Pilot

David Paton and Billy Lyall were in the Bay City Rollers circa 1969-1971 (see pic below), though neither were in the band by the time that their first Top 10 hit "Keep On Dancin" " hit the charts towards the end of 1971. Not to worry though, because Paton and Lyall would go on to form Pilot (with drummer Stuart Tosh), which released it's first album in 1974. This album features two classic singles, "Magic" and "Just a Smile". Ian Bairnson joined the band on guitar for their second album.

Pilot recorded four albums from 1974-1977, but each featured a different lineup, with only Paton as a member of the group for all four (though if memory serves me, Bairnson played on the first album, he just was not yet a member). Paton, Lyall and Tosh recorded album one, joined by Bairnson on album two. By the time their third album, the underrated classic "Morin Heights", was released Lyall was gone...and only Paton and Bairnson remained for album four. Paton and Bairnson released a Pilot album in the last couple of years...which I guess would make it five...


These guys deserved better, but at least they had a single that continues to be played. Tosh was a member of 10cc for a while. Paton and Bairnson played with the Alan Parsons Project for many years. Lyall dies of AIDS in 1989.



The first clip is "Magic", of course. The two following are "Just A Smile" and "Penny in My Pocket".