Indie band Aviators are on a mission to prove that unsigned music doesn’t have to be reduced to garage practices, second-hand instruments, and low-budget recordings.
Sparing no expense, the band invested their hard-earned cash to produce their debut EP, “Comatosed”. “Best week of our lives”, says the band’s bassist, Oli Revill: “The producer said it was going to be a tough week, and he wasn’t wrong.”
Recording took the band from 11am through to 3am for a solid week. However, far from resenting the relentless takes, retakes, and the inevitable blistered hands, Revill seems to celebrate the experience: “We made something that will last us and it does look good, so was all worth it.”
Fifteen-hour working days produced the best out of the five-piece band. The result is a record that could compete in amongst the artists found in all respectable high street retailers.
Aviators have set a new standard for local acts to follow. Their sound blends the appeal of alternative radio acts with the craftsmanship of artists twice their age. The band’s influences? Well, a strange range of them.
“Radio Rock I guess”, admits Revill, before going on to name drop some of the most inspirational acts ever known, such as Foo Fighters and Oasis, alongside The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and The Eagles. Though perhaps strangest of all, Disney. Not the most apparent influence in the band’s sound, but Disney’s forte is pop hooks, and Aviators know it’s this that catches people’s ears.
Most unsigned acts are forced to work their budding musical career around part-time employment, education and home life. But for the band, their music takes precedence. “We’ve lost a few jobs due to gigging,” says Revill, “so our references aren’t too good”.
Their dedication to the cause has meant Aviators have built up a formidable back catalogue of gigs. Although, it looks as though their relentless enthusiasm for touring is coming to an end. “At the moment, there’s a bit of a slow down for uni,” says Revill, “But we’re doing a few bits here and there, hopefully playing at our respective Students’ Unions.”
If Aviators have taught us anything, it’s that the quintet are a musical bulldozer, stopping for nothing. Expect to see Aviators gigging at Students’ Unions in the near future. For now, visit the band’s MySpace page for more information.