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Who is Bill Fay?

Bill is a UK based singer, songwriter and pianist. He began writing songs in the early 1960s while studying at university and in 1966 cut a demo using the mobile studio of a chap named John Boden. Impressed by the demo, ex-Them drummer Terry Noon helped Bill to sign a recording contract with Decca. Between 1967 and 1971 the label released a beautifully odd single (“Some Good Advice”/”Screams In The Ears”) and two excellent albums (the lush, orchestrated Bill Fay and the rawer Time Of The Last Persecution). Unfortunately these recordings did not sell well and Decca decided to end Bill’s contract shortly after the release of Time Of The Last Persecution. Bill returned to the studio in the late 1970s to cut a third album, which finally emerged in January 2005 on Durtro/Jnana records (entitled Tomorrow Tomorrow & Tomorrow). In 2004 Wooden Hill records released From The Bottom Of An Old Grandfather Clock- a beautiful collection of demos recorded between 1966 and 1970 (plus one recorded in 2000). Bill’s fantastic songs have touched and inspired many- his fans include country rockers Wilco, songwriter/producer Jim O’Rourke, Ben Chasny of Six Organs Of Admittance and David Michael of Current 93.

What is the idea behind this website?

Until now, online information on Bill has been frustratingly fragmented. With this site we aim to change all this and to provide fans and newcomers alike with all the info we can. It’s criminal that Bill is still relatively unknown in the music world. Hopefully billfay.co.uk can help to change this!

Where can I get hold of Bill’s music?

Firstly, the bad news- vinyl copies of Bill Fay and Time Of The Last Persecution are extremely rare and much sought after by collectors. The “Some Good Advice” 45 is also hard to come by (I’ve seen it referred to as one of the rarest singles Decca/Deram ever put out). Keep your eyes peeled, fair voyagers, and who knows- maybe you’ll stumble across them one day?! Both albums and the single were reissued on one CD by the UK-based label See For Miles in 1998 as Bill Fay/Time Of The Last Persecution…Plus but as fate would have it the label went bankrupt not so long back, making their entire catalogue out of print. Some See For Miles releases are still easy to get hold of- unfortunately their Bill Fay CD isn’t. On the bright side, Eclectic Discs reissued the albums separately in May 2005 (with the 45 tracks added as bonuses to the Bill Fay album). From The Bottom Of An Old Grandfather Clock is very much still in print as is Bill's long awaited 3rd album Tomorrow Tomorrow & Tomorrow. They are both wonderful releases and are available from amazon.co.uk, amazon.com, freakemporium.com and highway61.co.uk to name but four. Finally, you can find various Bill tunes scattered about on compilations like Mojo - Acid Drops Spacedust and Flying Saucers (see the discography page for a full list).

OK, thanks! Now please tell me- who on earth are YOU?

Name: Jamie Azzopardi

D.O.B.: 8th December 1983

A little about me: Pottery banana enthusiast/hopeless windswept romantic/hermit. When I’m not busy being one of these things I write music for my own amusement as super psychedelic avant-gentleman folk warrior THE GOLDEN GONK. Some days my thoughts are just cocoons. Other days I prefer Merzbild Schwet over A Sucked Orange. All days I like to look at girls. I'd sooner feed mush and milk to feebs than milk cows with the frost on the ground. But all in all I admire the aardvark. And yes, I would love to use the transfer technique using copied images onto polymer clay. My problem is- I can't seem to find anyone with a toner copier! I thank you.

Other music I enjoy: The Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett, Cat Power, John Fahey, Anne Briggs, Smog, Nico, Will Oldham, The Heads, Baby Dee, Antony & The Johnsons, Current 93, Robert Wyatt, The Soft Machine, Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, Alasdair Roberts, Appendix Out, Judee Sill, The Pentangle, Nature & Organisation, Shirley Collins, Roy Harper, Joanna Newsom, COB, Patto, Timebox, Simon Finn, Six Organs Of Admittance, Comus, Spires That In The Sunset Rise, Nurse With Wound, Dead Raven Choir, Chrysalis, Josephine Foster, Cocteau Twins, Sandy Denny, Bridget St. John, Henry Cow, Slapp Happy, Faust, Blue Cheer, The Doors, King Crimson, In Gowan Ring, Third Ear Band, Robbie Basho, Scott Walker, David Ackles…

Favourite Bill Fay songs: “Be Not So Fearful”, “Time Of The Last Persecution”, “Cannons Plain”, “Maudy La Lune”, “Don’t Let My Marigolds Die”, “Camille”, “Goodnight Stan”, “I Hear You Calling” …

Name: Andrew Campbell

D.O.B.: 12th April 1984

A little about me: First off, I'll just say that this website is all down to my aardvark lovin' friend above - I am merely a vehicle of which the site was created (the code, design and implementation). Although I also love Bill Fay and his music so it's a great pleasure to be involved with the site. I am currently working towards a degree in Internet Media and I am very passionate about web design. Besides great music, great films and trashy books, I also love comedy. Cheers!

Other music I enjoy: My favourites include the late, great Elliott Smith, Todd Rundgren, Sufjan Stevens, John Martyn, Tim Buckley, Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Radiohead, David Bowie, Neil Young, Wilco, Rufus Wainwright and um, The Golden Gonk is pretty good too :¬)

Favourite Bill Fay songs: “We Have Laid Here”, “Methane River”, “Don't Let My Marigolds Die”, “Time Of The Last Persecution”, “Some Good Advice”, “Tell It Like It Is”, “Garden Song”, “Sing Us One Of Your Songs, May”, “The Room”… yeah ok, I like them all.

How can I contact you, o’ fantastic people behind billfay.co.uk?

If you’ve got a question/comment or want to contribute something to the site- a review or whatever- anything Bill related, then no doubt you feel like you TOTALLY HAVE TO send an email to me, else your whole body will EXPLODE over everyone in your office. This link will STOP this happening, OK.

NO FAN FICTION THOUGH, I REPEAT NO BLOODY FAN FICTION.

If you notice anything wrong with the site or experience any problems (bugs, dead links, pictures not showing, vermin infestations, feminine itching) then please send an email to Andy. Thanks!

Note:
This website was created purely to give Bill Fay a greater online presence and is a non-profit effort.