With the emergence of Rock'n'Roll and Skiffle Billy started forming
bands using his friends as musicians but was all too often frustrated
by a combination of their lack of ability and lack of proper instruments.
He persevered and in time met other youthful musicians in and around
Aberdeen who had been following a similar dream.
He had several excursions with various line ups in various bands including
a brief foray into bluesy jazz and an Award Winning Skiffle Group but nothing
really clicked until he met up with Chris Sellar.
Chris Sellar was another kid who was raised on Blues, he had a
natural ability on guitar, a good voice and a love for the Blues.
The two of them played together for several years using a variety of different
band members including a spell with a piano player who was of the same
generation as Billy's Father.
Chris drifted in his musical taste towards the "Country" Blues style while
Billy favoured the gutsier "Chicago" sound leaning slightly towards
Rock'n'Roll, this led to a separation of the ways, although the two remained
firm friends up to Chris's untimely death in a road accident while on his
way to record for a radio session.
Billy went on to form another couple of bands eventually meeting up with
Robbie Manson who applied for a job as bass player. The two became good
friends and planned to move South and form a band with Stefan "Kos" Kocemba
in the summer of '65 however when the time came Robbie who was attending
Art College decided to finish his course first before taking the plunge.
Billy on the other hand, although married with a child, uprooted himself and
his family and headed South to meet up with Stefan for the first time.
These two hit it off from the word go, both accomplished musicians, both
immersed in the Blues both wanting just to make music.
This was the birth of "Just Us" a "take no prisoners" blues/rock band that
made a huge impact on the Scottish Rock Scene before taking Europe by storm.
Written by Peter Innes Rock 'n' Reel Magazine