Dustin Bates is the lead vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist for the American rock band
Starset.
Starset was formed in 2013 by
Downplay vocalist Dustin Bates, who is also the band's lead singer, songwriter, and keyboardist. Bates' interest in
astronomy was first fueled when acquiring his
masters in
electrical engineering as he studied at
Ohio University. He completed research for the
US Air Force and also taught at the
International Space University. Bates created the fictional backstory for the band that forms the thematic basis for their music and multimedia. In the backstory, Starset was formed as part of a public outreach initiative by The Starset Society. The Society's aims were to alert the public about the contents of "the Message" the society obtained from a mysterious signal from space. Starset treats their backstory and The Starset Society as real in interviews, with few exceptions.
www.starsetonline.com