The Ballad of Billy Balls

The Ballad of Billy Balls tells the story of an early '80s murder. Writer and activist iO Tillett Wright hosts the podcast with producer Austin Mitchell. The podcast combines narrative journalism with interviews and archive audio.

Billy Balls was an American punk musician. He and his partner Rebecca lived a bohemian lifestyle in New York City's East Village. In 1982, a man burst into their apartment and shot Billy. In the show, iO and Austin seek to discover why this happened to Billy. iO also shares on the podcast why this mystery has intrigued him his entire life.

The Ballad of Billy Balls begins by sharing how Rebecca and Billy met. Rebecca describes the events in detail in candid conversations with the hosts. She describes the city's punk scene in the early 1980s and the alternative lifestyle she and Billy embraced. Music from the era punctuates the conversations. Listeners can hear excerpts of Billy's songs from preserved recordings.

On the podcast, Rebecca recalls the events of Billy's shocking murder. She describes coming home to find the police there. They tell her someone has shot Billy. She remembers the agonizing two weeks that followed and her devastation when he died. The mystery becomes even stranger when Billy's body gets buried in a mass grave without Rebecca's consent. All these years later, she still seeks answers about what happened and why.

The podcast is more than a true crime story. Rebecca describes her love for Billy in heartbreaking detail. Her grief is still raw many years after the murder. Rebecca had taped herself describing her feelings shortly after Billy's death. iO and Austin play the audio on the podcast and commit to investigating the mystery for Rebecca.

The Ballad of Billy Balls may appeal to fans of true crime podcasts. Those curious about the New York City punk scene in the 1980s may also enjoy the show. All thirteen episodes are available.