Billy posted last night at the LH board. He was answering fan questions. I know we've said it before... but it bears repeating... Billy is so COOL!
You should definitely go check it out
lovehammers.proboards18.com/index.cgi?board=hammerheads&action=display&thread=1132056778&page=1but here are his q&a posts:
Billy Is My Copilot asks:
1. Where/When did you learn to play guitar
2. What kind of equipment is your most favorite to use on stage? (Washburn i assume... but you never know)
3. What happened to the band you were in before you joined LH? Who are they? What made you decide to leave them and join LH?
4. Why are you so f-ing awesome?
5. How do you juggle touring/ recording schedules and spending time with your family?
6. What current guitarists do you think are making a significant impact on music today?
7. What guitarists of yesteryear made a significant impact on you, musically?
8. I tell everyone you're like the new J. Mascis (referring to your guitar skills)...do you think this is an accurate comparison or would you like to kick my ass?
9. Are you a natural redhead? (i was gonna ask about carpets matching drapes but i figure one restraining order is enough)
10. How exactly do you pronounce Sawilchik?... i think i'm f-ing it up.
11. How do you feel about the insane, obsessive, foaming at the mouth fans who worship you like the deity you are?
12. What in GOD"S NAME would inspire anyone to answer all these inane questions?
Billy’s response:
#1 I took lessons and I just started messing around on my own when I was @ 12. I took @ 3-4 lessons from a freind(kurt bonomo, you out there?) and then everything else on my own.
#2 Favorite equipt.....Marshalls marshalls, marshalls,
Grestch and Gibson's tie
#3 Long story which I look forward to sharing
#4 I don't know how to answer that? Um, I keep my
shakras in tune and I am a sex addict.
#5 Juggling time? You forgot, I am keeping a day job
also through December. I don;t think most poeple
understand the stress aside from my family. I don't
think that I do it to well.
#6 let me think on that one
#7 VH, John Reznik, Mike Ness, Sponge guitarists.
I will think more about that but those definately
influenced me to make my own music and how I play
it. Yeah,Yeah....Page, Clapton some old blues guys
So many poeple say all of those b/c everyone else
does and I don;t think half of them mean it. I will
think about that more
#8 I am not too familiar with anything other than what
I have heard on the radio. But alot of poeple revere
him, so thank you!!!
#9 Yes to both
#10 phonetically....suh - will - chick
#11 I don't get that over the top vibe of the fans from
what I have read/ It's all in good fun and fandom.
Besides, if I am being sincerely honest, I have a
lower than avg. self esteem so I take it with a bit
of skepticism. But my ego likes hearing all of it so
don't stop!!!
#12 What inspires me to answer is that the band and I
have been handed a winning lottery ticket in all of
these devoted fans and I love it, appreciate it, and
never take it for granted. It is effortless to do this.
I love posting as long as time provides!!!
moonlitemelody asks:
1. do you like carrots?
2. coke v pepsi or other?
3. pixie sticks or candy cigarettes?
4. can you burp the alphabet?
5. what cartoon character do you most identify with?
6. would you take ballet lessons?
7. do you know how to do the macarena(spelling?)?
8. if you had to wear one of your band mates undies - whose and why?
Billy’s response:
#1 carrots,,,,yes
#2 Coke, wild cherry pepsi
#3 Neither, don;t like candy that much
#4 can't burp the alphabet
#5 No cartoon characters, don;t like cartoons that much
#6 no to ballet lessons, salsa lessons, yes!!!
#7 Yes, I could do the macarena, a little I guess.
Myself, along with Bob both learned in Cancun years
back b/f we knew it was dumb. It was played em
mehico b/f it turned into a pop phenom
#8 Marty's b/c he is not as hairy
moonlitemelody asks:
1. what inspires you musically?
2. describe each of your band mates in one word?
3. favorite chicago hangout?
4. most embarrasing experience?
Billy’s response:
Inspiration? hearing songs that make me feel an emotion thus reaffirming that it has not all been done b/f
can't 1 word describe each band member they are all mean "more than words" to me. Oh, that is a winner
for sure
House of Blues
Most embarrasing is a tie:
While really drunk at a gig once I thought it would be
sooo cool to play a song with my pants(I dont wear underwear) around my ankles. Next week at work, I found out one of my customers from work was there!
2nd: A sold out HOB show I stepped to the front of the
stage left foot forward to do my big solo and slipped off landing ass first on the edge of the stage. I played the solo sitting down on the edge of the stage. So much adrenaline pumping from the embarrasment, I did not realize I fractured my foot until the next day.
yerbamate asks:
1) What was the first live gig you ever played? What was that like? Where and when was it?
2) What was the first gig like that you played with the guys at U of I? When was that first gig?
3) What can you tell us about your experience recording on each album? How did the process differ from album to album? Other than the band, who all has contributed in the past to the different albums?
4) What was going on with y'all during those first few years as a coverband? What were the typical venues you played at? When did y'all drop the Swinging from Lovehammers?
5) What was one of your favorite songs to do a cover of back then?
6) When did you first get involved in writing original material with the band?
7) Do people like to write on your head?
I saw someone doing this in the intro/metro video over on the Lovehammers website and in a photo where you were with Marty and Bobby. Follow up question: When people write on your head, what do they write?
8) Did you ever live in the Hammerhouse?
9) That is you on guitar on all the MoMM songs, right?
10) And you play the main guitar riffs on Utrasound and L'Strange, right? I'm confused and I need clarification. By the way, I love that song (Confusion).
11) Which songs do you sing on?
12) Do you like to play cornhole?
13) What's the coolest thing you ever did?
14) If you ever have a chance and feel like it, please stop by this thread on the board . It is a thread that me and other fans have been working on about the band.
15) Will you sign my shirt at the Metro?
Billy’s response:
To yerbamate: I am not a good typer and those are some seriously in depth questions....so I will gloss over them with no disrespect but I dont have that kind of time rightnow....
first gig was with a band called 9 arms(1 armed drummer) at a fraternity house in front of a few hundred people. It was under a circus type tent and cold out. Nervous for sure
First gig w/ LH was at one of their freinds house at U of I. We played in a living room. Kind of weird.
Favorite song to cover with LH back in the day was Disconnected by Face to Face
We wrote our first original in Dino and Bob's parents garage after a couple of years of doing covers. We first played it a bar in palos hills at Lavery's tavern
Nobody's ever written on my head. I think you are refering to a girl with shears shaving my head while playing the piano
I never lived in the hammerhouse
That's all me on MOMM me and Ben split duties on Ultrasound and L'strange. No bullshit....he was great at guitar solos. Ben solos on Ultrasound: Hunt, faded grey, velvet, L'Strange: Bulletholes, and theres another one I can't remember
I sing on aUltrasound, Hunt, starlight lady, confusion, undertow, maybe some others? Recent stuff I don't sing on because Marty hates my voice and Dino was too jealous that he did not get to sing ALSO.
Do I like to play cornhole? I am a virgin there, I can't get the helmet past that tought rubber band known as a sphincter.
The coolest thing I ever did was to play the anthem at the sox game. But if I was to answer that philosophically, I would say it was fathering two healthy kids. Honestly
I will sign your shirt at the Metro as long as we get in touch. Even if the shirt says BILLY Sucks
moonlitemelody asks:
1. favorite cereal?
2. favorite book?
3. what is/was your day job?
4. dream vacation?
5. favorite lovehammer song(s)?
6. favorite movie?
7. hobbies/interests?
8. as a kid what did you want to do when you grew up?
9. favorite performance of marty on rockstar?
10. anything you guys want to know about us?
Billy’s response:
Honey bunches of Oats
I used to read true crime books,I guess my favorite(I don;t know if that's appropriate considering the text) is the Scarborough Killer
Liqour Sales Rep. calling on Osco/Dominick's.....I wear a tie!
Dream Vacation: 6 week windjammer through the Carribean
Fav song Use me
Movie: Shawshank Redemption
Hobbies: Music, turtlesI use to be a hockey fanatic, but ran out of time to play as much and then became frustrated b/c I could no longer play as good as I once did.
I remember this in detail. As a kid, I wanted to be a vet, live on an island in Hawaii, not be married and adopt a son. maybe I am a homosexual and don't know it? Although, I think I was 8 or 9 when I had this plan.
tookskye asks:
1) Greatest prank you ever played? Ever played on you?
2) Best thing about this new found (international) fame? Worst thing?
3) Favorite word? Favorite cuss word?
4) Favorite line out of a Lovehammer song? Out of a non-LH song?
5) Have you noticed that I enjoy two-part questions? Think I'm nuts yet? - Okay, these last two are sorta a joke, you don't actually have to answer them...unless you wanna.
Billy’s response:
I am not sure about the prank thing, but the best band one happened in LA last summer. We stayed at our Freinds Kari's condo and I think Dan put moisturizer on the toilet seat. I did not realize it until I moved and slid hard sideways. Plus it was all hot and slimy after the minute or two I had been sitting.
Greatest prank played on someone...I think this qaulifies, we were waterskiing at my parent's cottage in Wisc. Important note* they had a corract craft competition boat(powerfully fast). He started showing off and to be funny I gunned it. For some dumb reason he held on until I reached @ 55mph. The ski's slid out in front of him, he skipped on his back over the water 3x in the fetal position b/f the life jacket caught the water and he summersaulted(?) forward 3x more!. When we he stood up in the boat, he ripped his trunks down and peed water for @ 10 seconds out of his ass. He bled all night. That was the hardest I have ever laughed.
Best thing about the new exposure is that I will see my dreams/prayers realized. I will get a legimate chance to make a living doing what I love. Even if it does not pan out now, I will not be a bitter old man resenting my past. Most people are not fortunate enough to even find something that they would passionately love to do with their lives let alone be able to make a living of it! I have now that rare blessing!
Worst thing is that I am stressing about missing the family and that they will be alright/functionally happy w/out me here. Hope that makes sense? really goofy phrasing/choice of words.
Fovarite word..."the" I could not communicate w/out it. So thank you "the".
fav. cuss.....ASSWIPE
Yes, we all know he is married.
!!!
I haven't been really into a band like this since I was 12, when Motley Crue ruled my world. But these guys are awesome and they have the best fans! 
Good times...
