The Conscience Pilate play guitar-driven pop music that combines the energy of CBGB’s post-punk scene with the cinematic texture of 80’s classic alternative.
The Conscience Pilate started in Toronto in ‘95 when songwriting duo Edward Pond and Neil Leyton finished university. They weren’t into grunge, which was big at that time, and pushed back with a revolutionary glam band with a lofty art-school name inspired by David Bowie’s turn as Pontius Pilate in the Last Temptation of Christ. Move a few letters around, add a “the” in tribute to Syd’s floyd and a band name was born.
Throughout the months that followed, between ’95-‘96 TCP released acclaimed singles and the “Living in a Movie Scene” EP, starting a label and initiating a small local movement that gathered like-minded friends and artists. Within a year, this culminated in the “Orange Alert” Toronto scene.
As with most urgent rock projects TCP self-destructed after just one album, but Pond and Leyton remained brothers. One night in November 2022 Neil said, “We have some unfinished business. Let’s make another record.” Two songs were written that night alone in Montreal.
Starting in the summer of 2023 TCP are releasing a new single every month, beginning with Army of Devils. It takes a village, so while Pond and Leyton remain the core of the band, many of their musical cohorts from across the years are stepping up to play drums, guitars, record, produce and generally pour good energy into this art project.
