Billy Reeves

Billy Reeves (born 7 June 1965) is a British songwriter, musician, record producer and broadcaster.

In the early 1990s he formed the band Congregation (not to be confused with The Congregation), releasing one album, Egham, on the Fire Records label for whom Reeves has previously worked as a public relations manager. The group never achieved much success. In 1996 he formed the London-based indie-band Theaudience, (featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor on vocals).

Theaudience quickly established themselves in the Camden scene of '97. They scored two top 30 (UK) hits ('A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed' and 'I Know Enough') and a top 30 (UK) eponymous album before Reeves left the band after a disastrous Glastonbury '98 performance.

Reeves signed to Sony Records with a new act ('Yours') in 1999. He also ran the club ('Uncle Bob's Wedding Reception') which provided The Darkness with their first London show. Around this time he also had a brief stint in Los Angeles Producing new artist demos for Rondor publishing. His performing career was cut short by injuries sustained in a near-fatal car accident in 2001.

After recovering from his accident Reeves studied under the noted writer and journalist Chris Horrie at the University of Westminster. Reeves achieved a distinction in his post graduate degree under Horrie and was therefore able to reinvent himself as a radio Producer and Broadcaster on BBC London 94.9. His travel and sports reports are distinctive due to an eccentric and exaggerated delivery which his friend Danny Baker has compared to the late Cyril Fletcher.

He produced the 2005 Sony Award winning Charlie Gillett show (which featured Mavis Staples) - and as part of the BBC London Travel Team has won two Frank Gillard Awards - in 2009 and 2011. The team was nominated for the 2011 Sony in the 'Mulitplatform' category (for coverage of the Tube Strike) and commended in the 2011 Online Media Awards in the 'Twitter feed of the year' category.

Reeves has also turned his hand to sports commentary for BBC Radio. He lends a Stuart Hall-style eloquence to reports from Brentford FC, and commentates live on the club's website.

He also presents a podcast entitled 'Nostalgia of the Future' which indulges his love of the early 1960s, and can be heard on Domino Records radio station too.