Billy Bao

Spanish experimental/noise-punk/free improv band, established in late 2004 by Basque experimental musician Mattin and a mysterious Nigerian refugee Billy Bao (2) (with very scarce biographical details and no Billy's photos available, it's arguably a fictitious alias). Billy Bao ensemble featured Alberto López Martin on drums, Xabier Erkizia and Anla Courtis on guitars, and Pablo Reche (electronics), among others. In 2005, Mattin's private imprint W.M.O./r presented the band's debut 7" single and CD album. Since then, Billy Bao released seven full-length albums and various EPs, cassettes, 7" singles and CD-Rs. Some of the notable labels that featured the band include Parts Unknown Records (New Jersey) and S-S Records (California) in the USA, PAN (Berlin, Germany), Burka For Everybody and Munster Records in Spain, Insulin Addicted Records (Macedonia) and Afterburn Records (Australia). "When I came from Lagos (Nigeria) to San Francisco (Bilbao), life was tough here or there. I did not mind, I had a purpose in my life: to fight the system that fucks up everyday of our life. Back in my hometown, I was an unknown songwriter. But, as soon as I arrived to the streets of Bilbao, I discovered Punk Rock. It had energy and attitude and was exactly what I needed. Next thing was to get a band. I found out the most primitive drummer in Bilbao, Alberto Lopez (ex-La Secta, ex-Yogur, ex-Atom-Rhumba), and the noisiest guitarrists around, Mattin & Xabier Erkizia (ex-Gutariko Bat). The band was formed under my name, it could not have been any other way. These songs go beyond what rock and roll is and what it could be, in fact they are: The degeneration of Rock&Roll against the regeneration of Bilbao." Billy Bao Bilbao, Dec 2004