Music
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In your ear
Test Pilot
By Patrick Stutz
Posted: Sept. 28, 2006
The Milwaukee funk band Test Pilot is on a mission, and it's no little feat.
"We're trying to keep rock music alive, because we believe it's dying," singer/guitarist Brian Niggemann said. "Right now, it seems there are a lot of people just trying to make a hit single, and we're trying to represent a lot more."
Niggemann and bassist Bill Arthur have been playing together since 1997, but it wasn't until last March that the band finally settled on drummer Bill Glass to complete its lineup.
Since Glass came on board, the group has been pushing hard to gain recognition, and in the past six months Test Pilot already has shared a stage with Local H, took second place during its latest round at the Bodog Battle of the Bands, and finished its first official album. The disc is only five tracks, which marry the funk of early Red Hot Chili Peppers with the metal edge of Pantera, creating what the band describes as a "heavy, full-out audio assault."
Niggemann says the group is ready to go back into the studio but is waiting to raise more money. However, if the band makes it through the next three rounds of the Bodog competition, money won't be a problem. The winner receives a $1 million recording contract, and Niggemann believes the band has what it takes.
"Our stage show is really powerful and commanding," Niggemann says. " 'Show it up to blow it up' is one of the things I like to say. Whatever you put into (the music) is what you're going to get out of it."
Test Pilot's next battle will be Nov. 6 at Chicago's Logan Square Auditorium (2539 N. Kedzie Ave.), giving the band a full month to push its CD "Metalpunkafunkedelic" (due out the first week of October), before slugging it out again onstage.
The group will certainly have its work cut out for it as Bodog registered more than 6,800 bands nationwide. But if Test Pilot can perform half as hard as Niggemann claims with his "to be big, you've got to play big" attitude, they will at least walk away leaving their mark. - MKE
Discography
METALFUNKAPUNKEDELIC 2006
"five tracks which marry the funk of early red hot chilli peppers with the metal edge of pantera."
Patrick Stutz MKE magazine
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
TEST PILOT IS A THREE PIECE FULL OUT AUDIO ASSULT
• Fans often say they have never seen a local act with so much dynamic power and presence.
• Test Pilot was reformed in 2006 after several years of dormancy, and member changes. Founding members Bill Arthur and Brian Niggemann, recruited friend and local drummer Bill Glass to complete the line up.
TEST PILOT, was soon sharing the stage with national acts, such as Less Claypool, and Local H, as well as securing slots on the taste of summer festival in Wisconsin, as well as the Windy city motor rally in Chicago. Hard work was paying off, and was about to land Test pilot in Chicago on July 24th when they won the first round of the Bodog Battle of the bands in Chicago. Not taking the win for granted, they went straight into the studio with Shane Olivo to record their first ever E.P entitled “Metalfunkapunkedelic”, and handed it off to Grammy award winner Trevor Sadler at Mastermind productions to be mastered. With so much success in as little as a few short months, 2006 was an explosive year for TEST PILOT. Their dedication and hard work ethic has cemented there name in the local Milwaukee scene as a force to be reckoned with, as well as placing the band in several Milwaukee papers.
TEST PILOT harkens back to the days of booming rhythms, and solid guitar leads made famous by bands like LED ZEPPELIN.
Their music is a funky mixture of soul, punk, alternative and reggae, with hints of metal, folk, hip hop and psychedelic rock, blended with an over the top stage show and dancability that leaves the crowd begging for more.
• “Five tracks which marry the funk of early red hot chili peppers, with the metal edge of pantera.” Patrick Stutz MKE magazine Milwaukee
• “Their performance was tight, their songs original, and their fans committed. The guys did not disappoint, and will be hard to beat in the latter rounds.” Gus Capone Bodog music
• “One of my favorite local bands” Dominic Ceci WMSE 91.7 Milwaukee
Contacts
Home Phone Email
Brian Niggemann 414-764-4092 mayhem1717@hotmail.com
Bill Arthur 414-764-6427 stranglomaniac@hotmail.com
Bill Glass 414-759-1470
Web site
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/TESTPILOTLDC
www.sonicbids.com/TestPilot
Other facts
*All members of Test pilot are over the age of 21
* Our sets consist of 98% of original music
* We are open to playing with anyone anywhere
Links
