Oregon band Blind Pilot talks music, biking and uncertainty

Portland, Ore., has produced yet another amazing indie-folk band. Flowing from the same laid-back, instrumental vein as Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists and The Shins, Blind Pilot is quickly gaining comparable name and sonic recognition. Within the year, a lot of great things have happened for Blind Pilot: the band has recently been featured on "Last Call with Carson Daly," NPR's Morning Edition and they've been a Starbuck's "Artist of the Week." Despite all of their budding fame, founding frontman Israel Nebeker remains down to earth. When asked about the meaning behind the band's name he laughs and explains, "It was just a fitting name for what we were doing at the time. Ryan and I had run into each other in Portland, and we were sort of experimenting with this project to see what would happen. The name fits that sense of uncertainty." The duo's experimental project quickly turned into a success, particularly after their adventurous bike tour down the Pacific Coast. "Our goal was to start in Vancouver and go all the way to Mexico," Nebeker said. "We played shows every night, everywhere we stopped, from small towns to big cities. We booked a few shows here and there, but often we gathered up a group of locals and played a little impromptu show. We did that every night on the tour. It was so amazing." Nebeker says that they often stayed at campsites where they would gather up campers for an evening show around a fire, perpetrating the duo's idea of making music they were comfortable with. Many of their spur-of-the-moment small-town audiences were unfamiliar with indie pop, giving Blind Pilot the opportunity to spread their music to people who might not have sought it out on their own. The duo's music seemed to appeal to listeners; they sold out of their EPs. But what is truly amazing about Blind Pilot's 2007 bike tour is that it truly was a simple bike tour: two guys, a guitar and a basic drum kit strapped to their backs, pedaling down the Pacific Coast. No gas, no vehicle, no trailer. Just bikes. With big signs on the back of their bike trailers that read "BLIND" and "PILOT." Nebeker remembers that "lots of drivers thought that I was blind and Ryan was my guide. It was pretty funny, really." After the success of their first bike tour, which Nebeker said is the best thing he's ever done, once again in 2008 (with two additional members in tow), Blind Pilot hit the road. This time, with a solid following behind them and a documentary film in progress, Blind Pilot had already established themselves as a band. In an interview with Burnside Writer's Collective last year, Nebeker explained the band's second bike tour: "Last time there was a blurred line for most people, between two established musicians touring and two vagabonds drifting. I'll miss that, but a slightly bigger tour will bring a lot of new things our way too." Now touring as a nine-piece band, Nebeker was right. Blind Pilot will be touring with The Decemberists this spring, immediately following their performance at Coachella two weeks ago. "They're phenomenal," Israel, who is eager to meet the band in person, said. Blind Pilot's album, "3 Rounds and a Sound," is available on iTunes. The album has received rave reviews, and with good reason. From start to finish, it is a work of art.