One of the original "Nightnoise" duo, Billy left the group some time between 1990 and 1993 and was replaced by Johnny Cunningham.

12 June 2000. Billy Oskay writes: "My new studio (Big Red Studio) is now complete and is a wonderful space to record. I would appreciate your updating your link to http://www.bigredstudio.com. Check it out. Billy's previous studio (same location) is where the original Nightnoise album was recorded

The following "interview" was conducted via e-mail on June 22, 1999.

Could you tell me how Nightnoise actually started?

Mícheál and I met on an evening in 1979 in Portland, Oregon (USA). Mícheál was touring with fiddler Kevin Burke and after their concert a mutual friend brought him to a French nightclub "Brasserie Montmarte" where I was playing swing jazz (a la Reinhardt/Grappelli) in a group named "Everything's Jake." Our mutual friend introduced us to each other.

Micheal and I enjoyed meeting each other and in the course of our conversation I mentioned that I was looking for a guitarist for a performance piece that I was creating. Mícheál agreed to come to my studio and give it a try. An evening or two later Mícheál and I sat down to play together for the first time. Out of that first session came the seeds for my Filmusic: "Duo" which we performed together the following week at the Portland Civic Theater.

Mícheál and I immediately felt a special musical rapport between us that later developed into the sound of Nightnoise.

For the next few years Mícheál and I saw each other on occasion and spoke of sometime making a demo tape. Both he and I had been harboring some compositional ideas for years. Mícheál then moved to Portland and in 1983 we spent a couple weeks making the demo in my studio. The demo was: "Bridges", "False Spring" and "Duo."

We sent out the demo to get the opinions of some record labels. The response was all positive. A friend of Mícheál's, to whom we had sent the demo, handed it to Will Ackerman of Windham Hill Records. He contacted us and through almost a year of further demos and negotiations, signed us. The demos became our 1984 release: "Nightnoise."

Have you been involved in any other musical projects on similar lines to Nightnoise?

I have produced and performed on several CD's for the amazing harp guitarist John Doan and feel Nightnoise fans would enjoy "Eire, Isle of the Saints," in particular.

Also look forward to his next project: "Wayfarer" on Hearts of Space Records, to be released this September, 1999.

I have on occasion recorded and performed with "Al Andalus" for the past few years.

What are you doing at present?

I am getting excited about the new studio I am building here on our 26-acre property 20 miles east of Portland. It will be completed before the Millenium. It will be an incredible facility with a picture window overlooking a beautiful meadow; the snow-capped peak of Mt. Hood in view. I look forward to many years of creative music making here and would welcome any Nightnoise fans with musical aspirations to e-mail me with inquiries.

Billy Oskay has his own web site.

Questions or feedback? Feel free to send mail.

This page was last updated on 4 April 1999.