Aussie-based, eccentric garage punks Billiam (and the Split Bills) are a ball of high-energy, chaos infused with synths, quirky guitar riffs, and an addictive sense of melody. It’s hyperactive bedroom punk that sings to the ears of every punkster and weirdo whose brains exist in a constant state of glorified frenzy. They have recently released a new album called Animation Cel and this October they will be touring the UK.
You’re about to embark on a UK tour, is there anything in particular that you’re looking forward to?
I think the band and I are just so extraordinarily keen to play in the place a lot of our favourite bands come from. If you look at the top 20 most influential bands in my life half of them are in the UK so it’ll be insane to be playing in a lot of cities these bands are from. Plus I’m stoked to meet a lot of long time internet punk friends and see some rock and roll. Plus everyone in the band is obsessed with Hobnobs and will be consuming them by the bucket.
You describe your music as “autismcore” and this is a theme that reoccurs in some of your songs. Has autism played a part in your creative process? And if so, in what way/s do you think it has shaped your music?
Autismcore is definitely more of a joke than anything but I guess to an extent it is a big part of my music. I’m not good at writing songs about things that aren’t happening directly in front of me so it ends up seeping a lot into my music whenever I want it to or not. It’s not a conscious choice, I don’t try to brand myself with autism it’s just something I have and have had all my life and it’s fun to write about. It probably affects my songwriting but I wouldn’t really be able to describe how it does. I’m just a stupid dingus who yells about sonic over stupid riffs I write in my room at the end of the day.
What would you be doing if you weren’t playing in band?
Probably sitting inside a dark room playing Mario Kart CTGP Revolution for hours on end until my eyes go square. Either that or I’d be an eccentric bike manufacturer I feel like that suits my general vibe.
If you could collaborate with any other musician/s who would it be and why? (Can be living or dead).
I would love to have done a band with Chris Knox (The Enemy/Toy Love/ Tall Dwarves) or Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo) in their prime years or Ari Up and Jay Reatard before they died. In terms of people who are alive I’d love to work on music with someone like Mike Krol or Peach Kelli Pop or work on some more music with Ishka from Tee Vee Repairmann. I’d also love to produce an album for some kind of rich Hollywood celebrity that wanted to make a disgusting vanity punk project, kinda like the Bruce Willis solo album but for demented punk (I was also going to say Mark E Smith but I probably would’ve wanted to kill him by the end of the process).
What inspires you outside of music?
I love reading about strange events in history or eccentric figures from the past and going down entirely pointless Wikipedia rabbit holes. I got obsessed with lighthouse accidents from the late 1800s recently and became fascinated with a lot of the lingo and wording that was used back then. I also really enjoy what most would consider awful and dated movies from the 90s and 70s, the more trashy and strange the better (I would highly encourage all readers to watch the movie Freaked if they haven’t already).
What are your plans after the tour is complete?
More than likely I’ll be lying on the floor in a locked room for about a week after I get back to recover, then I wanna finish the album I was trying to finish before I left, I got 90% of it done but I wanna polish it off. Then I’ll start work on the next EP then the next album after that. I should also finally get my drivers license lol.
How did you meet the Split Bills who are accompanying you on this tour? And do they also play on the record or is that just you?
All of the Split Bills were met over the past few years at various gigs and other rock and roll style events. I met Lach about 6 years ago waiting in line for record store day and when he moved to Melbourne I stole him as quickly as I could to play in some kind of band. Everyone else kinda fell into position and we’ve been playing shows since New Year’s Eve of 2022. All of the Split Bills have cameos on the records but all the stuff that’s out is me playing most of the instruments. Lach drums on the next Billiam record that will hopefully come out next year and we’ve been writing songs as a band through the tour we’ll try and record when we get back.
What can people expect at a Billiam show?
At some point I will unsuccessfully tried to flip a water bottle. We’ll also try and play all the songs 30% faster than the record and nearly pass out in the process.
If you won a few million quid on the lottery – what would you buy?
I’d love to buy some kind of ranch in country Victoria and set up a recording studio and try and figure out how to produce bands records, maybe also set up a roller derby ring there and host roller derby tournaments.
How would you describe your music in three words?
Stupid Bug Punk.
UK tour dates
- October 20 – Green Door Store, Brighton
- October 21 – The Lanes, Bristol
- October 22 – The Flying Duck, Glasgow
- October 23 – Big Hands, Manchester
- October 24 – JT Soar, Nottingham
