Billy Reeves' music came to me softly, in a deluge of albums accompanying my first membership of Last Night From Glasgow.
I really liked Billy's debut solo album Nostalgia Of The Future, though I think I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of vinyl that was being delivered, gave it a listen, moved on, revisited it from time to time.
However, 2024's second album Steve (A Weekend In Egham, 1996) was like being slapped by the proverbial wet kipper about the face and neck. I became obsessed by the record, listening to it constantly and inevitably I enthused about it in my end of year round up.
The thing is, Steve was the first of three albums released in 2024, including a live record with Gavin Laird and third studio album, When Lord God Almighty Reads The News. The latter included more electronic elements, but continued to showcase Billy's knack for a great tune and beautifully crafted lyrics.
I was vaguely aware that Billy Reeves was in theaudience in the late 1990s, our introduction to Sophie Ellis-Bextor, but I'll admit that I didn't remember any of their songs. What I didn't know until relatively recently was that Billy's car was in a head-on collision with joyriders attempting to outrace the police, as he was driving home with his friend.
In other circumstances, that would have been it. Thanks to the emergency services, the NHS, support and love from friends and family, and sheer bloody-minded determination, Billy and his friend Jim survived. What could have been a life-ending moment instead became a life-changing moment. Billy wrote about it for The Guardian in 2021.
Twenty five years on from that horrific event in September 2001, Billy's fourth album PostWar has become my latest obsession and - no spoiler - will be mentioned again when it comes to reflecting on my favourite records of 2026.
Billy lost three years of memory following the crash and was presented with a MiniDisc of songs he'd been working on before, but had no recollection of or connection with the person who wrote.
Yet, Billy started to work on musis again. Richard Archer (Hard-Fi) came in to produce, Mark Morriss (The Bluetones) provided a voice for Billy's songs, with further contributions from Crayola Lectern (Zofff, Departure Lounge), and Mark Peters (Engineers).
The collective was named The Helicopter Of The Holy Ghost and the resulting album was called Afters, released in 2021.
This was the catalyst for Billy's second chapter as a songwriter, resulting in his first solo album the following year and a dizzying work rate, and frankly wonderful songs.
Billy's revisited some of The Helicopter Of The Holy Ghost songs in the years after Afters, and today's selection begins with Tony's Got A Car, the penultimate track on PostWar. the original version, sung by Mark Morriss, clocks in at over nine minutes. Billy's version pares it down to seven, but shares the same DNA.
What elevates the song - and all of Billy's music - for me is his own voice. These are Billy's own songs, and there's a depth, a humanity, a connection that only he can bring.
Billy's songs handles difficult subject matter with a lightness of touch, but there's also so much joy, humour and just plain silliness, sometimes in the same song.
Encyclopedi-ite, which kicks off PostWar, is a great example. The opening verse is a cracker:
Your mum let me into your room
I felt like I was raiding King Tut's tomb
Philosphy on your wall
Trophies on your shelf
Yeah, I wanted it all
I wanted it all for myself
Musically, there's a beautiful guitar motif that reminds me "Heroes" by David Bowie, whilst there's a pleasing choral clang and clash and Billy intones the song title. All this in 215 seconds.
If you're new to Billy's music, then I hope that this will be a good primer. Twelve songs, three from each of his four solo albums. Then go buy them from Last Night From Glasgow.
Oh, and that's Billy's wonderful art adorning the top of this post, too. Billy regularly sells his work to raise money for the Nostrano Lounge community pantry in Staines.
1) Tony Got A Car (Cover of The Helicopter Of The Holy Ghost) (2026)
2) Golden Days (2022)
3) Trying To Ride A Donkey (2024)
4) Dear Life (2024)
5) Enclyclodedi-ite (2026)
6) Soapbox! (2024)
7) Bstrds! (2024)
8) Drift (2022)
9) Stay Alive (2024)
10) Generation Game (2024)
11) My Library (2022)
12) Funny Love (2026)
2022: Nostalgia Of The Future: 2, 8, 11
2024: Steve (A Weekend In Egham, 1996): 3, 6, 9
2024: When Lord God Almighty Reads The News: 4, 7, 10
2026: PostWar: 1, 5, 12
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