Vinyl Relics: Would You Believe with Billy Nicholls
Vinyl Relics: Would You Believe with Billy Nicholls
It’s no wonder Billy Nicholls became a musician. His father, William Nicholls Sr., was a bassist and singer in the Royal Air Force band The Squadronairres. Growing up in a home without television, music was a big part of the Nicholls family household. Billy says this is where he learned about harmonies, when he and his sister would sing along to standards like “See You In My Dreams” as his dad plucked away on a ukulele.
Using a discarded guitar he found, at age thirteen Nicholls started writing songs of his own. Armed with a crude demo tape and a huge set of cajones, he did the unthinkable: he marched up to a Beatle and said, “can you listen to this?” This was sometime in 1964 or 1965 and The Beatles were the biggest band on the planet, and already cultural icons. Billy took the bus to George Harrison’s house, knocked on his door, and pleaded his case. Harrison said he would give his tape a listen and for Billy to come back in a week’s time.
"Would You Believe" Billy Nicholls
I asked Nicholls why he specifically chose George, and not one of the other Fab Three to approach. “He was the first port of call,” he told me with a laugh. Apparently the other’s houses were too far away, so he chose George’s abode. That was lucky for Nicholls, as George couldn’t have been more kind and helpful.
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A week later when Nicholls returned, George said “I didn’t know you wrote ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco!’ Billy’s sister had inadvertently taped over his demo. But George liked what he heard bleeding through, and asked Billy to try again. And try again he did. Through a series of fortunate events, the new tape made its way to Andrew Oldham, who by that time was setting up Immediate Records. By ‘a series of fortunate events,’ it should be noted that at the heart of this story are well written songs. One does not simply approach and impress a Beatle and an iconic producer/label head with just a cute smile. Oldham was so impressed, in fact, that he hired the teenager as a staff writer for the label.
Young Billy Nicholls was given an office to use to write his songs. When each song was finished, he was given free reign to pop by the studio to capture it on tape. Among others, singer Del Shannon recorded some of his early compositions.
Billy Nicholls on acoustic guitar
One of the bands on the Immediate Records label was the Small Faces, who Billy became close friends with. They had heard another writer’s demo called “Would You Believe” and suggested they cut it with Nicholls singing. As Billy described the session, they were just monkeying about. But when Andrew Oldham heard it, he loved it. He got everyone back into the studio to re-cut it properly and it was released as Billy’s first single. Small Faces‘ fans can’t help but notice Steve Marriott’s unmistakable backing vocals throughout the song – and a short banjo part, too!
With the single finished, Oldham green-lighted a full album for Nicholls to cut his songs. He took the helm to produce what some call “the British Pet Sounds.” The album, Would You Believe, features an impressive list of musicians: each of the Small Faces, Big Jim Sullivan, Nicky Hopkins, Caleb Quaye, along with John Paul Jones and Arthur Greenslade who added the string arrangements. The lush production was eye opening for Billy, who was still a teenager at the time. He never dreamed in a million years his fledgling acoustic songs would get these full-blown arrangements.
Highlights of the album are abundant. The stand-out songs are the title track, “Daytime Girl,” “Girl From New York” with some great fuzz guitar, and my personal favourite “London Social Degree,” which Billy said has nothing to do with LSD as some have suggested.
Billy Nicholls - Would You Believe vinyl disc remaster 1998
In an alternate universe the album gets released, some singles make the charts, and Billy Nicholls is on the cover of magazines, making BBC and other television appearances. The album becomes a hit and he goes on to a long career in the limelight. What I’ve described is not far-fetched at all and could have legitimately happened, however it wasn’t meant to be.
Financial problems were an immediate hurdle; just when the album was ready for release, the label went belly up. Only a hundred promo copies were ever pressed. It never made it to the record store shelves, and was never heard by the listening public who certainly would have received it well. No charts, no magazine covers, no BBC performances. It was over before it began.
Disheartened by the whole thing, Billy took time away from the music business. A few years later, he recorded a follow-up with some friends Caleb Quaye, Ron Wood, Ian McLagan, Ronnie Wood and Pete Townshend on board for an album titled Love Songs. But in a case of deja vu just as that album was set for release, the label behind it folded as well. 0 for 2.
Billy Nicholls - Would You Believe vinyl sleeve
Nicholls’ next project was a band called White Horse. Would you believe that the same thing happened again? For good measure a few years later, it would happen yet again for another solo album. It is hard to believe how much bad luck one artist can experience.
Billy remained busy however, working with Pete Townshend on his first solo album Who Came First, co-writing the standout track “Forever’s No Time At All.” Leo Sayer took one of his songs “I Can’t Stop Loving You (Though I Try)” to #6 on the U.K. Singles Chart. Nicholls toured with The Who and contributed songs for Townshend’s Psychoderelict album. Phil Collins’ version of “Can’t Stop Loving You” was a huge hit.
Having struck out every time with other labels, Billy decided enough was enough and set up his own, called Southwest Records. Today, you can find all his albums at his website billynicholls.com. Would You Believe has since seen a proper release, but Nicholls told me he has yet to see a dime from it. “That’s the music business for you”, he said with a smirk.
Considering the bad luck that has dogged him throughout his career, I wouldn’t blame Billy for being bitter. But throughout my interview with him, I never got that sense at all. He has a wonderful, positive outlook and seemed genuinely happy to walk down memory lane. He has been interviewed hundreds of times of course, so I was thrilled to stump him with my final question: “what was the first song of yours you heard on the radio?” After thinking about it for several minutes, he said he couldn’t remember. “Well done, John. You got me!”
Billy Nicholls - Would You Believe vinyl
Would You Believe was one of the first albums I considered featuring for my podcast, Vinyl Relics. It took a little time to connect with Billy to set up our discussion, but it was worth the wait. As a huge fan of this album – and all his others for that matter – it was a real thrill to hear the behind-the-scenes stories of each song. If you’re a fan of British psych, mod and late 60’s pop, this album will cross off a lot of boxes for you. Fans of The Small Faces and early Who will have plenty to enjoy here.
To hear the full story of this album, a dive into each track with Billy’s commentary, and to hear in his words what happened after its release, simply tune in, turn on & drop by Vinyl Relics wherever you get your podcasts. New “epysodes” featuring under-the-radar albums are released weekly. Would You Believe is featured in Epysode 67. Whether you are a long-time fan of the album or just discovering it for the first time, this is one you won’t want to miss.
I hope you dig Would You Believe as much as I do.
Billy Nicholls in 2015
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