For a school singing group that will mark its 10th anniversary in 2017, The Billies had an inauspicious beginning.
The Blaxland High School boys vocal group got their start in the toilets at the Sydney Opera House.
“It sounds made up but it’s not,” said Billies’ member Riley Glen.
In 2008 a group of Blaxland High students were performing in the NSW public schools concert, Pulse, at the Opera House when one of the male students mentioned he needed a boys’ group for his upcoming HSC piece.
“He started singing the song and we improvised the first ever Billies’ song in the Opera House toilets while we were waiting around for six hours to get on stage,” said music teacher and Billies’ director, David Leishman.
“We got something going and it just went from there.”
Since then The Billies has become a Blaxland High School institution, performing at community and corporate events and winning a swag of awards at local and regional eisteddfods.
Featuring junior and senior students, the group has gained plenty of fans for their performances of classic songs from the 1950s and 1960s – complete with retro dance moves.
While the group’s line-up has constantly changed as students pass through the school and graduate, The Billies’ ethos has remained the same.
“It’s like a broomstick – you change the bristles and you change the brush but it’s always the same broomstick,” said Riley.
“This is always The Billies, regardless.”
Mr Leishman said having the right attitude is just as important as having a singing voice that will blend with the group.
“You have to be careful, as individualists don’t work. The team is important. There are no superstars,” he said.
The Billies is also an exclusive group, with only 30 students claiming membership in almost 10 years.
“It’s tough to get in but there’s no audition. They get handpicked,” said Mr Leishman.
“It’s probably the single thing I’ve done here that I’m proudest of in some ways,” he said.
“Not many schools have a culture of boys that sing – people don’t realise how rare that is.
“We’re all mates too. I can tell these guys off, and slap them on the back and tell them ‘well done’ as well. The friendships are genuine, down from Year 12 to the youngest student.”
One of those young students is The Billies’ resident falsettist, Luke Zoglmeyer. The Year 8 student said the benefits of being a Billie definitely extend beyond the group’s musical achievements.
“I never thought I’d be friends with Year 12s – and a teacher!” he said.
