Pilot Speed was formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2000. They originally just named themselves Pilate, but they changed their name in the middle of 2006 to avoid lawsuits when their music began to become a big hit. They were especially concerned about lawsuits generated from the United States. The group was actually conceived in New Zealand, where band member Todd Clark grew up. He picked up a Stratocaster copy when he was 12 years old and started out on his way to music madness. He became a fan of groups like Crowded Hosue, The Split Enz and U2.

By the time his family moved to Canada, when he was 16, Clark was ready to embrace the music scene of Toronto. He studied music at the University of Western Ontario, and promptly upon graduation entered an ad on a website asking for artists to join him. He found a group of guys who all had the same ideas and same focal point for music that he did, and Pilate was born. Bass player Ruby Bumrah, a graduate of Ontario College of Art and Design, answered the ad bringing with him fellow alumni guitarist Chris Greenough and drummer Bill Keeley.

They landed spots opening shows for Broken Social Scene, Hot Hot Heat and others, and won themselves praise as Best Unsigned Band at the 2002 North by Northeast music conferences. Their first full length debut was Caught by the Window in 2004, and their success began to grow. Before they knew it they were touring North America, Australia and Japan and bringing in fans left and right with their dramatic, emotional pop. The band that started out as a concept in the mind of Todd Clark, has now grown to international status.