Rod Pilois

ROD PILOIS 

Rod Pilois is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and music educator. Rod has played with a number of artists from various musical styles and background, from Rock, Jazz, Latin, Reggae & Ska. Projects have been from independent bands to commercial outfits, with past members of Black Sorrows and Kate Cebrano Band.

His compositions has received industry acknowledgement, radio airplay and band CD’s released in Australia and overseas. Rod’s compositions’ includes a vast array of genres and production styles, which include pieces written for short films, documentaries, children’s show, business promotion and commercial pop tunes to world music pieces.

One of his songs ‘Frozen Heat’ was nominated for song of the year at the Australian Songwriters Association,/track/3809744/frozen-heart-original-acoustic-mp3. His other music production work was featured in the short film ‘Pirate’ starring Amy Vellucci and Chris Buntworth, screened at London Film Festival and Sao Paulo International Film Festival. 

Rod has always been involved in the original music scene in Melbourne. From his early days performing with his own band performing original Rock/Funk at the Palace, St.Kilda, to being featured on Studio 52 compilation CD of Australian artists, Song: “Running In The Shadows”, /track/3812342/running-in-the-shadows. He has been fortunate to perform at some of Melbourne’s top music venues, such as Arts Centre Melbourne,The Esplanade Hotel, The Tote, The Palace, The Cherry bar and Bar Oussou. 

His involvement with the 20 piece Batacuda drummers has seen him performed at major events such as, Australian Grand Prix, AFL Grand Final, Moomba Parade and Commonwealth Games Melbourne. His own three piece percussion outfit ‘Mestiso’ performing original African, Afro-cuban to Brazilian percussion pieces, saw them performing at Federation Square and the Immigration Museum for multicultural festivals in Melbourne. 

Overseas performances have been in Montreal, Canada and Bali at various venues.

Rod’s debut EP 'Inside My Soul' with the duo, Bearhug, saw them receive commercial radio airplay with their soul/pop tunes and received industry acknowledgement and awards. Songs include. “Don't Wait”, “Inside my Soul” and “There's a Place”. /discography

A graduate of Music from The College of the Arts, Melbourne, and Teaching Diploma from Monash University and a Masters Degree in Music Technology with Distinction from University of Newcastle. Rod has worked for the Education department for the last 20 years teaching Drums, Bass, guitar and music technology in schools and trains students in Cert III music.

Rod currently runs Beat Factor Music School where he teaches students in drum-kit, guitar and bass at his private music teaching studio. https://beatfactormusic.com

He also runs larger drum workshops for schools and organisations when called upon. https://beatfactormusic.com/workshops/

Rod has managed The Beat Factor Drummers, for a number of years now, which consists of 3-5 drummers performing their interactive show at festivals and events around Melbourne, in African, Brazilian and Afro-cuban rhythms. https://beatfactormusic.com/events/events-and-performances/beatfactor-drummers-firefly-event-2025/

For more of Rod's events and performances please click the link for previews: https://beatfactormusic.com/event-type/events-and-performances/

Out of his passion for drumming and teaching, in 2018 he started a community drumming group (Beat Factor Drum Group) in the West where his adult students have performed at various multicultural arts Festivals and Pop Up Parks performing African and Samba drumming. Rod currently runs weekly community running classes in the Point Cook Area. https://beatfactormusic.com/workshops/point-cook/

Rod regularly performs with Rock/Jazz/Funk and Reggae bands at various venues and festivals.  In 2019 he joined ‘Gaia The Band as the band’s drummer, where they performed at the Jamaican Music Festival in Williamstown alongside international artists ‘Horace Silver’ and ‘Mad Professor’. Gaia The Band was the headline act for the Big Bob Marley Birthday concert in Melbourne at the Corner Hotel in 2020 and 2021. His love of Ska music re–emerged from his days with Melbourne’s underground Ska band ‘Loin Groin’ for many years, where they performed heavily in the inner city venues and recorded two CD’s, released in Australia and overseas. Rod recently performed with Melbourne’s Ska outfit Johnny Longshot, and past performances have been at the Esplanade Hotel, The Prince Bandroom, Transit Bar-Federation Square, The Lomond Hotel, Post Officer Hotel and the Dogs Bar in St. Kilda.

Since August 2023 to April 2024 he has been performing his own original latin-jazz and world music pieces on a monthly basis at the Annex Art Space, Wyndham Arts & Culture Centre in Werribee. It’s been amazing to share his music to new audiences and interacting with them with a fun, energetic, drum workshop, to conclude the show,

Since being a recipient of a creative development grant in 2024 from Wyndham City, Rod has been busy developing and recording new music pieces in various musical styles for an upcoming EP project, titled ‘Cajon Blue’. The EP is in progress and Rod hopes to finalise all recordings with other collaborators in the coming months and have it ready for release sometime in 2026.

https://beatfactormusic.com/events/community-events/creatives-catch-up/

Artist Name: Rod Pilois (Roddi)
Role: Musician,Composer,Music Director & Educator 
Artistic Practice: Music performance, Music Education & Ensemble Director 
Website: https://rodpilois.com I https://beatfactormusic.com  
Facebook: @rodney.pilois | @beatfactormusic 
Email:  piloisrod@gmail.com I info@beatfactormusic.com
Mobile: 0411 028 077