Illinois Entertainer December 2014 | Page 49

Kickback Continued from page 35 IE: On your Facebook page you state as your musical genre "Muppets." And as one of your two musical influences you include The Muppets TV show house band Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem. Translate or otherwise describe, if you will, your band's music to someone who's totally unaware of the Muppets? Billy: "I totally forgot about that one (he laughs and pauses in thought). I am trying as hard as I possibly can to convey some emotions that people really might not be comfortable with in hopefully the most upbeat and, uh, dance friendly way possible? He laughs again. And, I think I said the Muppets because, um, the Muppets are so amazing at conveying the entire spectrum of human emotion. When they want to make you hurt, when Jim Henson wanted to put the hurt on, he could do it like nobody I've ever seen via, you know, this felt on his arm. And, um, I spent my youth both enamored with and sort of terrified by certain Muppets productions. There are things my family still gives me – they still make fun of me because I would run screaming out of the room. And, I wanted music to be the same thing. I want it to cover every end of the spectrum and to come at you in ways that you really weren't prepared for; and also in a way that sort of leaves you walking away singing it, not sure you want to sing it or not... if that makes sense. IE: A favorite song from the live shows we've caught is "White Lodge," which you cite as being inspired by the '90s critical and cult TV sensation Twin Peaks and, indeed, you've been touring and encouraging