strong songs and a frontman with presence: that can make all the difference in this world."

The Brag^[22]

• "There is no question that The Sunpilots also have growing public support. From the members on their myspace site to the listeners contacting radio stations around the country to request their songs there is a growing buzz surrounding the band."

Soulshine^[23]

• "What do you get when you mix the ancient music techniques of the East with a strong grunge influence? Most people’s immediate response would be ‘a mess’. Well prepared to be surprised, as the result is a great deal better than you may have thought. Poetic, edgy and unique, the album highlights the band's ability to not only tell a great story, but to play them out like instant classics. Great sound, great story tellers and great cover art, what more can a person ask for? My suggestion, get on this bandwagon before it gets crowded."

Mediasearch^[24]

Members

Current lineup

• Raj Siva-Rajah (2006–present) - vocals
• Bob Spencer (2006–present) - guitar
• Stefan Bielik (2015–present) - bass
• Kay Ketting (2013–present) - drums/percussion

Previous members

• Justin Kool (2009-2012) -bass
• Adil Baktir (2012–2015) - bass
• Andrew Nielsen (2009-2011) - drums/percussion
• Tom McGirr (2011–2012) - drums/percussion

Discography

Albums

• King of the Sugarcoated Tongues (2012)
• Living Receiver (2009)
• The Sunpilots (self-titled 5-track EP) (2006)

Singles

• The Piper's Mirror (2012)
• Animals In My Mind (2009)
• Drones (2009)
• You're Gonna Be a Star (2008)
• Spotlight in the Sun (2007)

References

External links

• Official website
• Facebook page
• Twitter profile
• YouTube channel
• Instagram profile
• SoundCloud profile