Billy Bibby

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles is the superb new musical endeavor of Billy Bibby, former and founding lead guitarist of Catfish and the Bottlemen. No newcomer to the British music scene, it was in 2007, at age 17, that Bibby became the elder statesman of this working class quartet formed in Llandudno, North Wales. Catfish and the Bottlemen gigged their way across the UK, and occasionally abroad, building a fiercely loyal fan base, selling out increasingly larger venues, and ultimately securing a recording deal in 2013 that would lead to the release of a Top 10 debut album Certified Platinum in the UK. Billy Bibby and his band are ready to do it all again.

Billy Bibby’s current musical journey began in the summer of 2014 in the same, grass roots, DIY style that served him well in the past. Penning new tunes and trialling them in front of live audiences, as well as via demos posted to SoundCloud, garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback. The time was right to transition to a full band experience and, with the help of Simon Jones, bassist for The Verve, auditions were held and a new four-piece ensemble of talented musicians rapidly took shape. Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles are: Billy Bibby – lead vocals / guitar, Rob Jones – lead guitar / vocals, Matt Thomas – bass / vocals, Mike Pearce – drums.

(Photo © Trust A Fox Photography)