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Listen to their hit song "Bottom Feeder"
Check out their WEBSITE
"INSPIRED LARCENY"
An Interview with Steve Rouach of Imaginary Bill
By Don Sill
Imaginary Bill is creating quite a buzz within the Long Island music scene and rightfully so. Their fresh-faced brand of pop-rock has made it's way from the bump and grind of L.I's underground circuit and into more mainstream waters. Their track "Charles M." is currently aired on WNEW's 'The Ron & Fez Show' and their single "Bottom Feeder" will be placed in the upcoming season of MTV's Road Rules. This trio of best friends joined forces in 1999 and have since won over audiences all over Long Island and abroad. They call their sound "Inspired larceny" due to the fact that they wear their influences (The Beatles; Weezer; Ween: Guided By Voices and Radiohead) on their sleeves. Sure, the influences are apparent yet somehow their music, with great clamoring guitar grooves, wonderful vocals & an all around fresh, upbeat vibe, has a distinctive signature sound all it's own and has been getting some healthy interest from fans, critics and record labels alike.
The local 3-piece (Jed Slattery - Bass /Vocals; Steve Rouach - Vocals/Guitar; Mike Smith - Drums) couldn't be happier with all of their latest success. the ultimate goals, Steve Rouach says, "To be able to make music without any other concerns." Right now, Imaginary Bill are definitely a band worth checking out. For more info, log to www.imaginarybill.com
What is your opinion about the current Long Island music scene?
STEVE: I like how LI bands hang and join forces. There's more of a passion and camaraderie about the LI scene and those who support it.
How can we improve the local rock scene?
STEVE: In LI, more mainstream support from local radio "cough cough WLIR cough." In NYC just bulldoze and start over.
Where do you think you guys fit in among the local music circuit?
STEVE: I think we have good word of mouth and a bit of notoriety to our buzz.
What separates your band from other rock acts on the local scene right now?
STEVE: The amount of residual THC in our bloodstream.
What other local bands do you think rock?
STEVE: In no particular order, Teenage Girls, Thompson Gunners, End Games, Iridesence, The Cautions and many others who I can't remember just now.
Why should someone go out and see you guys live?
STEVE: Cause if they don't I'll come get them. (angry scowl)
What can we expect to see at your live performance?
STEVE: A lot of jumping around, slightly red eyes, a bit of paranoia, but also a certain kind of sincerity.
Favorite place to play?
STEVE: Wrong Way Inn. No doubt.
Any crazy club stories?
STEVE: We used to book city shows with a promoter who would get drunk and fall down like "Absolutely Fabulous." She would tell us with bleary eyes and slurry words things like "the guys are here to take back the equipment" or "Do any of you guys know how to do sound?" She was fun for a while but the novelty wore off.
Any rituals before you go onstage?
STEVE: We give each other angry, vicious beatings.
Any talks from labels or anything brewing?
STEVE: Lots of stuff always brewing. There's been a lot of interest these days, we just haven't heard anything yet that makes logical sense. We just passed on a possibility so we could break from our management.
What's next?
STEVE: We're going to release our next single and hope that the people and places that have been so incredibly good to us with our debut CD continue to like us. We've been playing mini-tours and coming up with tons of material in the meantime, and our lawyer has been setting a table of stuff that makes sense for our career.
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