What Ever

Happened to
our IMAGINARY
Friend?
The Imaginary Boy has been out of the limelight for years.
Where has he been and is he here to stay?
By James Rogers

est known for ghost writing many hit rocks songs like My Chemical
Romance - This Is How I Disappear and Flyleaf-Missing, Boy is finally
making a comeback from his musical hibernation. But years before
the fame, Boy Boyd was just an imaginary boy in the South with real life
friend, Lawrence Hart. After discussing with his real buddy, nicknamed
Larry, we found he was delightfully surprised to be reunited with his long gone friend.
One day he just showed up at my door, and I couldnt believe it was him, he looks
exactly the same. The pair embraced, sat down and reminisced about their youthful diet
of peanut-butter-and-Cheerio sandwiches, among other topics such as Boys decision to
become a breakout solo artist. Larry, an audio engineer at Fosters Recording jumped on
board. Curious about his odd name we asked Larry about Boys interesting name in which
he replied: Thats what he said his name was so I went with it, he just told me his name and
it was Boy and I didnt question him on it.

30\\March 2015\Bizar Magazine

Kareem Carter

31\\March 2015\Bizar Magazine

He was one of my best friends, we would always make little songs and beats
with pot and pans in the Kitchen (which my mother hated) said Larry.

He moved to Sydney, where he started drinking

heavily. After making headlines and pleading
guilty to one charge of mid-range drink driving at
Newcastle Local Court, after being caught 2.5 times
over the legal limit on October 28. He was finally
spurred into rehab by his manager, who pointed out
that he had a drinking problem after a night at her
St Tropez apartment 6 months ago, during which he
consumed several bottles of wine.

We lost contact when I started 11th grade, but now that hes back Ill do
anything to keep him around.
Coming from a family of doctors, lawyers, and superheroes, Boy decided
to break the mold and take a turn at songwriting, something he did often
with Larry. While his family saw him as an odd duck, traveling around in
cars by himself and playing music in front of strangers, Larry Tells us that
Boy lived music and has since they were very young.

He was never a park bench drunk, Manager, Terry

Ritz says. He was still fully functioning. But what
he had lost was a degree of dignity. People talked
about a light going out of his eyes. And it was
a real journey to get him back. Now sober for 2
years, he still attends AA occasionally, although
says it is more out of gratitude for their help than
necessity. Once he was confident he had beaten
his demons, he found time to locate a studio and
begin recording his return single Here I am.

Boy made his return to the music scene this year with the release of his
single, Out Of Thin Air, last month, following a five-year hiatus from
songwriting and a decision to leave music for good. However, his fears and
personal issues couldnt keep him away from her passion. In fact, they made
him stronger. With his first single in May 2014, it was obvious the captivating
singer-songwriter was back and hopefully here to stay. Though it may seem
like an easy job to create a Greatest Hits album for a band without having
to deal with the hustle an bustle of the rock star life, but Boy though a
successful song writer still felt forgotten and ultimately lonely.
Before his hiatus he was known for putting the music industry on blast
for failing to acknowledge the people that write the bulk of its hits. He
particularly singled out bands like Fall Out Boy, Escape The Fate , and
Cartel failing to pay full publishing fees on songs they didnt write.
Boy Boyd, who doesnt actually cite any specific examples, co-wrote
the Foo Fighters smash Something from Nothing as a track, yet after
the song was released, He was surprised to see that the rockband lead
artist, David Grohl had received songwriting credit for his work. He gets
no royalties when he performs the song in concert, either. In effort to
gain recognition for his work, Boy quickly released an LP of some of
his songs. Despite that, it failed to generate a huge hit. He then decided
to take an indefinite break from music all together revealing that his
creative spark had fizzled.

1999
Departed Best
friend Larry, to go
on the road and
start his music
journey.

32\\March 2015\Bizar Magazine

Kareem Carter

2004

Discovered in small
studio session by
Emanuela Parks,
hired to song
write for artist
in Foster Town
Records.

We lost contact when I started 11th

grade, but now that hes back Ill do

anything to keep him around.

Boy is now keen to take centre stage and get back

into the studio to finish recording his album.
Now with a number one single under his belt,
he will this year play to legions of fans around
the world. Its all a long way from singing about
annoying little sisters and banging on pots. Boy
Boyd, The Imaginary boy has returned, older
and wiser, and against all odds hes pleased
his most skeptical fans. Instead of the punchy
grunge style of the classic song, Boy stripped
it back to just a piano, soft vocals and a guitar.
The artist has since worked and collaborated
with Empire Of The Suns frontman Luke
Steele, Kimbra, The Veronicas and rapper 360.

2008

Release of first
single as a solo
artist and Opened
for Panic at The
Disco concert.

People talked about a light going

out of his eyes. And it was a real
journey to get him back.
33\\March 2015\Bizar Magazine