Defunct Local Band Profile Series: The Pixo Control

It's now time for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile, again continuing our monthly spotlight of local metal, hard rock, or punk bands from the past, all as sourced from our inactive band links! This month's randomly chosen band was a high profile rising group in their day that should still have recongnition from many readers, so here's what you should know on them!

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The Pixo Control

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Genre: Grunge/Alternative Rock

Lineup (Members not in their last full lineup in italics):

Michael Mikus (The Fever Tops), vocals/guitar/studio bass
Dustin Goodall (Id Iota, Free Beer), bass
Keeghan Rosso (Xeno), drums

Anthony Marcello (Jupiter Marvelous), bass
Steve Edwards (These Magnificent Tentacles), bass
Matthew Thibert (Vol.), drums

Audio/Video: The Pixo Control released one studio album, namely November 2015's "Probably Not", which did have a physical CD print run and remains available to buy on Bandcamp for $9.99. Though their Facebook page was sadly taken down, a sizeable amount of YouTube videos remain from their run via Michael's (formerly the band's) YouTube channel and his earlier solo YouTube channel, including audio from the album, live performances, early demos, vlogs, and promotional clips. Numerous other YouTube users have videos from Pixo Control concerts, and I have filmed them for our Facebook page too. There's a lot to take in, but here's their music video for their song "Scratch"!

Info/Analysis: Publically launched in October 2013 and briefly known as Junkie Nation, The Pixo Control succeeded Michael's prior band The Fever Tops, and debuted on stage in December 2013 with gigs at both public venues and Superior Heights Collegiate. The Pixo Control played live frequently in 2014 & 2015, including sets at events like Rotaryfest, The Emergency Festival, and Go Skateboarding Day, plus opening slots for bands like Treble Charger & The Rebel Spell, and even a Nirvana tribute turn as Like A Pisces at the Gore Street Cafe's Fishbowl Festival. Michael was the band's only constant band member, with Steve and Keeghan completing their longest lasted lineup. After "Probably Not" mixer Dustin Goodall took over on bass in the fall of 2015, The Pixo Control released their CD and played their final gigs into the spring of 2016, with Michael dissolving the band that fall in order to launch his own pop rock solo project as Mike Mikus.

Despite the changes, Mike enlisted Pixo Control alumni in his backing band, and even included a few unreleased songs of theirs on his 2017 solo album, but he moved to Montreal that year and his musical activity drastically slowed down in kind, here or there. I enjoyed The Pixo Control's throwback yet modern sound and freewheeling intensity on songs like "Tall Ships" & "60", and Michael's commanding presence helped throughout their different lineups! It was good to see a band flying the grunge flag locally, and it's a shame they didn't last longer, but don't miss members' current projects!

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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! As the first randomly selected band for next month have no videos and minimal documentation, I added a Sault Michigan band in a similar state to round things out, also randomly. As such, we'll be looking at mid-2010s Sault Ontario punk/alternative duo The Red & Black and early 2010s Sault Michigan hard rock band Swayze Train! Look for all of this on or around September 10th, and for a new post  tomorrow! Thanks everyone!