Bill McShane (Ultimate Fakebook) - Interview

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I recently had the chance to interview Bill McShane of Ultimate Fakebook fame. I've been a big fan of Ultimate Fakebook for a long time and this interview came out great.

First off thanks for the interview
No problem, it's my pleasure man!

For those who don’t know you, you used to be the singer and guitarists in Ultimate Fakebook. The other members of Ultimate Fakebook have started a new band. I was wondering what you’ve been up to?
After UFB broke up, I moved out to Los Angeles which is where I live now. I needed a change of pace from pursuing music, so being a big movie fan, I got into film and video editing. I work now as a trailer editor.


Over the last year or so Ultimate Fakebook have gotten together for a couple reunion shows is there a possibility you’d ever like to record a new Ultimate Fakebook album (or some new songs)? Or the possibility you’d ever release a solo album or start a new band?
I'd say anything is possible. Nick, Eric and I are all still great friends, and we basically do UFB stuff now just for fun when we can make time. Will that mean new tunes...maybe, who knows! We definitely don't suffer from an absence of ideas when the three of us get together. As for me doing something else musically, it's not really something I'm seeking out actively. But I do still love music obviously, so if the right situation comes up, you never know. I actually just sang on a song with Stephen Egerton (guitarist of the Descendants, and ALL) for his upcoming project, so that was really cool and fun to do. And my favorite musician of all time is Bob Pollard, who got big with Guided by Voices while he was in his forties. So as far as I'm concerned, it's never too late to rock!

You seem to still be on good terms with the previous members of Ultimate Fakebook who are now in The Dead Girls. What do you think of their new band?
I love the Dead Girls! Recently with their live show, and also with their latest album "Out of Earshot" they have really come into their own. The musicianship and songwriting they've got going on is pretty badass. But hands down the thing I love about them the most is that at this point in their lives as band dudes, they absolutely could care less about getting big. They are so over all that crap! They aren't trying to fit in with any kind of scene or sound that's popular. They just wanna rock. And that attitude really comes across when you see them live, and it's really contagious and refreshing.

The way to get music out has rapidly been changing and evolving over the last couple of years. Do you think the changes are positive or negative? Do you think the way artists operate now is better or worse than it was a few years ago?
That's a big one. I mean sure, it's cool that more and more music is out there due to it basically being free and easy to get, but I personally feel that what has happened is the quality has suffered. There aren't as many hurdles to go through and struggles for new bands or musicians putting stuff out. Now you can write a song and post it immediately that day to the entire world. I guess I prefer the long way. So this way of working and operating I feel is just not as cool as it was back when you had to really fight just to get a demo made, and then to get it heard, and to build up a following by actually entertaining people live, not by just being the cool kid with pro tools in his basement. All of that struggling is what gives you experience to say something meaningful and get deeper into what makes you stand out as an artist in the first place.

I read on your twitter you recently participated in a walk to end kidney disease. Can you tell me how that went and maybe way you decided to get involved?
Yeah my wife works for the national PKD foundation, whose goal is to fund research to find a cure for polycystic kidney disease. She's worked for them for a long time and has been seriously kicking ass. She's done an awesome job at getting me, and tons of people involved.

Ultimate Fakebook’s music seems to still have a large fan base and the music has really been long lasting for listeners. What do you think it is about those songs that keeps people interested and listening?
Well that's really cool of you to say. I am super flattered that the music means something to some people. In fact that's by far been the best thing about the entire UFB experience, and it's something I'd never considered or expected when we started writing songs. I think while we definitely were interested in musically crafting a great pop song at all times, our lyrics were really honest. I just didn't feel right about singing lyrics that didn't come from a personal place. And for me that was basically writing songs about being a nerdy kid with big dreams, always pining for some girl from afar. You know, the basics!

New fans that are just discovering the band and can’t really find any information on what happened to end the band as the sites hosting the information have been taken down. Can you kind of give our readers a little insight into why the group ended?
Well it was obviously not an easy decision because I love the other guys and was really, really proud of our records. But I just got really burned out from touring non-stop, and just felt I needed to try some different things. Even if I was to return to music someday, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone.

Also I remember back a couple years ago you where in a Guns’n’roses (I think it was Guns) tribute band whatever happened to that band and what about that band in particular made you want to start a tribute band?
Yes! We are called Sweet Band O'Mine. It's still together, and we have a revolving door of musicians who play in it. Why do a GN'R tribute band? Duh?!?! Well for one thing we only play "Appetite for Destruction" songs, so I guess the reason is because that record is the most balls out expression of the rock and roll lifestyle ever recorded! Great songs from start to finish. Our shows are insane, we dress up and the crowd is way into it, it's pretty much the most fun thing ever. I haven't played with them for s while since I moved, but someday I'm sure I will again.

I guess I’ll close this interview out with this question which is kind of a few questions (haha). How did you get involved in the music scene? What are some of your favorite early memories of music and being in bands? What artists inspired you to get into music?
Nick and I started out in the Manhattan KS music scene just by going to all the shows around town and forcing our way into that world. There were a lot of great bands there and especially in Lawrence KS, so our band at the time played open mic nights and just begged clubs to let us open for people. We worked crappy day jobs on purpose so we would never lose sight of the real goal - getting to rock for a living! Which eventually we made happen, pretty much by sheer willpower. As far as favorite early memories, I'd say when we recorded "Electric Kissing Parties". We'd just became a three piece, and had no idea if we could make things work that way, but we just went for it. When we heard it back we were pretty excited. The artists that inspired me to get into music early on were just random bands we'd see live in super small towns in KS. There was a band called Zwarte that we thought were awesome. Ha...that's going back for ya. Anyway, Nick and I would see these types of bands when we were young and we knew that's what we were gonna do.

Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions I appreciate it. Anything else you’d like to let our readers know?
No problem man, thanks for your interest! If anyone out there happens to be a UFB fan - make some noise, and maybe we'll come rock your town again sometime!