Little Billy Lost took a moment to answer our questions about their music and what led them to making it! Let’s see what they have to say!
Do you have a story behind your artist name?
Fred Pineau: The name was given to me by a dear friend back in the early 2000s. It was one of several names that he had come up with for bands that he wasn’t going to use, and I stored it away until we were discussing names.
Patrick Moynihan: The band already had the name when I joined. It used to be Little Billy Lost and the Cocks of the Walk but it’s been shortened over time.
Tell us a bit about your music journey. How has it shaped you?
Pineau: Rock & roll is the longest love affair that I’ve ever had. We fell in love in 1962, have been there for each other through thick and thin, and are still going strong! It has equipped me with a skill set to interact with others in a hopefully positive way to reach a common goal.
Moynihan: Not to sound corny or cliché but music is my life, I listen to it morning, noon and night. There was always all kinds of music playing in my house when I was a kid. My siblings were musical but I’m the only one that’s taken it beyond a school choir stage. I met my wife when I was an assistant manager of a record store. We go to shows whenever we can. I fall asleep to music most nights. I most likely could not exist without it.
How would you describe your sound to someone unfamiliar with it?
James Melanson: Boston-meets-Detroit guitar rock. Someone recently compared our sound to The Smithereens which is fine by me. Nothing wrong with Jersey. Our drummer Smitty is from the Motor City and he brings all that into our sound. That drive is really prominent in our song “Made In The USA” and carries forward into our newest release, “Dance Angelina Dance”, out now on Code 213 Records.
Pineau: I would say that our sound is an amalgamation of power-pop and hard rock. You can hear aspects of both, one more prominent than the other, depending on the song.
Moynihan: Rock n’ roll with a mix of power pop and punk.
What drew you to the genre /instruments you’re playing right now?
Pineau: My father was an entertainer, having started in vaudeville in 1917. I was brought up listening to live music played in our living room, as well as assorted venues throughout Boston. I never was interested in going into the family business until I heard “Rumble”, by Link Wray & His Wray Men in 1962 when I was 12 years old. I had a strong compulsion to make the sound with a guitar. I fooled around with it for two years, and then The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and I wanted to be them. In October 1964 The Kingsmen played at my high school, and the opening act was The Remains. By the end of The Remains first song I said to myself ‘Ah! THAT’S how it’s done!!’ I followed The Remains around Boston, and to this day they are one of the top five live bands that I’ve ever seen! That’s when I got very serious about the guitar, and I’ve never stopped!
Melanson: I think for me it began with The Beatles. My mom and her sisters were listening to all the hip music of their time from the ‘50s into the ‘60s. The Doors, The Beatles, Hollies, and so on. I remember buying music at an early age but I had sticky fingers when I came to discover what my aunts and my sister were listening to. Where are my records?? Jim, where are they?? Some of my earliest memories are my ears being drawn to what was on the radio or record player. My mom bought me a tin trap drum kit when I was about 4. Saturday mornings I would play along with The Beatles (Cartoon series), The Monkees, and The Banana Splits. Been all downhill from there! To learn chords I would steal my sister’s acoustic guitar.
Moynihan: I started playing bass because I was a terrible guitar player, no lie but over the years I’ve come to realize that it was the absolute best choice I could’ve made and bass is truly my instrument. I got into rock ‘n’ roll in my early teens. I love music in general but rock ‘n’ roll is absolutely where my heart and soul is.
What inspires you to write music?
Pineau: You aspire to be your heroes, and my musical heroes, everyone from The Beatles to Lou Reed to The Stooges to The Bee Gees, wrote their own songs. As with most art forms, it’s also the creation of something when there was nothing there before it, and the challenge to make it better as you progress.
Moynihan: I’m not a songwriter but when we are working on new music, my juices get flowing, my brain starts working. I record all our ideas on my iPhone and email it to everybody because we’re a band of a certain age so how the hell are we going to remember anything? Also you have a frame of reference and you can start listening to things and develop ideas that way and that really inspires me to come up with my best ideas. Really some of the best times for me are just the four of us in a room knocking ideas around.
Would you tell us about your current project, album/EP, or song you’re promoting?
Pineau: Our new single, “Dance Angelina Dance”, is the natural progression of the Little Billy Lost sound that we have been working on since our inception. We’re all really excited about the tune and the new video for it, and as always are looking to the future and the conquering of new challenges!
Moynihan: We’re currently promoting our new single and video “Dance Angelina Dance” on Code 213 Records. Single has been getting some great airplay on Little Steven’s Underground garage, college radio and Internet radio around the world which is pretty amazing to me!!
What do you want listeners to take away from listening to your music?
Melanson: Enjoy the sound, the story, the beat. Rock n’ roll isn’t for nice kids (to quote Lux Interior), so just go with it.
Pineau: I’m hoping that the listener will be able to do what I’ve always done with great songs – namely tune out the world around them and immerse themselves in the song!
Moynihan: I want listeners to go on a journey and enjoy the experience. Fred tells some pretty interesting stories in his lyrics so I would say just sit back and enjoy the ride
Who are your top three artists right now? If that’s not a fair question, what’s your favorite song right now?
Moynihan: The Hellacopters, The Living End, Rival Sons. “Eyes of Oblivion” or “Beguiled” by The Hellacopters
Melanson: For me any local or national act that has something that grabs me. I have always loved hearing something or someone I never heard before. I have my vintage favorites!
Pineau: For more current artists I’d say The Hives, The Strokes, and Boston artist Gene Dante.
What’s the easiest way for fans to connect with you?
Melanson: The usual socials – Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify etc..
Pineau: What Jim said.
Moynihan: Social media, just like everybody else we’re out there!! YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Bandcamp, Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify. I don’t think I’m leaving anything out…
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlebillylost
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057696624081
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5wRTBGCtFyWDfjF9S0SHOI?si=x1vAS64cSYC_IPrF37njhg&nd=1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXoGU4MfxFo
What’s next for you?
Melanson: We have a build up of material we need to get into the recording studio with. There is always that along with shows. We do this so we can play for people as well play with the cool artists in our area and beyond.
Pineau: We’re always heading toward the horizon, not camping out where we are. We’re constantly creating new material and are always looking to head into the recording studio to get the best of it memorialized! We’re always looking to book better shows, promote the recordings, and spread the word about Little Billy Lost!
Moynihan: More gigs, more recording, and hopefully reaching a larger audience.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
Melanson: I love single pickup guitars. And boats.
Pineau: I like puppies.
Moynihan: We are four rock n’ roll lifers who found a musical connection. The four of us come at this from slightly different angles and backgrounds but where it all meets up is pretty amazing, it is to me, anyways. But hopefully the audience is loving it as much as I am!!!
BIO: Little Billy Lost is comprised of 4 veteran Boston musicians with ties to Detroit as well. Former members of Boston stalwarts The Atlantics, Figures On A Beach, L-Seven, just to name a few…
