What’s your stage name and where are you from?
My stage name is Billy Phono, and I’m from Wales, UK.
What’s the story behind your stage name?
I named myself “Phono” in about 2004. A year or so later, I made an effort to change my name, but by that point, I was already known as “Bill Phono.” I thought “Billy” had a better ring to it.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
My mother fed me psychedelic rock.
My grandmother fed me jazz.
Grandmaster Flash pulled me into breakbeats.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
I recorded the EP in one sitting while nursing a brutal stomach bug. All but track 4 were my first takes.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
I listen to music that challenges me in some way. I’m never happy with anything I’ve written unless I’ve agonized over it at some point.
Time is something you can’t get back, so if someone is open enough to invest a portion of their waking life to give me a few minutes of their attention, I do my absolute best to ensure something worthwhile happens during those fleeting minutes.
I always aim to have a definitive, unique identity in whatever I create and strive to be somewhat challenging or awkward for my audience (not sure why!). I also strive to outdo my most recent work and to be an artist that inspires or motivates others.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
I try to make the writing process a challenge—I enjoy it. By the third and fourth drafts of verses, I strive to make my content dense and use language with lesser-used words or perspectives.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Aesop Rock is probably up there. Earl Sweatshirt. I’d love to produce for Homeboy Sandman (even though he’s done a feature on an older album, a non-feature collaboration would be tight!).
I’d also love some of those sparse Alchemist beats! Madlib. Prefuse 73. ODD NOSSAM!!
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
I’m unsure. I make music mainly for the enjoyment and agonizing process. Hopefully, I’ll gain some notoriety from artists I admire.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
More music in wax, please.
Are there any other promotional opportunities you’re looking for to boost your visibility?
Probably just notoriety and collaborations with other established indie artists.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
Besides your mother’s iPod: Four Finger Distro, a good few features dotted about the internet, and, of course, all the usual streaming platforms.
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
I’m on Facebook and Instagram. Email, DM, smoke signals from mountaintops, or deep-sea sonar.
