David Paton (vocals / bass / guitars), the late Billy Lyall (keyboards) and Stuart Tosh (drums) formed the band Pilot who after limited success with "Just A Smile" shot to fame with the single "Magic" from the album FROM THE ALBUM OF THE SAME NAME (1974). Ian Bairnson played guitar on one track from the album and joined the band permanently before its release (he had already worked extensively with the band). As a foursome they recorded SECOND FLIGHT (1975) with the other smash single "January". Both albums were produced by Alan Parsons who used the band on his first Alan Parsons Project album "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination". Andrew Powell worked with Parsons on the Project albums and used Ian and David together with drummer Stuart Elliott on Kate Bush's first album "The Kick Inside" (it is Ian doing the fantastic guitar solo at the end of "Wuthering Heights"). The three continued as the core of the Alan Parsons Project and spin off band Keats.

Billy Lyall left the band before the release of the bands third album MORIN HEIGHTS (1976), recorded in Canada (guess where!) with Roy Thomas Baker producing. Despite not being released in the U.S. this became their biggest selling album. Stuart Tosh left the band before its release and joined up with 10c.c. further expanding the tentacles of the band.

All the first three albums are available on CD. I haven't heard the third one but I can't say I really got into the first two. Maybe I need to give them another go but they might simply be a little more poppy than I like.

Ian and David joined up with Alan Parsons again to produce TWO'S A CROWD (1977), working on it at the same time as the APP album "I Robot". The album, on Arista after a change of label, was again not released in the U.S. and has not received a CD release so is comparitively obscure.They had management problems at the time and really that was the lot as far as the band were concerned.

There are at least two compilation albums which unfortunately both have the same name. Disky produced MAGIC (1997) which seems a little elusive now, and Collectable Records produced MAGIC (1998) which still seems to be available as an import.

Ian continued as the lead guitarist with the APP and then with Alan Parsons after its demise. I am sure there are shed loads of other things he has done but I can only remember the fact that he wrote a couple of songs for Buck's Fizz. He is a top session guitarist.

David played bass and sang many fine vocal parts with APP up until the "Vulture Culture" album. He played bass and classical and electric guitars on several records and tours with Rick Wakeman but I am not aware of his vocal talents ever being used which was a bit of a waste. He then went on to play bass with Elton John and worked with many other well known names. He has also recorded solo albums included some traditional Scottish ones. I particularly like PASSIONS CRY which was credited to him as Davie Paton and I have also seen Davey used.

Ian and David have got back together in 2001/2002 to revisit the TWO'S A CROWD album. Eight re-recorded tracks, two new ones, and a live track from 1975 form the 2002 release BLUE YONDER. I had this on order with CDzone for a good eight months or so with no joy and it generally isn't listed elsewhere but in February 2003 tried ordering it via their website and it came a few days later! It has been released in Japan with a extra track.