Billy the Kid Interview: SXSW 2010

How did your band form?

My band formed because my last band broke up and I still had shows, so I threw together a gaggle of good-for-nothings and went on like nothing changed.

What are your musical influences?

All the real people -- everything from the Band, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and, more currently, Ray Lamontagne and Ryan Adams -- people with stories to tell.

How did you come up with your band name?

I actually didn't. People have been calling me kid since I was, jeez, I don't even know. Basically, I've always been the youngest. I skipped a grade in school, and at 14 I began playing in bands with people eight to 10 years older than me. I didn't pick it or choose it. It was one of those things handed down to me.

The Lost Boys started out as the name of my rock 'n' roll band, [and] then it became the name of the independent record label I started to put out my and my friends' albums [on]. It became the name of my office [Lost Office] and our van [the Lost Bus], but it also became a way of life, a code of conduct, a manifesto, a set of commandments, a way of living or getting by. When you've seen a side of poverty or struggling and you get some kind of help, all you can do is want to give back. "Lost" is 15 rules to live by and No. 15 is "give back." It took all those things, one through 15, for us to come full circle and start giving back.

What do you consider to be your biggest vice?

Well, lately I've been doing a lot of driving, loading and playing. After four hours of sleep and a 10-hour drive, I revert back to politically incorrect gangster rap.

What's in your festival survival kit?

A room with a door with a lock on it! You've got to take care of yourself at these things. We are finishing Music Week, which is a Canadian version of same thing. You find yourself going three months straight, 14 shows in a row. I'm looking at 12 different types of vitamins on my desk. I'm surrounded by water, tea and protein bars.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I grew up in Canada and listened to punk rock, so I secretly really like all that really bad, melodic, radio–friendly pop punk. I'm not going to name any names. Just think of the worst, and that's it.

Beatles or Stones?

For me, the Beatles. My boyfriend plays drums for Ringo Starr, so I got to meet him. He is just the sweetest man!

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

You mean, this week? I had my first psychotic, hysterical super-fan that had to be escorted out. We had mufflers falling off on the road. We would look down and say, "Did we used to have a muffler?" Wheels falling off. I saw a pretty messy fight last night -- this guy had his head bashed in. The night before we had a hockey game here -- you know, for the Olympics? That's just this week.

How do the audiences differ between Canada and the States? Do you have a preference for your live shows?

No preference. Truth be told, I'm just happy to play where people let me. If people will listen, then I just appreciate being there. In the States, you can travel even a few hours and coast to coast and there is quite a different culture, whereas in Canada it's like hockey and beer. I mainly see the music side of things, so I mainly see the community of it and not the differences so much.

What's your favorite song to perform live?

Lately, 'Just Trying to Get By.' It's about me and the million jobs I've had in between touring. It's the process of what it's like to look for a job and people know what that's like. I try to play that one last and get people singing along. Sometimes if there are only a few people I think, "Maybe they won't want to clap and sing." Like last night, everybody was just kind hanging in the back, so I said, "If you want to make this a thing, we can," and they actually came to front of the stage and made it a thing. I am constantly amazed and blown away the people want to sing along and stuff.

If you could have coffee or a drink with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Bob Dylan. I've heard that people aren't even allowed to look him in the eye, so I feel if we were in the same room we probably wouldn't do too much talking, but if he had to have coffee with me, then I would force him to answer all my silly questions.

Any superstitions or road traditions for luck?

Absolutely! Having toured in Canada, every time I cross a certain province I have a song that I play and a lot of it is territorial. There is a Saskatchewan song I play every time I see a Saskatchewan sign. Also, the number 32 has been reoccurring in my life. Every time I see something like the destination to the next town is 32 miles, I know everything's going to be OK, and it's going to be a good show.