Photo Supplied by Bill Oliver

Billy O shares new single, “From The Hit Parade” (Interview)

Jenna Melanson·April 19, 2024

Billy O Shares On His Single, “From The Hit Parade” ft. p.d. wohl

Billy O, a seasoned Vancouver singer-songwriter, brings forth a musical journey spanning over three decades. With a profound love for various genres and a knack for crafting radio-worthy hits, Billy’s passion for music knows no bounds.

From his early days in the recording studio with British producer John Schroeder to his ventures as half of The Ormidales duo, Billy has left an indelible mark on the music scene. His songs have garnered international acclaim, even making waves at Liverpool soccer games with audiences exceeding 53,000.

Now, Billy embarks on a new chapter, teaming up with longtime friend and producer p.d. wohl to present his latest release, “From the Hit Parade,” a nostalgic ode to his musical roots and cherished memories.

First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?

Born William Stephen Oliver also known as Bill Oliver or Billy O. Have been hopelessly hooked to music since a child when the radio waves filled the air.

Your latest release, “From the Hit Parade,” is described as a nostalgic romp looking back at your first band. Can you share more about the inspiration behind this song and its creation process?

Yes. I got to thinking one day about my first band as a lad of 15. We played songs from the charts in both the UK and America. The Kinks, Stones, Yardbirds, Small Faces, The Turtles we’re just a handful of the fab music I was blessed to hear and we loved to do our versions., It seemed you could hardly walk a few blocks without hearing music escaping from living rooms and garages all with young teens playing their fave hits. I had the idea of playing the songs from The Hit Parade, had a melodic line in my head, strummed some chords and it happened, the verses came fast, it is one of those songs from the muse. My songs usually if not always kind of just write themselves and flow easily. It either happens fast for me or it doesn’t at all.

How does “From the Hit Parade” reflect your personal experiences and musical journey?

I have been hooked on melody since I was a toddler. A radio was always on in the kitchen playing the Hit Parade of the week. So many amazing songs growing up to get filed away in the jukebox of my mind. I always had an acoustic around singing my faves. A pal came home one day with a 4 track port studio and that was it I was hooked on the process of creating our own music now. Even now p’d and I throw out references to artists that had a song from the pop hit charts.

What was it like collaborating with p.d. wohl on “From the Hit Parade,” and how did this collaboration influence the sound and direction of the song?

It was great and worked very nicely I had a demo that was solid enough for him to make it bigger and add the sparkle and shine. He is a fab guitar player. and great at getting the right tones. I love textures and he did a great job of it. The song has all the elements, big guitar, some jingle jangle, and a touch of techno even. I feel happy that it somehow spans the years of Hit Parades.

As half of The Ormidales duo, you’ve amassed a significant catalog of material. What sets The Ormidales’ music apart, and how does it complement your solo work?

The Ormidales shared a lovely vision and melded well and complimented each other’s song nicely. Mark has a passion for roots and rock while I admit to being a real pop fanatic. Both mixed together gave you many Ormidales songs that continue to hit radio, p.d.wohl produced many Ormidales songs so it was an easy transition. We just went down the Pop Highway.